diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 305077e9..8a1abc46 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ jobs:
           fi
           npm install
           npm start &
+          sleep 10 # allow for some time before the contracts are deployed
 
       - name: Contract tests
         run: make -j${ncpu} testContracts