diff --git a/src/node/api_clients/rest.py b/src/node/api_clients/rest.py
index daaedd0c..5ef37e3e 100644
--- a/src/node/api_clients/rest.py
+++ b/src/node/api_clients/rest.py
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ class REST(BaseClient):
         return info_response.json()
 
     def health(self):
-        health_response = self.rest_call_text("get", "health")
-        return health_response.text()
+        health_response = self.rest_call("get", "health")
+        return health_response.json()
 
     def get_peers(self):
         get_peers_response = self.rest_call("get", "admin/v1/peers")
diff --git a/src/node/waku_node.py b/src/node/waku_node.py
index 919d20cd..d41378d0 100644
--- a/src/node/waku_node.py
+++ b/src/node/waku_node.py
@@ -188,17 +188,24 @@ class WakuNode:
 
     def ensure_ready(self, timeout_duration=10):
         @retry(stop=stop_after_delay(timeout_duration), wait=wait_fixed(0.1), reraise=True)
+        def check_healthy(node=self):
+            self.health_response = node.health()
+            h = json.loads(self.health_response)
+            if h["nodeHealth"] and h["nodeHealth"] != "Ready":
+                raise AssertionError("Waiting for the node health status: Ready")
+
+            if h["protocolsHealth"] and h["protocolsHealth"]["Rln Relay"] != "Ready":
+                raise AssertionError("Waiting for the Rln Relay status: Ready")
+            logger.info("Node protocols are initialized !!")
+
+        @retry(stop=stop_after_delay(5), wait=wait_fixed(0.1), reraise=True)
         def check_ready(node=self):
             node.info_response = node.info()
             logger.info("REST service is ready !!")
 
+        check_healthy()
         check_ready()
 
-    @retry(stop=stop_after_delay(10), wait=wait_fixed(1), reraise=True)
-    def ensure_healthy(self):
-        self.health_response = self.health()
-        logger.info("Node is healthy !!")
-
     def get_enr_uri(self):
         try:
             return self.info_response["enrUri"]
diff --git a/tests/relay/test_rln.py b/tests/relay/test_rln.py
index 4cf38972..c4444e91 100644
--- a/tests/relay/test_rln.py
+++ b/tests/relay/test_rln.py
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ class TestRelayRLN(StepsRLN, StepsRelay):
                 failed_payloads.append(payload["description"])
             assert not failed_payloads, f"Payloads failed: {failed_payloads}"
 
-    @pytest.mark.skip(reason="exceeding timeout, waiting for https://github.com/waku-org/nwaku/pull/2612 to be part of the release")
     @pytest.mark.timeout(600)
     def test_valid_payloads_dynamic_at_slow_rate(self):
         self.setup_main_rln_relay_nodes(rln_relay_dynamic="true", wait_for_node_sec=600)