diff --git a/docker/rootfs/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-wait-for-db/run b/docker/rootfs/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-wait-for-db/run
index 8ec900212..170b2ed61 100755
--- a/docker/rootfs/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-wait-for-db/run
+++ b/docker/rootfs/etc/s6-overlay/s6-rc.d/init-wait-for-db/run
@@ -50,8 +50,9 @@ wait_for_mariadb() {
 
 	local -r host="${PAPERLESS_DBHOST:-localhost}"
 	local -r port="${PAPERLESS_DBPORT:-3306}"
+	local -r user="${PAPERLESS_DBUSER:-paperless}"
 
-	while ! mariadb-admin --host="$host" --port="$port" ping --silent >/dev/null 2>&1; do
+	while ! mariadb-admin --host="${host}" --port="${port}" --user="${user}" ping --silent >/dev/null 2>&1; do
 		delay_next_attempt
 	done
 	echo "${LOG_PREFIX} Connected to MariaDB"