diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index de696e47..5d81d66f 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ def runtests(){
     export PATH=$JAVA_HOME/bin:$PATH
     cd marklogic-spark-connector
     ./gradlew -i mlWaitTillReady
+    sleep 3
+    ./gradlew -i mlWaitTillReady
     ./gradlew mlTestConnections
     ./gradlew -i mlDeploy
     echo "Loading data a second time to try to avoid Optic bug with duplicate rows being returned."
@@ -47,19 +49,19 @@ def tearDownDocker() {
 
 pipeline{
   agent none
-  
+
   triggers{
     parameterizedCron(env.BRANCH_NAME == "develop" ? "00 02 * * * % regressions=true" : "")
   }
   parameters{
     booleanParam(name: 'regressions', defaultValue: false, description: 'indicator if build is for regressions')
   }
-  
+
   options {
     checkoutToSubdirectory 'marklogic-spark-connector'
     buildDiscarder logRotator(artifactDaysToKeepStr: '7', artifactNumToKeepStr: '', daysToKeepStr: '30', numToKeepStr: '')
   }
-  
+
   environment{
     JAVA17_HOME_DIR="/home/builder/java/jdk-17.0.2"
     GRADLE_DIR   =".gradle"
diff --git a/build.gradle b/build.gradle
index b9207a31..619025e4 100644
--- a/build.gradle
+++ b/build.gradle
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 plugins {
-  id 'net.saliman.properties' version '1.5.2'
+  id 'net.saliman.properties' version '1.6.0'
   id "java-library"
   id "org.sonarqube" version "6.0.1.5171"
 }
diff --git a/test-app/build.gradle b/test-app/build.gradle
index 56b9cec5..f35138f9 100644
--- a/test-app/build.gradle
+++ b/test-app/build.gradle
@@ -11,12 +11,13 @@ buildscript {
   }
 }
 
-plugins {
-  id "net.saliman.properties" version "1.5.2"
-}
-
 apply plugin: "com.marklogic.ml-gradle"
 
+// Sometimes, 3 x 20 isn't enough on Jenkins.
+mlWaitTillReady {
+  maxAttempts = 40
+}
+
 tasks.register("reloadTestData", com.marklogic.gradle.task.MarkLogicTask) {
   description = "Convenience task for clearing the test database and reloading the test data; only intended for a connector developer to use."
   doLast {