diff --git a/.evergreen/utils.sh b/.evergreen/utils.sh
index 3adfe20..a14b063 100644
--- a/.evergreen/utils.sh
+++ b/.evergreen/utils.sh
@@ -52,10 +52,22 @@ is_python_310() {
 }
 
 
+retry() {
+    for i in 1 2 4 8 16; do
+        { "$@" && return 0; } || sleep $i
+    done
+    return 1
+}
+
+
 # start mongodb-atlas-local container, because of a bug in podman we have to define the healtcheck ourselves (is the same as in the image)
 # stores the connection string in .local_atlas_uri file
 setup_local_atlas() {
     echo "Starting the container"
+
+    IMAGE=artifactory.corp.mongodb.com/dockerhub/mongodb/mongodb-atlas-local:latest
+    retry podman pull $IMAGE
+
     CONTAINER_ID=$(podman run --rm -d -e DO_NOT_TRACK=1 -P --health-cmd "/usr/local/bin/runner healthcheck" mongodb/mongodb-atlas-local:latest)
 
     echo "waiting for container to become healthy..."
diff --git a/chatgpt-retrieval-plugin/run.sh b/chatgpt-retrieval-plugin/run.sh
index 4445ed0..feea4b2 100644
--- a/chatgpt-retrieval-plugin/run.sh
+++ b/chatgpt-retrieval-plugin/run.sh
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ $PYTHON_BINARY -m poetry install --with dev
 OPENAI_API_KEY=$openai_api_key \
 DATASTORE="mongodb" \
 BEARER_TOKEN="staylowandkeepmoving" \
-MONGODB_URI=$chatgpt_retrieval_plugin_mongodb_uri \
+MONGODB_URI=$(fetch_local_atlas_uri) \
 MONGODB_DATABASE="chatgpt_retrieval_plugin_test_db" \
 MONGODB_COLLECTION="chatgpt_retrieval_plugin_test_vectorstore" \
 MONGODB_INDEX="vector_index" \