diff --git a/scripts/backend-development/start-mock-server.sh b/scripts/backend-development/start-mock-server.sh
index 807230e8..4bd3b09c 100755
--- a/scripts/backend-development/start-mock-server.sh
+++ b/scripts/backend-development/start-mock-server.sh
@@ -4,17 +4,38 @@ parent_path=$( cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" ; pwd -P )
 # switch to backend directory
 pushd "$parent_path/../../backend"
 
-export DEBUG_SKIP_API_KEY_CHECK=True
-
-python -m print_openapi_schema > oasst-openapi.json
-
 MOCK_SERVER_PORT=8080
+OPENAPI_JSON_FILE_NAME=openapi.json
 
-docker run --init --rm -d \
-  -p $MOCK_SERVER_PORT:4010 \
-  -v $(pwd):/tmp \
-  -P stoplight/prism:4 \
-  mock -h 0.0.0.0 "/tmp/oasst-openapi.json"
+echo "Generating OpenAPI schema..."
+python -m print_openapi_schema > $OPENAPI_JSON_FILE_NAME
+echo "Done!"
+
+# If oasst-mock-backend docker container is already running,
+# just restart it
+if [ "$(docker ps -q -f name=oasst-mock-backend)" ]; then
+    echo "oasst-mock-backend container exists, restarting..."
+    docker restart oasst-mock-backend
+else
+    echo "Creating new oasst-mock-backend container..."
+    docker run --init --rm -d \
+      --name oasst-mock-backend \
+      -p $MOCK_SERVER_PORT:4010 \
+      -v $(pwd):/tmp \
+      -P stoplight/prism:4 \
+      mock -h 0.0.0.0 "/tmp/$OPENAPI_JSON_FILE_NAME"
+fi
+
+echo "Waiting for server to be live..."
+curl --retry-all-errors --retry 5 localhost:$MOCK_SERVER_PORT
+echo ""
+
+# if return code is successful, print successful response
+if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "Mock server is running at localhost:$MOCK_SERVER_PORT"
+else
+    echo "Mock server failed to start"
+fi
 
 
 popd