diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index a5d9805fae..64ab801d2d 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ container: check-docker-tool-check check-docker-buildx-tool-check check-goreleas
 # To run the service, run `make container` and then `make service`
 # making the container is a longer process and thus not a dependency of service.
 .PHONY: start-service
-start-service:
+start-service: check-docker-compose-tool-check
 	# requires force recreate since docker compose reuses containers and neo4j does
 	# not handle that well.
 	#
@@ -146,11 +146,19 @@ check-docker-tool-check:
 # Check that docker buildx is installed.
 .PHONY: check-docker-buildx-tool-check
 check-docker-buildx-tool-check:
-	@if ! docker buildx >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+	@if ! $(CONTAINER) buildx >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
 		echo "'$(CONTAINER)' buildx is not installed. Please install '$(CONTAINER)' buildx and try again."; \
 		exit 1; \
 	fi
 
+# Check that docker compose is installed.
+.PHONY: check-docker-compose-tool-check
+check-docker-compose-tool-check:
+	@if ! $(CONTAINER) compose >/dev/null 2>&1; then \
+		echo "'$(CONTAINER)' compose is not installed or not correctly linked to. Please install '$(CONTAINER)' compose or link it as a plugin and try again."; \
+		exit 1; \
+	fi
+
 # Check that protoc is installed.
 .PHONY: check-protoc-tool-check
 check-protoc-tool-check:
@@ -184,4 +192,4 @@ check-goreleaser-tool-check:
 
 # Check that all the tools are installed.
 .PHONY: check-tools
-check-tools: check-docker-tool-check check-docker-buildx-tool-check check-protoc-tool-check check-golangci-lint-tool-check check-mockgen-tool-check check-goreleaser-tool-check
+check-tools: check-docker-tool-check check-docker-buildx-tool-check check-docker-compose-tool-check check-protoc-tool-check check-golangci-lint-tool-check check-mockgen-tool-check check-goreleaser-tool-check