diff --git a/scripts/launch-local-docker.sh b/scripts/launch-local-docker.sh
index deae4928bb..86d7bbaf4e 100755
--- a/scripts/launch-local-docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/launch-local-docker.sh
@@ -10,13 +10,6 @@ function usage() {
 
 CHAIN=$1
 
-# interval and rounds to wait to check the block production and finalization of parachain
-WAIT_INTERVAL_SECONDS=10
-WAIT_ROUNDS=30
-
-# if the parachain has produced the first block
-BLOCK_PRODUCED=false
-
 function print_divider() {
   echo "------------------------------------------------------------"
 }
@@ -31,53 +24,29 @@ cd "$ROOTDIR/docker/generated-$CHAIN/"
 
 docker compose up -d --build
 
-# sleep for a while to make sure `docker compose` is ready
-# otherwise `docker compose logs` could print empty output
-sleep 10
+print_divider
+
+# Install Node.js dependencies in the middle.
+# It also buys `docker compose` some time.
+cd "$ROOTDIR/ts-tests"
+if [[ -z "${NODE_ENV}" ]]; then
+    echo "NODE_ENV=ci" > .env
+else
+    echo "NODE_ENV=${NODE_ENV}" > .env
+fi
 
-parachain_service=$(docker compose ps --services --filter 'status=running' | grep -F 'parachain-')
+pnpm install
 
 print_divider
 
-echo "waiting for parachain to produce blocks ..."
+echo "Waiting for parachain to produce block #1..."
+pnpm run wait-finalized-block 2>&1
 
-for _ in $(seq 1 $WAIT_ROUNDS); do
-  sleep $WAIT_INTERVAL_SECONDS
-  if docker compose logs "$parachain_service" 2>&1 | grep -F '0 peers' 2>/dev/null | grep -Fq "best: #1" 2>/dev/null; then
-    echo "parachain produced #1"
-    BLOCK_PRODUCED=true
-    break
-  fi
-done
+print_divider
 
-if [ "$BLOCK_PRODUCED" = "false" ]; then
-  echo "no block production detected, you might want to check it manually. Quit now"
-  exit 1
-fi
+echo "Extending leasing period..."
+pnpm run upgrade-parathread 2>&1
 
 print_divider
-
-echo "waiting for parachain to finalize blocks ..."
-
-for _ in $(seq 1 $WAIT_ROUNDS); do
-  sleep $WAIT_INTERVAL_SECONDS
-  if docker compose logs "$parachain_service" 2>&1 | grep -F '0 peers' 2>/dev/null | grep -Fq "finalized #1" 2>/dev/null; then
-    echo "parachain finalized #1, all good."
-    print_divider
-    echo "extend leasing period now ..."
-    cd "$ROOTDIR/ts-tests"
-    if [[ -z "${NODE_ENV}" ]]; then
-        echo "NODE_ENV=ci" > .env
-    else
-        echo "NODE_ENV=${NODE_ENV}" > .env
-    fi
-    pnpm install
-    pnpm run upgrade-parathread 2>&1
-    print_divider
-    echo "Done."
-    exit 0
-  fi
-done
-
-echo "no block finalization detected, you might want to check it manually. Quit now"
-exit 1
\ No newline at end of file
+echo "Done."
+exit 0
diff --git a/ts-tests/common/setup/wait-finalized-block.ts b/ts-tests/common/setup/wait-finalized-block.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..46aef0ba48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ts-tests/common/setup/wait-finalized-block.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import '@polkadot/api-augment';
+import { ApiPromise, Keyring, WsProvider } from '@polkadot/api';
+import type { VoidFn } from '@polkadot/api/types';
+import type { ISubmittableResult } from '@polkadot/types/types';
+import { loadConfig } from '../utils';
+
+const FINALIZED_BLOCKS_COUNT = 1;
+const TIMEOUT_MIN = 1000 * 60 * 3; // 1min
+
+/**
+ * Connects to the parachain via the config file
+ * and waits for `FINALIZED_BLOCKS_COUNT` blocks to
+ * get finalized.
+ *
+ * It times out after `TIMEOUT_MIN` min.
+ */
+(async () => {
+    const config = loadConfig();
+    let timeout: NodeJS.Timeout;
+    let count = 0;
+    let unsub: VoidFn;
+    let api: ApiPromise;
+
+    const provider = new WsProvider(config.parachain_ws);
+
+    console.log(`Connecting to parachain ${config.parachain_ws}`);
+
+    timeout = global.setTimeout(async () => {
+
+      if (typeof unsub === 'function') unsub();
+
+      if (api) api.disconnect();
+      provider.on('disconnected', () => {
+          console.log(`\nno block production detected after ${TIMEOUT_MIN}min, you might want to check it manually. Quit now`);
+          process.exit(1);
+      });
+    }, TIMEOUT_MIN);
+
+    api = await ApiPromise.create({
+        provider: provider,
+    });
+
+    unsub = await api.rpc.chain.subscribeFinalizedHeads(async (head) => {
+      const blockNumber = head.number.toNumber();
+      console.log(`Parachain finalized block #${blockNumber} with hash ${head.hash}`);
+      count += 1;
+
+      if (blockNumber >= 1 && count >= FINALIZED_BLOCKS_COUNT) {
+        unsub();
+        if (timeout) global.clearTimeout(timeout)
+
+        await api.disconnect();
+        provider.on('disconnected', () => {
+            console.log('Done.');
+            process.exit(0);
+        });
+      }
+    })
+})();
diff --git a/ts-tests/package.json b/ts-tests/package.json
index ca9bdb873a..c5237b64f8 100644
--- a/ts-tests/package.json
+++ b/ts-tests/package.json
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     "scripts": {
         "register-parathread": "pnpm exec ts-node common/setup/register-parathread.ts",
         "upgrade-parathread": "pnpm exec ts-node common/setup/upgrade-parathread.ts",
+        "wait-finalized-block": "pnpm exec ts-node common/setup/wait-finalized-block.ts",
         "setup-enclave": "pnpm exec ts-node common/setup/setup-enclave.ts",
         "test-filter": "pnpm exec mocha --exit --sort -r ts-node/register 'integration-tests/base-filter.test.ts'",
         "test-bridge": "pnpm exec mocha --exit --sort -r ts-node/register 'integration-tests/bridge.test.ts'",