diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci-e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/ci-e2e.yml
index a24cd4b4..ace74939 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci-e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci-e2e.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
           dotnet-version: 6.0.x
 
       - name: Start containers
-        run:  docker compose -f "docker-compose.yml" up -d && sleep 20 #allow time for mongo to start up properly
+        run:  dotnet build && docker compose -f "docker-compose.yml" up -d && sleep 20 #allow time for mongo to start up properly
 
       - name: Debug network
         run: docker ps -a && docker logs --since 10m serval_cntr && docker logs --since 10m echo_cntr && docker logs --since 10m machine-engine-cntr && docker logs --since 10m serval-mongo-1 && docker logs --since 10m machine-job-cntr
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 297af639..42d2ae6d 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ services:
     hostname: machine-engine
     container_name: machine-engine-cntr
     build:
-      context: ${MACHINE_TESTING_DIR:-../machine}
+      context: .
       dockerfile: dockerfile.development
 
     environment:
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ services:
     hostname: machine-job-server
     container_name: machine-job-cntr
     build:
-      context: ${MACHINE_TESTING_DIR:-../machine}
+      context: .
       dockerfile: dockerfile.development
     environment:
       - ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Staging