diff --git a/integration_tests.py b/integration_tests.py
index 64f9144c8c4..835730abc61 100755
--- a/integration_tests.py
+++ b/integration_tests.py
@@ -781,6 +781,8 @@ def _make_env(flags):
     env["IAM_VER"] = flags.pop("IAM_VER", DEFAULT_IAM_VER)
     if "CVMFS_DIR" not in env or not Path(env["CVMFS_DIR"]).is_dir():
         # create a directory in tmp
+        typer.secho(f"CVMFS_DIR environment value: {env.get('CVMFS_DIR', 'NOT SET')}", fg=c.YELLOW)
+        typer.secho("Creating a CVMFS_DIR in /tmp", fg=c.YELLOW)
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
             env["CVMFS_DIR"] = tmpdir
     return env
diff --git a/tests/CI/docker-compose.yml b/tests/CI/docker-compose.yml
index 472da21809a..97141d6360c 100644
--- a/tests/CI/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/tests/CI/docker-compose.yml
@@ -115,17 +115,26 @@ services:
     command: ["sleep", "infinity"] # This is necessary because of the issue described in https://github.com/moby/moby/issues/42275. What is added here is a hack/workaround.
 
   dirac-pilot:
-    image: registry.cern.ch/cernvm/five/cernvm-five
+    image: almalinux:9
     container_name: pilot
     hostname: pilot
     user: "${DIRAC_UID}:${DIRAC_GID}"
     depends_on:
       - dirac-server
     volumes:
-      - ${CVMFS_DIR}:/cvmfs:ro
+      - type: bind
+        source: ${CVMFS_DIR}
+        target: /cvmfs
+        bind:
+          propagation: rslave
     ulimits:
       nofile: 8192
     pull_policy: always
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD", "ls", "${CVMFS_DIR}"]
+      timeout: 20s
+      retries: 10
+      start_period: 60s
     command: ["sleep", "infinity"] # This is necessary because of the issue described in https://github.com/moby/moby/issues/42275. What is added here is a hack/workaround.
 
   diracx-init-key: