diff --git a/charts/collab/templates/deployment.yaml b/charts/collab/templates/deployment.yaml
index 89e46fe..17e1b9b 100644
--- a/charts/collab/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/charts/collab/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ spec:
         - name: {{ include "codetogether.fullname" . }}-pull-secret
       {{- end }}
       serviceAccountName: {{ include "codetogether.serviceAccountName" . }}
+
+      {{- with .Values.initContainers }}
+      initContainers:
+        {{- toYaml . | nindent 8 }}
+      {{- end }}
+      
       containers:
         - name: {{ .Chart.Name }}
           securityContext:
diff --git a/charts/collab/values.yaml b/charts/collab/values.yaml
index 6ab5418..6b514a0 100644
--- a/charts/collab/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/collab/values.yaml
@@ -212,6 +212,18 @@ serviceAccount:
 
 podAnnotations: {}
 
+# Optional: add initContainers (startup containers) to the pod spec.
+# Useful to wait for dependencies (e.g., Intel URL reachability, locator DB readiness, etc.)
+# before CodeTogether Collab starts.
+initContainers: []
+# Example (replace the `[]` above with the list below):
+#   - name: wait-for-intel
+#     image: busybox:1.36
+#     command: ["sh", "-c"]
+#     args:
+#       - >
+#         until nc -z your-intel-host 443; do echo "Waiting for Intel..."; sleep 2; done
+
 securityContext: {} #defaults
   # capabilities:
   #   drop:
diff --git a/charts/intel/values.yaml b/charts/intel/values.yaml
index 717a055..7e65db5 100644
--- a/charts/intel/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/intel/values.yaml
@@ -136,8 +136,7 @@ podAnnotations: {}
 # Optional: add initContainers (startup containers) to the pod spec.
 # Useful to wait for Cassandra or run startup checks before Intel starts.
 initContainers: []
-# Example:
-# initContainers:
+# Example (replace the `[]` above with the list below):
 #   - name: wait-for-cassandra
 #     image: busybox:1.36
 #     command: ["sh", "-c"]