diff --git a/metacat-connector-polaris/src/functionalTest/scripts/start_docker_containers.sh b/metacat-connector-polaris/src/functionalTest/scripts/start_docker_containers.sh
index db5cad12e..161f3b541 100644
--- a/metacat-connector-polaris/src/functionalTest/scripts/start_docker_containers.sh
+++ b/metacat-connector-polaris/src/functionalTest/scripts/start_docker_containers.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,18 @@ echo DOCKER env is $(env | grep DOCKER)
 
 COMPOSE_FILE=$1
 
+if [ ! -f "$COMPOSE_FILE" ]; then
+    echo "Compose file ${COMPOSE_FILE]} does not exist"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+#validate the docker compose file
+docker-compose --file ${COMPOSE_FILE} config
+if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo "Invalid docker compose file: ${COMPOSE_FILE}"
+    exit 2
+fi
+
 docker-compose --file ${COMPOSE_FILE} up crdb-barrier
 if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
     echo "Unable to start crdb-barrier container"