diff --git a/hosting/docker-compose.yaml b/hosting/docker-compose.yaml
index 37657ce009..0cd7bc92bf 100644
--- a/hosting/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/hosting/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ services:
     restart: always
     image: redis
     command: redis-server --requirepass ${REDIS_PASSWORD}
+    ports:
+      - "${REDIS_PORT}:6379"
     volumes:
       - redis_data:/data
 
diff --git a/packages/auth/src/redis/index.js b/packages/auth/src/redis/index.js
index 78e3ea7acd..0fd0aa8c83 100644
--- a/packages/auth/src/redis/index.js
+++ b/packages/auth/src/redis/index.js
@@ -3,40 +3,64 @@ const env = require("../environment")
 const Redis = env.isTest() ? require("ioredis-mock") : require("ioredis")
 const { addDbPrefix, removeDbPrefix, getRedisOptions } = require("./utils")
 
+const RETRY_PERIOD_MS = 2000
+const MAX_RETRIES = 20
 const CLUSTERED = false
 
 // for testing just generate the client once
 let CONNECTED = false
 let CLIENT = env.isTest() ? new Redis(getRedisOptions()) : null
 
+function retryConnection() {
+  setTimeout(init, RETRY_PERIOD_MS)
+}
+
 /**
  * Inits the system, will error if unable to connect to redis cluster (may take up to 10 seconds) otherwise
  * will return the ioredis client which will be ready to use.
- * @return {Promise<object>} The ioredis client.
  */
 function init() {
-  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    // testing uses a single in memory client
-    if (env.isTest() || (CLIENT && CONNECTED)) {
-      return resolve(CLIENT)
+  function errorOccurred(err) {
+    CONNECTED = false;
+    console.error("Redis connection failed - " + err)
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      init()
+    }, RETRY_PERIOD_MS)
+  }
+  // testing uses a single in memory client
+  if (env.isTest() || (CLIENT && CONNECTED)) {
+    return
+  }
+  if (CLIENT) {
+    CLIENT.disconnect()
+  }
+  const { opts, host, port } = getRedisOptions(CLUSTERED)
+  if (CLUSTERED) {
+    CLIENT = new Redis.Cluster([{ host, port }], opts)
+  } else {
+    CLIENT = new Redis(opts)
+  }
+  CLIENT.on("end", err => {
+    errorOccurred(err)
+  })
+  CLIENT.on("error", err => {
+    errorOccurred(err)
+  })
+  CLIENT.on("connect", () => {
+    CONNECTED = true
+  })
+}
+
+function waitForConnection() {
+  return new Promise(resolve => {
+    if (CLIENT == null) {
+      init()
+    } else if (CONNECTED) {
+      resolve()
+      return
     }
-    const { opts, host, port } = getRedisOptions(CLUSTERED)
-    if (CLUSTERED) {
-      CLIENT = new Redis.Cluster([{ host, port }], opts)
-    } else {
-      CLIENT = new Redis(opts)
-    }
-    CLIENT.on("end", err => {
-      reject(err)
-      CONNECTED = false
-    })
-    CLIENT.on("error", err => {
-      reject(err)
-      CONNECTED = false
-    })
     CLIENT.on("connect", () => {
-      resolve(CLIENT)
-      CONNECTED = true
+      resolve()
     })
   })
 }
@@ -85,31 +109,30 @@ class RedisWrapper {
   }
 
   async init() {
-    this._client = await init()
+    init()
+    await waitForConnection()
     return this
   }
 
   async finish() {
-    this._client.disconnect()
+    CLIENT.disconnect()
   }
 
   async scan() {
-    const db = this._db,
-      client = this._client
+    const db = this._db
     let stream
     if (CLUSTERED) {
-      let node = client.nodes("master")
+      let node = CLIENT.nodes("master")
       stream = node[0].scanStream({ match: db + "-*", count: 100 })
     } else {
-      stream = client.scanStream({ match: db + "-*", count: 100 })
+      stream = CLIENT.scanStream({ match: db + "-*", count: 100 })
     }
     return promisifyStream(stream)
   }
 
   async get(key) {
-    const db = this._db,
-      client = this._client
-    let response = await client.get(addDbPrefix(db, key))
+    const db = this._db
+    let response = await CLIENT.get(addDbPrefix(db, key))
     // overwrite the prefixed key
     if (response != null && response.key) {
       response.key = key
@@ -123,22 +146,20 @@ class RedisWrapper {
   }
 
   async store(key, value, expirySeconds = null) {
-    const db = this._db,
-      client = this._client
+    const db = this._db
     if (typeof value === "object") {
       value = JSON.stringify(value)
     }
     const prefixedKey = addDbPrefix(db, key)
-    await client.set(prefixedKey, value)
+    await CLIENT.set(prefixedKey, value)
     if (expirySeconds) {
-      await client.expire(prefixedKey, expirySeconds)
+      await CLIENT.expire(prefixedKey, expirySeconds)
     }
   }
 
   async delete(key) {
-    const db = this._db,
-      client = this._client
-    await client.del(addDbPrefix(db, key))
+    const db = this._db
+    await CLIENT.del(addDbPrefix(db, key))
   }
 
   async clear() {
diff --git a/packages/worker/src/api/routes/admin/users.js b/packages/worker/src/api/routes/admin/users.js
index f334f05e7d..cfff67f3e7 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/api/routes/admin/users.js
+++ b/packages/worker/src/api/routes/admin/users.js
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ const Joi = require("joi")
 
 const router = Router()
 
+function buildAdminInitValidation() {
+  return joiValidator.body(Joi.object({
+    email: Joi.string().required(),
+    password: Joi.string().required(),
+  }).required().unknown(false))
+}
+
 function buildUserSaveValidation(isSelf = false) {
   let schema = {
     email: Joi.string().allow(null, ""),
@@ -74,7 +81,7 @@ router
     buildInviteAcceptValidation(),
     controller.inviteAccept
   )
-  .post("/api/admin/users/init", controller.adminUser)
+  .post("/api/admin/users/init", buildAdminInitValidation(), controller.adminUser)
   .get("/api/admin/users/self", controller.getSelf)
   // admin endpoint but needs to come at end (blocks other endpoints otherwise)
   .get("/api/admin/users/:id", adminOnly, controller.find)