diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index d435410..164ea03 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ FROM nginx:1.25.3
 ENV PORT_IP_MAP ""
 ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
 ENV PLACEHOLDER_SERVER_SLEEPING_IP ""
+ENV PLACEHOLDER_SERVER_STARTING_IP ""
 
 # Install Python and pip
 RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y python3 python3-pip python3-venv 
diff --git a/app/dockerHandler.py b/app/dockerHandler.py
index dc6b8cd..5f28e82 100644
--- a/app/dockerHandler.py
+++ b/app/dockerHandler.py
@@ -40,3 +40,7 @@ class DockerHandler:
         print('no docker container found with ip {} in network {}'.format(
             ip, self.current_network))
         return None
+
+    def is_container_starting(self, container):
+        print(container.attrs['State']['Health']['Status'])
+        return container.attrs['State']['Health']['Status'] == 'starting'
diff --git a/app/nginxHandler.py b/app/nginxHandler.py
index 2b05d6e..a6451f0 100644
--- a/app/nginxHandler.py
+++ b/app/nginxHandler.py
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ class NginxHandler:
             print(f.read())
 
     def setup_config_file(self, port_ip_map, current_container_ip):
-        placeholder_ip = os.environ.get('PLACEHOLDER_SERVER_SLEEPING_IP')
         proxy_timeout = "5s"
         self.stop()
         print('Setting up NGINX config file...')
@@ -42,9 +41,6 @@ class NginxHandler:
             nginx_conf.write(
                 '        server 127.0.0.1:{} backup;\n'.format(port))
 
-            nginx_conf.write(
-                '        server {}:25565 backup;\n'.format(placeholder_ip))
-
             nginx_conf.write('    }\n')
 
             nginx_conf.write('    server {\n')
diff --git a/app/requestHandler.py b/app/requestHandler.py
index d587aff..765668d 100644
--- a/app/requestHandler.py
+++ b/app/requestHandler.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import json
+import os
 import socket
 import threading
 from utils import docker_container_mapping
@@ -32,27 +32,39 @@ class RequestHandler(threading.Thread):
         print('handling request on port {}'.format(self.port))
         container_ip = docker_container_mapping().get(str(self.port))
         if container_ip:
+            container = self.docker_handler.get_container_by_ip(
+                container_ip)
+            isStarting = self.docker_handler.is_container_starting(container)
             request = self.connection.recv(1024)
-            print('---------------------------')
-            print(request)
-            print('---------------------------')
-
             if request[0] == 0x10:
                 if b'\x01' in request:
                     print('ping')
-                    self.redirect_to_placeholder()
+                    self.forward_request_to_server(request, isStarting)
                 elif b'\x02' in request:
                     print('join')
-                    print('starting docker container {}'.format(container_ip))
-                    self.docker_handler.get_container_by_ip(
-                        container_ip).start()
+                    if isStarting:
+                        print('container is starting, waiting for 5 seconds')
+                        self.forward_request_to_server(request, isStarting)
+                    else:
+                        print('starting docker container {}'.format(container_ip))
+                        container.start()
 
             elif request[0] == 0xFE:
                 print('legacy server list ping')
-                self.redirect_to_placeholder()
+                self.forward_request_to_server(request, isStarting)
 
             else:
                 print('no docker container mapped to this port')
 
-    def redirect_to_placeholder(self):
-        print('redirecting to placeholder')
+    def forward_request_to_server(self, request, isStarting=False):
+        with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as server_socket:
+            ip = os.environ.get('PLACEHOLDER_SERVER_SLEEPING_IP')
+            if isStarting:
+                print('----------------container is starting, waiting for 5 seconds')
+                ip = os.environ.get('PLACEHOLDER_SERVER_STARTING_IP')
+
+            server_socket.connect(
+                (ip, 25565))
+            server_socket.sendall(request)
+            response = server_socket.recv(1024)
+            self.connection.sendall(response)
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index c8d6909..9a96bb7 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ services:
       - 25566:25566
     environment:
       PLACEHOLDER_SERVER_SLEEPING_IP: "172.20.0.3"
+      PLACEHOLDER_SERVER_STARTING_IP: "172.20.0.4"
+
       PORT_IP_MAP: |
         25565: 172.20.0.5
         25566: 172.20.0.6
@@ -26,8 +28,8 @@ services:
     volumes:
       - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
 
-  mc_placeholder_server:
-    container_name: mc_placeholder_server
+  mc_placeholder_server_sleeping:
+    container_name: mc_placeholder_server_sleeping
     image: itzg/minecraft-server
     environment:
       type: "PAPER"
@@ -40,6 +42,20 @@ services:
       mc_network:
         ipv4_address: 172.20.0.3
 
+  mc_placeholder_server_starting:
+    container_name: mc_placeholder_server_starting
+    image: itzg/minecraft-server
+    environment:
+      type: "PAPER"
+      EULA: "TRUE"
+      MOTD: "Starting..."
+      MAX_PLAYERS: "0"
+      MAX_MEMORY: "500M"
+      INIT_MEMORY: "100M"
+    networks:
+      mc_network:
+        ipv4_address: 172.20.0.4
+
   mc:
     container_name: example_mc_server_1
     image: itzg/minecraft-server
@@ -48,6 +64,9 @@ services:
       EULA: "TRUE"
       MOTD: "TEST1"
       MAX_PLAYERS: "0"
+      ENABLE_AUTOSTOP: "TRUE"
+      AUTOSTOP_TIMEOUT_EST: "30"
+      AAUTOSTOP_TIMEOUT_INIT: "10"
       #! Dont change SERVER_PORT. Use PORT_IP_MAP in auto_starter instead.
       #! SERVER_PORT default is "25565"
     networks:
@@ -60,6 +79,9 @@ services:
       type: "PAPER"
       EULA: "TRUE"
       MOTD: "TEST2"
+      ENABLE_AUTOSTOP: "TRUE"
+      AUTOSTOP_TIMEOUT_EST: "30"
+      AAUTOSTOP_TIMEOUT_INIT: "10"
       #! Dont change SERVER_PORT. Use PORT_IP_MAP in minecraft_server_auto_starter instead.
       #! SERVER_PORT default is "25565"
     networks: