diff --git a/.github/workflows/engine_pr_test.yml b/.github/workflows/engine_pr_test.yml
index cf3c562a9d8..b3d70ae50cb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/engine_pr_test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/engine_pr_test.yml
@@ -101,6 +101,13 @@ jobs:
           source ~/openquake/bin/activate
           pip install pytest https://wheelhouse.openquake.org/v3/py/rtgmpy-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl
           oq engine --upgrade-db
+          # Starting the webui here is not needed by test_public_mode, 
+          # but here we also want to check that the webui starts without errors
+          oq webui start 127.0.0.1:8800 -s &
+          echo "Waiting WEBUI up on port 8800...."
+          while ! nc -z localhost 8800; do
+           sleep 5 # wait for 5 seconds before check again
+          done
           pytest -xs --doctest-modules --disable-warnings --color=yes openquake/commands openquake/engine
           # -v 2 also logs the test names
           ./openquake/server/manage.py test -v 2 tests.test_public_mode