diff --git a/lib/nextron-dev.ts b/lib/nextron-dev.ts
index 86dce798..8f1fcf9a 100755
--- a/lib/nextron-dev.ts
+++ b/lib/nextron-dev.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import webpack from 'webpack'
 import * as logger from './logger'
 import { getNextronConfig } from './configs/getNextronConfig'
 import { config } from './configs/webpack.config.development'
+import { waitForPort } from 'get-port-please'
 import type { ChildProcess } from 'child_process'
 
 const args = arg({
@@ -42,7 +43,8 @@ if (args['--inspect']) {
 const nextronConfig = getNextronConfig()
 
 const rendererPort = args['--renderer-port'] || 8888
-const startupDelay = nextronConfig.startupDelay || args['--startup-delay'] || 0
+const startupDelay =
+  nextronConfig.startupDelay || args['--startup-delay'] || 10_000
 
 let electronOptions = args['--electron-options'] || ''
 if (!electronOptions.includes('--remote-debugging-port')) {
@@ -115,9 +117,16 @@ const execaOptions: execa.Options = {
   rendererProcess = startRendererProcess()
 
   // wait until renderer process is ready
-  await new Promise<void>((resolve) =>
-    setTimeout(() => resolve(), startupDelay)
-  )
+  await waitForPort(rendererPort, {
+    delay: 500,
+    retries: startupDelay / 500,
+  }).catch(() => {
+    logger.error(
+      `Failed to start renderer process with port ${rendererPort} in ${startupDelay}ms`
+    )
+    killWholeProcess()
+    process.exit(1)
+  })
 
   // wait until main process is ready
   await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5712348b..0c98bbec 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
     "chalk": "4.1.2",
     "execa": "5.1.1",
     "fs-extra": "11.2.0",
+    "get-port-please": "^3.1.2",
     "terser-webpack-plugin": "5.3.10",
     "tsconfig-paths-webpack-plugin": "4.1.0",
     "webpack": "5.92.0",
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 1dc6aa26..d4dba43c 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ importers:
       fs-extra:
         specifier: 11.2.0
         version: 11.2.0
+      get-port-please:
+        specifier: ^3.1.2
+        version: 3.1.2
       terser-webpack-plugin:
         specifier: 5.3.10
         version: 5.3.10(webpack@5.92.0)
@@ -1943,6 +1946,9 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-5uYhsJH8VJBTv7oslg4BznJYhDoRI6waYCxMmCdnTrcCrHA/fCFKoTFz2JKKE0HdDFUF7/oQuhzumXJK7paBRQ==}
     engines: {node: '>= 0.4'}
 
+  get-port-please@3.1.2:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-Gxc29eLs1fbn6LQ4jSU4vXjlwyZhF5HsGuMAa7gqBP4Rw4yxxltyDUuF5MBclFzDTXO+ACchGQoeela4DSfzdQ==}
+
   get-stream@6.0.1:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-ts6Wi+2j3jQjqi70w5AlN8DFnkSwC+MqmxEzdEALB2qXZYV3X/b1CTfgPLGJNMeAWxdPfU8FO1ms3NUfaHCPYg==}
     engines: {node: '>=10'}
@@ -5458,6 +5464,8 @@ snapshots:
       has-symbols: 1.0.3
       hasown: 2.0.2
 
+  get-port-please@3.1.2: {}
+
   get-stream@6.0.1: {}
 
   get-stream@8.0.1: {}