diff --git a/docker/conf/indexer_journal_client.yml b/docker/conf/indexer_journal_client.yml
--- a/docker/conf/indexer_journal_client.yml
+++ b/docker/conf/indexer_journal_client.yml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   brokers:
     - kafka
   group_id: swh.indexer.journal_client
+  prefix: swh.journal.objects
 
 max_messages: 50
 
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.search.yml b/docker/docker-compose.search.yml
--- a/docker/docker-compose.search.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.search.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-version: '2'
+version: "2"
 
 services:
   elasticsearch:
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@
     build: ./
     entrypoint: /entrypoint.sh
     depends_on:
-      - swh-search
-      - kafka
+      kafka:
+        condition: service_healthy
+      swh-search:
+        condition: service_started
     volumes:
       - "./conf/search_journal_client_objects.yml:/etc/softwareheritage/search/journal_client.yml:ro"
       - "./services/swh-search-journal-client/entrypoint.sh:/entrypoint.sh:ro"
@@ -40,8 +42,10 @@
     build: ./
     entrypoint: /entrypoint.sh
     depends_on:
-      - swh-search
-      - kafka
+      kafka:
+        condition: service_healthy
+      swh-search:
+        condition: service_started
     volumes:
       - "./conf/search_journal_client_indexed.yml:/etc/softwareheritage/search/journal_client.yml:ro"
       - "./services/swh-search-journal-client/entrypoint.sh:/entrypoint.sh:ro"
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.yml b/docker/docker-compose.yml
--- a/docker/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.yml
@@ -15,8 +15,18 @@
     ports:
       - "5092:9092"
     env_file: ./env/kafka.env
+    environment:
+      KAFKA_CREATE_TOPICS: swh.journal.objects.origin:1:1,
+        swh.journal.objects.origin_visit:1:1,
+        swh.journal.objects.origin_visit_status:1:1,
+        swh.journal.indexed.origin_intrinsic_metadata:1:1
     depends_on:
       - zookeeper
+    healthcheck:
+      test: "[ `JMX_PORT= kafka-topics.sh --list --zookeeper zookeeper:2181 | wc -l` -ge 4 ]"
+      interval: 10s
+      timeout: 5s
+      retries: 10
 
   prometheus:
     image: prom/prometheus
@@ -368,9 +378,13 @@
     env_file:
       - ./env/common_python.env
     depends_on:
-      - kafka
-      - swh-storage
-      - swh-scheduler
+      kafka:
+        condition: service_healthy
+      swh-storage:
+        condition: service_started
+      swh-scheduler:
+        condition: service_started
+
     volumes:
       - "./conf/indexer_journal_client.yml:/etc/softwareheritage/indexer/journal_client.yml:ro"
       - "./services/swh-indexer-journal-client/entrypoint.sh:/entrypoint.sh:ro"
@@ -382,8 +396,10 @@
     env_file:
       - ./env/common_python.env
     depends_on:
-      - kafka
-      - swh-scheduler
+      kafka:
+        condition: service_healthy
+      swh-scheduler:
+        condition: service_started
     volumes:
       - "./conf/scheduler_journal_client.yml:/etc/softwareheritage/scheduler/journal_client.yml:ro"
       - "./services/swh-scheduler-journal-client/entrypoint.sh:/entrypoint.sh:ro"
diff --git a/docker/services/swh-indexer-journal-client/entrypoint.sh b/docker/services/swh-indexer-journal-client/entrypoint.sh
--- a/docker/services/swh-indexer-journal-client/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/docker/services/swh-indexer-journal-client/entrypoint.sh
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@
       ;;
     *)
       echo "Starting swh-indexer-journal client"
-      exec wait-for-it kafka:9092 -s --timeout=0 -- swh indexer --config-file /etc/softwareheritage/indexer/journal_client.yml journal-client
+      wait-for-it kafka:9092 -s --timeout=0 -- \
+        swh --log-level DEBUG indexer --config-file /etc/softwareheritage/indexer/journal_client.yml journal-client
       ;;
 esac