From 415a64af9def7cc85a1f451c3123f2a2269e097f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Hugo van Kemenade <1324225+hugovk@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2026 22:54:31 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Start Docker early and retry or fail-fast instead of after
 building wheels

---
 .github/workflows/wheels.yml | 19 +++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 19 insertions(+)

diff --git a/.github/workflows/wheels.yml b/.github/workflows/wheels.yml
index 2a9e26a41a6..c22f66277be 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/wheels.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/wheels.yml
@@ -217,6 +217,25 @@ jobs:
           & python.exe winbuild\build_prepare.py -v --no-imagequant --architecture=${{ matrix.cibw_arch }}
         shell: pwsh
 
+      # The wheel test runs in a Windows container, but the Docker daemon is
+      # not reliably running when cibuildwheel reaches the test step, which
+      # fails the job after the wheels have already been built. Start it and
+      # wait for it here instead, so a daemon problem is caught in seconds.
+      - name: Start Docker
+        if: matrix.cibw_arch != 'ARM64'
+        run: |
+          Start-Service docker
+          foreach ($i in 1..30) {
+            docker info *> $null
+            if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) {
+              Write-Host "Docker daemon ready after $i attempt(s)"
+              exit 0
+            }
+            Start-Sleep -Seconds 2
+          }
+          Write-Error "Docker daemon did not become ready"
+        shell: pwsh
+
       - name: Build wheels
         run: |
           for f in winbuild/build/license/*; do