diff --git a/api/app.py b/api/app.py
index 5374030..8f3c1a2 100644
--- a/api/app.py
+++ b/api/app.py
@@ -4,29 +4,10 @@ from flask_jwt_extended import JWTManager
 from jwt import ExpiredSignatureError
 from models import db, RevokedToken
 import os
-from sqlalchemy import text
-from sqlalchemy.exc import DatabaseError
-import time
-from utils import init_db
+from utils import init_db, wait_for_db
 from views import user_bp
 from werkzeug.exceptions import HTTPException
 
-MAX_RETRIES = 100
-
-def wait_for_db():
-    for retries in range(MAX_RETRIES):
-        try:
-            with db.engine.connect() as connection:
-                connection.execute(text("SELECT 1"))
-            print("Successfully connected with database.")
-            return
-        except DatabaseError:
-            print(f"Waiting for database... (retry {retries + 1})")
-            time.sleep(3)
-    print("Failed to connect to database.")
-    raise Exception("Database not ready after multiple retries.")
-
-
 def create_app(config_name="default"):
     """Creates and returns a new instance of Flask app."""
     load_dotenv()
diff --git a/api/utils.py b/api/utils.py
index beffffb..26eda1d 100644
--- a/api/utils.py
+++ b/api/utils.py
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ from flask import abort
 from flask_jwt_extended import get_jwt_identity
 from models import User, db
 import os
+from sqlalchemy import text
+from sqlalchemy.exc import DatabaseError
+import time
 from werkzeug.security import generate_password_hash
 
 
@@ -27,6 +30,22 @@ def get_user_or_404(user_id):
     return user
 
 
+MAX_RETRIES = 100
+
+def wait_for_db():
+    for retries in range(MAX_RETRIES):
+        try:
+            with db.engine.connect() as connection:
+                connection.execute(text("SELECT 1"))
+            print("Successfully connected with database.")
+            return
+        except DatabaseError:
+            print(f"Waiting for database... (retry {retries + 1})")
+            time.sleep(3)
+    print("Failed to connect to database.")
+    raise Exception("Database not ready after multiple retries.")
+
+
 def init_db():
     """Create default admin account if database is empty"""
     with db.session.begin():