diff --git a/misc/build.func b/misc/build.func
index 0bfe7430..13b47656 100644
--- a/misc/build.func
+++ b/misc/build.func
@@ -2377,39 +2377,47 @@ EOF
   if [ "$var_os" != "alpine" ]; then
     msg_info "Waiting for network in LXC container"
 
-    # Global timeout 20s, aborts early as soon as the network is ready
-    timeout 20 bash -c '
-    # --- Wait until the container has an IP ---
-    until ip_in_lxc=$(pct exec '"$CTID"' -- ip -4 addr show dev eth0 | awk "/inet / {print \$2}" | cut -d/ -f1) && [ -n "$ip_in_lxc" ]; do
-      echo "  ⏳ No IP in LXC yet – waiting..."
-      sleep 1
-    done
+    # Try up to 20 times (about 20s total), break early when ready
+    for i in {1..20}; do
+      ip_in_lxc=$(pct exec "$CTID" -- ip -4 addr show dev eth0 | awk '/inet / {print $2}' | cut -d/ -f1)
 
-    # --- Optional: trigger ARP to speed up gateway availability ---
-    if pct exec '"$CTID"' -- command -v arping >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-      pct exec '"$CTID"' -- arping -c1 -I eth0 '"$GATEWAY"' >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
-    fi
-
-    # --- Wait until the gateway is reachable ---
-    until pct exec '"$CTID"' -- ping -c1 -W1 '"$GATEWAY"' >/dev/null 2>&1; do
-      echo "  ⏳ CT '"$CTID"' has IP $ip_in_lxc but cannot reach gateway '"$GATEWAY"' – retry..."
-      sleep 1
-    done
-  '
-
-    # --- DNS check ---
-    if pct exec "$CTID" -- getent hosts deb.debian.org >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-      msg_ok "Network in LXC is reachable (DNS OK, IP $ip_in_lxc)"
-    else
-      msg_warn "Network reachable, but DNS failed – applying fallback resolv.conf"
-      pct exec "$CTID" -- bash -c 'echo "nameserver 1.1.1.1" > /etc/resolv.conf && echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" >> /etc/resolv.conf'
-      if pct exec "$CTID" -- getent hosts deb.debian.org >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-        msg_ok "Network reachable after DNS fallback"
-      else
-        msg_error "Still no DNS/network in LXC! Aborting customization."
-        exit_script
+      if [ -z "$ip_in_lxc" ]; then
+        msg_warn "No IP in LXC yet (try $i/20) – waiting..."
+        sleep 1
+        continue
       fi
-    fi
+
+      # Optional ARP warm-up
+      if pct exec "$CTID" -- command -v arping >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        pct exec "$CTID" -- arping -c1 -I eth0 "$GATEWAY" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+      fi
+
+      if ! pct exec "$CTID" -- ping -c1 -W1 "$GATEWAY" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        msg_warn "CT $CTID has IP $ip_in_lxc but cannot reach gateway $GATEWAY (try $i/20)"
+        sleep 1
+        continue
+      fi
+
+      if pct exec "$CTID" -- getent hosts deb.debian.org >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        msg_ok "Network in LXC is reachable (DNS OK, IP $ip_in_lxc)"
+        break
+      else
+        msg_warn "CT $CTID has IP $ip_in_lxc, gateway OK, but DNS failed (try $i/20)"
+        sleep 1
+      fi
+
+      if [ "$i" -eq 20 ]; then
+        msg_warn "DNS still failing after 20 attempts. Applying fallback resolv.conf..."
+        pct exec "$CTID" -- bash -c 'echo "nameserver 1.1.1.1" > /etc/resolv.conf && echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" >> /etc/resolv.conf'
+
+        if pct exec "$CTID" -- getent hosts deb.debian.org >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+          msg_ok "Network reachable after DNS fallback"
+        else
+          msg_error "Still no DNS/network in LXC! Aborting customization."
+          exit_script
+        fi
+      fi
+    done
   fi
 
   msg_info "Customizing LXC Container"