diff --git a/components/node/files/scripts/start-node.sh b/components/node/files/scripts/start-node.sh
index 55f9a13..f7564a5 100644
--- a/components/node/files/scripts/start-node.sh
+++ b/components/node/files/scripts/start-node.sh
@@ -81,12 +81,17 @@ else
     echo "Primary host is : ${primaryHost}, port: ${primaryPort}"
     currentHost=$(hostname -f)
     echo "Current host is : ${currentHost}"
-    if [ "${primaryHost}" != "${currentHost}" ]; then
-        echo "Not the primary, setting up as replica"
-        startPrimary=0
-    else
-        echo "This is the primary"
+    if [ ${primaryHost} = "NULL" ]; then
+        echo "Not primary yet, starting as primary"
         startPrimary=1
+    else
+        if [ "${primaryHost}" != "${currentHost}" ]; then
+            echo "Not the primary, setting up as replica"
+            startPrimary=0
+        else
+            echo "This is the primary"
+            startPrimary=1
+        fi
     fi
 fi