diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-push.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-push.yml
index 5531a7a..e017484 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-push.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-push.yml
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ jobs:
   build-and-push:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
+      - name: Checkout Repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
       - name: Set up Docker Buildx
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
 
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index fcb71fd..48cb81f 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -1,14 +1,23 @@
-FROM openjdk:21-jdk
+FROM adoptopenjdk/openjdk11
 
+# Set the working directory
 WORKDIR /app
 
-# Define an argument to accept the Photon version
+# Install necessary tools
+RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y wget pbzip2 curl
+
+# Define build argument for Photon version
 ARG PHOTON_VERSION
 
-# Download the Photon JAR file for the specified version
-RUN curl -L -o photon.jar https://github.com/komoot/photon/releases/download/${PHOTON_VERSION}/photon-${PHOTON_VERSION}.jar
+# Download the specified Photon release
+RUN wget https://github.com/komoot/photon/releases/download/${PHOTON_VERSION}/photon-${PHOTON_VERSION}.jar -O photon.jar
+
+# Copy the startup script
+COPY start-photon.sh /app/start-photon.sh
+RUN chmod +x /app/start-photon.sh
 
+# Expose the default Photon port
 EXPOSE 2322
 
-# Run the Photon server
-CMD ["java", "-jar", "photon.jar"]
+# Set the command to run the startup script
+CMD ["/app/start-photon.sh"]
diff --git a/start-photon.sh b/start-photon.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eaaf614
--- /dev/null
+++ b/start-photon.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e
+
+DATA_DIR="/app/photon_data"
+INDEX_URL="https://download1.graphhopper.com/public/photon-db-latest.tar.bz2"
+
+# Function to download and extract the index
+download_and_extract_index() {
+	echo "Downloading and extracting the Photon index..."
+	mkdir -p "$DATA_DIR"
+	wget -O - "$INDEX_URL" | pbzip2 -cd | tar x -C "$DATA_DIR"
+	echo "Index downloaded and extracted successfully."
+}
+
+# Check if the index already exists
+if [ ! -d "$DATA_DIR" ] || [ -z "$(ls -A "$DATA_DIR")" ]; then
+	download_and_extract_index
+else
+	echo "Photon index already exists. Skipping download."
+fi
+
+# Start Photon
+echo "Starting Photon..."
+exec java -jar photon.jar -data-dir "$DATA_DIR"