diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile b/backend/Dockerfile
index 323cc11..5a43e77 100644
--- a/backend/Dockerfile
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -1,21 +1,21 @@
-FROM python:3.8-slim
+FROM        python:3.8-slim
+ENV         PYTHONUNBUFFERED 1
+ENV         PATH="/opt/venv/bin:$PATH"
 
-ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED 1
+RUN         apt-get update; \
+            apt-get install -y build-essential gcc; \
+            python -m venv /opt/venv; \
+            python -m pip install --upgrade pip; \
+            mkdir /code;
 
-RUN apt-get update; \
-    apt-get install -y build-essential gcc; \
-    python -m venv /opt/venv; \
-    python -m pip install --upgrade pip;
+WORKDIR     /code
 
-ENV PATH="/opt/venv/bin:$PATH"
+COPY        setup.py /code/
+COPY        requirements.txt /code/
 
-RUN mkdir /code
+RUN         pip install -r requirements.txt
 
-WORKDIR /code
+COPY        . /code/
 
-COPY setup.py /code/
-COPY requirements.txt /code/
-
-RUN pip install -r requirements.txt
-
-COPY . /code/
+RUN			chmod 777 scripts/entrypoint.sh
+ENTRYPOINT  ["scripts/entrypoint.sh"]
diff --git a/backend/app_be/wsgi.py b/backend/app_be/wsgi.py
index 8addf73..000c14b 100644
--- a/backend/app_be/wsgi.py
+++ b/backend/app_be/wsgi.py
@@ -11,6 +11,6 @@ import os
 
 from django.core.wsgi import get_wsgi_application
 
-os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "{{ app_be }}.settings")
+os.environ.setdefault("DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE", "app_be.settings")
 
 application = get_wsgi_application()
diff --git a/backend/scripts/entrypoint.sh b/backend/scripts/entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b70ddcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/scripts/entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# executes the manage.py commands to setup and starts the server
+
+echo "setup"
+python manage.py makemigrations
+python manage.py makemigrations app_be
+python manage.py migrate
+
+echo "run server"
+gunicorn app_be.wsgi:application -b 0.0.0.0 -p 8000
diff --git a/backend/setup.py b/backend/setup.py
index 949dd83..6242ef7 100644
--- a/backend/setup.py
+++ b/backend/setup.py
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ setup(name='waecm-2021-group-04',
           'python-dotenv==0.17.1',
           'feedsearch==1.0.12',
           'Pillow==8.2.0',
-          'python-dateutil==2.8.1'
+          'python-dateutil==2.8.1',
+          'gunicorn==20.1.0'
       ],
       license='BSD License',  # example license
       description='DESCRIPTION')