diff --git a/actions/persistent-stores/action.yml b/actions/persistent-stores/action.yml
index 1e022fd..bbd405c 100644
--- a/actions/persistent-stores/action.yml
+++ b/actions/persistent-stores/action.yml
@@ -88,18 +88,24 @@ runs:
 
         Start-Process consul -ArgumentList 'agent', '-dev', '-http-port=${{ inputs.consul_port }}'
 
-        # consul members exits non-zero until the agent's HTTP API responds.
-        # In dev mode the leader is self-elected immediately on startup, so
-        # this is purely a process-readiness check.
-        $deadline = (Get-Date).AddSeconds(30)
-        $ready = $false
-        while ((Get-Date) -lt $deadline) {
-          consul members -http-addr="http://127.0.0.1:${{ inputs.consul_port }}" 2>&1 | Out-Null
-          if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) { $ready = $true; break }
+        # Start-Process returns immediately, so wait until the dev agent's HTTP
+        # API is up and serving (leader elected) before tests run.
+        $timeout = 30
+        $elapsed = 0
+        while ($elapsed -lt $timeout) {
+          try {
+            $response = Invoke-RestMethod -Uri 'http://127.0.0.1:${{ inputs.consul_port }}/v1/status/leader' -TimeoutSec 2
+            if ($response -and $response -ne '""') {
+              Write-Host "Consul is ready (leader: $response)"
+              break
+            }
+          } catch {}
+          Write-Host "Waiting for Consul to elect a leader... ($elapsed/$timeout seconds)"
           Start-Sleep -Seconds 1
+          $elapsed++
         }
-        if (-not $ready) {
-          Write-Error "Consul did not become ready within 30 seconds"
+        if ($elapsed -eq $timeout) {
+          Write-Error "Consul did not become ready within $timeout seconds"
           exit 1
         }