diff --git a/container_overrides/run.sh b/container_overrides/run.sh
index 0fad2c2..ee8fdd9 100644
--- a/container_overrides/run.sh
+++ b/container_overrides/run.sh
@@ -104,6 +104,30 @@ configure_ibc_login_dialog_timeout() {
 	done
 }
 
+configure_ib_gateway_vmoptions() {
+	local parallel_threads="${IB_GATEWAY_PARALLEL_GC_THREADS:-2}"
+	local conc_threads="${IB_GATEWAY_CONC_GC_THREADS:-1}"
+	local vmoptions
+
+	vmoptions="$(find "${TWS_PATH}" -maxdepth 2 -name ibgateway.vmoptions -type f 2>/dev/null | head -n 1 || true)"
+	if [ -z "$vmoptions" ]; then
+		echo ".> IB Gateway vmoptions file not found; skipping Java GC thread tuning"
+		return
+	fi
+
+	if grep -Eq '^-XX:ParallelGCThreads=' "$vmoptions"; then
+		sed -i -E "s/^-XX:ParallelGCThreads=.*/-XX:ParallelGCThreads=${parallel_threads}/" "$vmoptions"
+	else
+		printf '\n-XX:ParallelGCThreads=%s\n' "$parallel_threads" >>"$vmoptions"
+	fi
+	if grep -Eq '^-XX:ConcGCThreads=' "$vmoptions"; then
+		sed -i -E "s/^-XX:ConcGCThreads=.*/-XX:ConcGCThreads=${conc_threads}/" "$vmoptions"
+	else
+		printf '\n-XX:ConcGCThreads=%s\n' "$conc_threads" >>"$vmoptions"
+	fi
+	echo ".> Java GC threads set to ParallelGCThreads=${parallel_threads}, ConcGCThreads=${conc_threads}"
+}
+
 start_process() {
 	set_ports
 	apply_settings
@@ -118,6 +142,7 @@ fi
 start_xvfb
 setup_ssh
 set_java_heap
+configure_ib_gateway_vmoptions
 start_vnc
 
 if [ -n "$X_SCRIPTS" ]; then
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index eee32df..73a60c7 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ services:
       # -Xmx768m, which can starve sshd/Docker/guest-agent. Keep this
       # configurable, but use a safer default for the current VM.
       - JAVA_HEAP_SIZE=${JAVA_HEAP_SIZE:-512}
+      # The upstream vmoptions use 20 parallel GC threads, which is too
+      # aggressive for the current 2 vCPU VM and can slow Gateway startup.
+      - IB_GATEWAY_PARALLEL_GC_THREADS=${IB_GATEWAY_PARALLEL_GC_THREADS:-2}
+      - IB_GATEWAY_CONC_GC_THREADS=${IB_GATEWAY_CONC_GC_THREADS:-1}
       - VNC_SERVER_PASSWORD=${VNC_SERVER_PASSWORD}
       - LOGIN_TIMEOUT=600
 
diff --git a/scripts/install_gateway_health_watcher.sh b/scripts/install_gateway_health_watcher.sh
index d037b54..0774aba 100755
--- a/scripts/install_gateway_health_watcher.sh
+++ b/scripts/install_gateway_health_watcher.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ cat >"$systemd_dir/ibkr-gateway-healthcheck.timer" <<EOF
 Description=Run IBKR Gateway API readiness recovery every $health_interval_seconds seconds
 
 [Timer]
-OnBootSec=5min
+OnActiveSec=$health_interval_seconds
 OnUnitActiveSec=$health_interval_seconds
 Unit=ibkr-gateway-healthcheck.service
 
diff --git a/tests/test_docker_compose_ports.sh b/tests/test_docker_compose_ports.sh
index 9e6ce1f..57dca2a 100644
--- a/tests/test_docker_compose_ports.sh
+++ b/tests/test_docker_compose_ports.sh
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ grep -Fq -- '-ncache_cr -noxdamage' "$run_override"
 grep -Fq 'configure_ibc_login_dialog_timeout' "$run_override"
 grep -Fq 'IBC_LOGIN_DIALOG_DISPLAY_TIMEOUT:-180' "$run_override"
 grep -Fq 'LoginDialogDisplayTimeout=${timeout}' "$run_override"
+grep -Fq 'configure_ib_gateway_vmoptions' "$run_override"
+grep -Fq 'IB_GATEWAY_PARALLEL_GC_THREADS:-2' "$run_override"
+grep -Fq 'IB_GATEWAY_CONC_GC_THREADS:-1' "$run_override"
+grep -Fq 'Java GC threads set to ParallelGCThreads=${parallel_threads}, ConcGCThreads=${conc_threads}' "$run_override"
 
 grep -Fq '      - "4001:4003"' "$compose_file"
 grep -Fq '      - "4002:4004"' "$compose_file"
@@ -30,4 +34,6 @@ grep -Fq '      - TWOFA_TIMEOUT_ACTION=${TWOFA_TIMEOUT_ACTION:-restart}' "$compo
 grep -Fq '      - RELOGIN_AFTER_TWOFA_TIMEOUT=${RELOGIN_AFTER_TWOFA_TIMEOUT:-yes}' "$compose_file"
 grep -Fq '      - EXISTING_SESSION_DETECTED_ACTION=${EXISTING_SESSION_DETECTED_ACTION:-primary}' "$compose_file"
 grep -Fq '      - JAVA_HEAP_SIZE=${JAVA_HEAP_SIZE:-512}' "$compose_file"
+grep -Fq '      - IB_GATEWAY_PARALLEL_GC_THREADS=${IB_GATEWAY_PARALLEL_GC_THREADS:-2}' "$compose_file"
+grep -Fq '      - IB_GATEWAY_CONC_GC_THREADS=${IB_GATEWAY_CONC_GC_THREADS:-1}' "$compose_file"
 grep -Fq '      - ACCEPT_API_FROM_IP=${ACCEPT_API_FROM_IP:?Set ACCEPT_API_FROM_IP to your Cloud Run egress subnet or connector CIDR}' "$compose_file"
diff --git a/tests/test_gateway_recovery_scripts.sh b/tests/test_gateway_recovery_scripts.sh
index f7ddf7c..66fc6d1 100644
--- a/tests/test_gateway_recovery_scripts.sh
+++ b/tests/test_gateway_recovery_scripts.sh
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ grep -Fq 'ibkr-gateway-daily-restart.timer' "$health_watcher_script"
 grep -Fq 'IB_GATEWAY_HEALTHCHECK_INTERVAL_SECONDS:-300' "$health_watcher_script"
 grep -Fq 'IB_GATEWAY_DAILY_RESTART_ON_CALENDAR:-*-*-* 10:30:00 UTC' "$health_watcher_script"
 grep -Fq 'Environment=IB_GATEWAY_RECOVERY_LOCK_WAIT_SECONDS=0' "$health_watcher_script"
+grep -Fq 'OnActiveSec=$health_interval_seconds' "$health_watcher_script"
+! grep -Fq 'OnBootSec=5min' "$health_watcher_script"
 grep -Fq 'enable --now ibkr-gateway-healthcheck.timer' "$health_watcher_script"
 grep -Fq 'enable --now ibkr-gateway-daily-restart.timer' "$health_watcher_script"
 ! grep -Fq 'start ibkr-gateway-healthcheck.service' "$health_watcher_script"