diff --git a/monasca-alarms/build.yml b/monasca-alarms/build.yml
index 339344f32..912f741cb 100644
--- a/monasca-alarms/build.yml
+++ b/monasca-alarms/build.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 repository: monasca/alarms
 variants:
-  - tag: 1.1.3
+  - tag: 1.1.4
     aliases:
       - :latest
     args:
diff --git a/monasca-alarms/start.sh b/monasca-alarms/start.sh
index 426369c22..3cd798e7b 100755
--- a/monasca-alarms/start.sh
+++ b/monasca-alarms/start.sh
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 MONASCA_API_WAIT_RETRIES=${MONASCA_API_WAIT_RETRIES:-"24"}
 MONASCA_API_WAIT_DELAY=${MONASCA_API_WAIT_DELAY:-"5"}
 
-if [ "$KEYSTONE_DEFAULTS_ENABLED" == "true" ]; then
+if [ "$KEYSTONE_DEFAULTS_ENABLED" = "true" ]; then
   export OS_AUTH_URL=${OS_AUTH_URL:-"http://keystone:35357/v3/"}
   export OS_USERNAME=${OS_USERNAME:-"mini-mon"}
   export OS_PASSWORD=${OS_PASSWORD:-"password"}
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ if [ -n "$MONASCA_WAIT_FOR_API" ]; then
   success="false"
 
   for i in $(seq "$MONASCA_API_WAIT_RETRIES"); do
-    monasca alarm-definition-list --limit 1
-    if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+    if monasca alarm-definition-list --limit 1; then
       success="true"
       break
     else
diff --git a/monasca-api-python/apk_install.sh b/monasca-api-python/apk_install.sh
index 582fb7996..37ee4a497 100644
--- a/monasca-api-python/apk_install.sh
+++ b/monasca-api-python/apk_install.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
 install_apk_deps() {
     apk add --no-cache curl mysql-client
     apk add --no-cache --virtual build-dep git make g++ linux-headers
diff --git a/monasca-api-python/start.sh b/monasca-api-python/start.sh
index bc978dc1d..2155f8a0a 100755
--- a/monasca-api-python/start.sh
+++ b/monasca-api-python/start.sh
@@ -15,12 +15,11 @@ if [ "$MYSQL_WAIT_RETRIES" != "0" ]; then
   echo "Waiting for MySQL to become available..."
   success="false"
   for i in $(seq "$MYSQL_WAIT_RETRIES"); do
-    mysqladmin status \
+    if mysqladmin status \
         --host="$MYSQL_HOST" \
         --user="$MYSQL_USER" \
         --password="$MYSQL_PASSWORD" \
-        --connect_timeout=10
-    if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+        --connect_timeout=10; then
       echo "MySQL is available, continuing..."
       success="true"
       break
@@ -42,8 +41,7 @@ if [ -n "$KAFKA_WAIT_FOR_TOPICS" ]; then
   success="false"
 
   for i in $(seq "$KAFKA_WAIT_RETRIES"); do
-    python /kafka_wait_for_topics.py
-    if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+    if python /kafka_wait_for_topics.py; then
       success="true"
       break
     else