diff --git a/roles/docker-friendica/templates/docker-compose.yml.j2 b/roles/docker-friendica/templates/docker-compose.yml.j2
index 3c1c6747..4d8c3e6e 100644
--- a/roles/docker-friendica/templates/docker-compose.yml.j2
+++ b/roles/docker-friendica/templates/docker-compose.yml.j2
@@ -10,10 +10,17 @@ services:
     ports:
       - "127.0.0.1:{{http_port}}:80"
     healthcheck:
+      # This health check ensures the test email is sent only once to prevent 
+      # hitting SMTP rate limits due to multiple health check executions.
+      # The logic checks for a temporary file (/tmp/email_sent) to determine 
+      # if the email has already been sent. If the file exists, the email 
+      # is skipped, but the health check continues by verifying the HTTP service.
+      # Refer to the conversation with ChatGPT (https://chatgpt.com/share/67898c3f-2c1c-800f-861c-47dcbe109135) 
+      # on January 16, 2025, for the background behind this complexity.
       test:
         [
           "CMD-SHELL",
-          "(echo 'Subject: testmessage from {{domain}}\n\nSUCCESSFULL' | msmtp -t {{test_email}} && curl -f http://127.0.0.1:80) || exit 1"
+          "(if [ ! -f /tmp/email_sent ]; then echo 'Subject: testmessage from {{domain}}\n\nSUCCESSFULL' | msmtp -t {{test_email}} && touch /tmp/email_sent; fi && curl -f http://127.0.0.1:80) || exit 1"
         ]
       interval: 1m
       timeout: 10s