diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-devnet.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-devnet.yml
index 1c9b3a95ad..20b02c09f8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-devnet.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-devnet.yml
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ jobs:
       - name: Checkout repo
         uses: actions/checkout@v3
 
+        # capture SHA as an env variable  
+      - name: Get short commit SHA
+        id: vars
+        run: echo "COMMIT_SHA=$(echo $GITHUB_SHA | cut -c1-7)" >> $GITHUB_ENV        
+
       - name: Set up Docker
         uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@v3
 
@@ -31,8 +36,12 @@ jobs:
             $BASE_IMAGE \
             --dev --http --http.api eth,net,web3,personal
 
-          # Give devnet time to start up
-          sleep 5
+          # Wait until the devnet RPC is ready
+          until curl -s http://localhost:8545 > /dev/null; do
+            echo "Waiting for Geth RPC..."
+            sleep 2
+          done
+          echo "Geth RPC is up, proceeding with deployment"
 
       - name: Set up Node.js
         uses: actions/setup-node@v3
@@ -51,6 +60,11 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           docker commit $CONTAINER_NAME $FINAL_IMAGE
 
+      - name: Stop and remove container
+        run: |
+          docker commit $CONTAINER_NAME $FINAL_IMAGE:latest
+          docker tag $FINAL_IMAGE:latest $FINAL_IMAGE:${{ env.COMMIT_SHA }}         
+
       - name: Log in to Docker Hub
         uses: docker/login-action@v3
         with:
@@ -59,4 +73,5 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Push image to Docker Hub
         run: |
-          docker push $FINAL_IMAGE
+          docker push $FINAL_IMAGE:latest
+          docker push $FINAL_IMAGE:${{ env.COMMIT_SHA }}
diff --git a/hardhat/scripts/deploy.js b/hardhat/scripts/deploy.js
index 1b9e575a68..e87c0ffd4e 100644
--- a/hardhat/scripts/deploy.js
+++ b/hardhat/scripts/deploy.js
@@ -1,9 +1,23 @@
+const { ethers } = require("hardhat");
+
 async function main() {
-  const [deployer] = await ethers.getSigners();
+  // Connect to local devnet RPC explicitly
+  const provider = new ethers.providers.JsonRpcProvider("http://localhost:8545");
 
-  console.log("Deploying contracts with the account:", deployer.address);
+  // Get signer from provider
+  const [deployer] = await provider.listAccounts().then(accounts => 
+    accounts.length > 0 ? [provider.getSigner(accounts[0])] : []
+  );
+
+  if (!deployer) {
+    throw new Error("No accounts found on the devnet.");
+  }
+
+  console.log("Deploying contracts with the account:", await deployer.getAddress());
+
+  // Connect contract factory with the deployer signer
+  const Lock = await ethers.getContractFactory("Lock", deployer);
 
-  const Lock = await ethers.getContractFactory("Lock");
   const lock = await Lock.deploy();
 
   await lock.deployed();
@@ -14,6 +28,6 @@ async function main() {
 main()
   .then(() => process.exit(0))
   .catch(error => {
-    console.error(error);
+    console.error("Deployment failed:", error);
     process.exit(1);
-  });
\ No newline at end of file
+  });