diff --git a/utils.sh b/utils.sh
index 746e1598..b7885e92 100755
--- a/utils.sh
+++ b/utils.sh
@@ -349,11 +349,6 @@ when_ports_available(){
     local host="${2:-}"
     local ports="${@:3}"
     local retry_interval=1
-    if ! which nc &>/dev/null; then
-        # Don't run in docker containers
-        echo "WARNING: nc command not found in \$PATH, cannot check port availability, skipping port checks, tests may fail due to race conditions on service availability"
-        return 0
-    fi
     if [ -z "$max_secs" ]; then
         echo 'when_ports_available: max_secs $1 not set'
         exit 1
@@ -409,7 +404,8 @@ when_ports_available(){
             return 1
         fi
     else
-        echo "'nc' command not found, sleeping for '$max_secs' secs instead"
+        echo "WARNING: nc command not found in \$PATH, cannot check port availability, skipping port checks, tests may fail due to race conditions on service availability"
+        echo "sleeping for '$max_secs' secs instead"
         sleep "$max_secs"
     fi
 }