diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index ca3815b41..710f62536 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 !docker/
 !docker/Dockerfile.run_with_importer
 !src/
+!.cargo/
 !Cargo.toml
 !Cargo.lock
 !static/
diff --git a/chaos/install-dependencies.sh b/chaos/install-dependencies.sh
index 34e8f111b..a8a574d20 100755
--- a/chaos/install-dependencies.sh
+++ b/chaos/install-dependencies.sh
@@ -1,27 +1,36 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-echo "Checking OS and installing dependencies..."
-
-if [ "$(uname)" = "Darwin" ]; then
-    echo "Installing dependencies for macOS..."
-    if ! [ -x "$(command -v kind)" ]; then
-        brew install kind
-    fi
-    if ! [ -x "$(command -v kubectl)" ]; then
-        brew install kubectl
-    fi
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e
+
+echo "Checking if Kind cluster exists..."
+if ! kind get clusters | grep -q local-testing; then
+    echo "Setting up Kind cluster..."
+    kind create cluster --name local-testing
+    kind get kubeconfig --name local-testing > kubeconfig.yaml
 else
-    echo "Installing dependencies for Linux..."
-    if ! [ -x "$(command -v kind)" ]; then
-        curl -Lo ./kind https://kind.sigs.k8s.io/dl/v0.11.1/kind-linux-amd64
-        chmod +x ./kind
-        sudo mv ./kind /usr/local/bin/kind
-    fi
-    if ! [ -x "$(command -v kubectl)" ]; then
-        curl -LO "https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/$(curl -s https://storage.googleapis.com/kubernetes-release/release/stable.txt)/bin/linux/amd64/kubectl"
-        chmod +x ./kubectl
-        sudo mv ./kubectl /usr/local/bin/kubectl
-    fi
+    echo "Kind cluster already exists."
 fi
 
-echo "Dependencies installed"
+echo "Configuring kubectl to use Kind cluster..."
+export KUBECONFIG=$(pwd)/kubeconfig.yaml
+
+echo "Checking if Docker image is already built..."
+if ! docker images | grep -q local/run_with_importer; then
+    echo "Building Docker image..."
+    docker build -t local/run_with_importer -f ./docker/Dockerfile.run_with_importer .
+else
+    echo "Docker image already built."
+fi
+
+echo "Loading Docker image into Kind..."
+kind load docker-image local/run_with_importer --name local-testing
+
+echo "Deploying application..."
+kubectl apply -f chaos/local-deployment.yaml
+kubectl apply -f chaos/local-service.yaml
+
+echo "Waiting for pods to be ready..."
+kubectl wait --for=condition=ready pod -l app=stratus-api --timeout=180s
+
+echo "Deployment complete. Checking pod status..."
+kubectl get pods -o wide
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.run_with_importer b/docker/Dockerfile.run_with_importer
index f1c5fe018..fd148e067 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile.run_with_importer
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.run_with_importer
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ COPY .sqlx /app/.sqlx
 COPY build.rs /app/build.rs
 COPY Cargo.toml /app/Cargo.toml
 COPY Cargo.lock /app/Cargo.lock
+COPY .cargo .cargo
 
 RUN apt update
 RUN apt-get install -y libclang-dev cmake
diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
index 9a98bd801..5cf881406 100644
--- a/justfile
+++ b/justfile
@@ -450,15 +450,23 @@ local-chaos-setup:
     @echo $(pwd)
     @echo "Installing dependencies..."
     ./chaos/install-dependencies.sh
-    @echo "Cleaning up any existing Kind cluster..."
-    kind delete cluster --name local-testing || true
-    @echo "Setting up Kind cluster..."
-    kind create cluster --name local-testing
+    @echo "Checking if Kind cluster exists..."
+    if ! kind get clusters | grep -q local-testing; then \
+        echo "Setting up Kind cluster..."; \
+        kind create cluster --name local-testing; \
+        kind get kubeconfig --name local-testing > kubeconfig.yaml; \
+    else \
+        echo "Kind cluster already exists."; \
+    fi
     @echo "Configuring kubectl to use Kind cluster..."
-    kind get kubeconfig --name local-testing > kubeconfig.yaml
     export KUBECONFIG=$(pwd)/kubeconfig.yaml
-    @echo "Building Docker image..."
-    docker build -t local/run_with_importer -f ./docker/Dockerfile.run_with_importer .
+    @echo "Checking if Docker image is already built..."
+    if ! docker images | grep -q local/run_with_importer; then \
+        echo "Building Docker image..."; \
+        docker build -t local/run_with_importer -f ./docker/Dockerfile.run_with_importer .; \
+    else \
+        echo "Docker image already built."; \
+    fi
     @echo "Loading Docker image into Kind..."
     kind load docker-image local/run_with_importer --name local-testing
     @echo "Deploying application..."
@@ -475,7 +483,6 @@ local-chaos-cleanup:
     kind delete cluster --name local-testing
     @echo "Cleanup complete."
 
-
 # Chaos Testing: Run chaos test
 local-chaos-test:
     just local-chaos-setup