diff --git a/software/theia/buildout.hash.cfg b/software/theia/buildout.hash.cfg
index cd3cfe9acbdb4c439f228702ccafac9426390213..ff48334a4e6c8b8e1ded6b890b61eb4f57a0a815 100644
--- a/software/theia/buildout.hash.cfg
+++ b/software/theia/buildout.hash.cfg
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
 [instance]
 filename = instance.cfg.in
-md5sum = 20ed8af8526775d0da936e38f6c68ba0
+md5sum = 397fcb3279029af3055b23525d147445
 
 [yarn.lock]
 filename = yarn.lock
diff --git a/software/theia/instance.cfg.in b/software/theia/instance.cfg.in
index a1488ee69d380675bccdb8fac64b646aeca038ed..d25d3abc53f631165adf753c1f10d8bdcf5486da 100644
--- a/software/theia/instance.cfg.in
+++ b/software/theia/instance.cfg.in
@@ -247,11 +247,14 @@ rendered = $${directory:bin}/$${:_buildout_section_name_}
 mode = 0700
 template = inline:
   #!${python:location}/bin/python
-  import sys
   import os
+  import sys
+  import time
   args = sys.argv[1:]
   # when running interactively, activate slapos configuration and reset GIT_EXEC_PATH to workaround https://github.com/eclipse-theia/theia/issues/7555
   if not args: args = ["-c", ". $${slapos-standalone-activate:rendered} && exec env GIT_EXEC_PATH= ${bash:location}/bin/bash", ]
+  # otherwise, assume this shell is running task and add an artificial delay to workaround https://github.com/eclipse-theia/theia/issues/2961
+  else: time.sleep(1)
   os.execv('${bash:location}/bin/bash', ['${bash:location}/bin/bash']  + args)
 
 [slapos-standalone-activate]