--- a/src/pyams_content_es/include.py	Fri Nov 09 12:10:35 2018 +0100
+++ b/src/pyams_content_es/include.py	Fri Nov 09 12:13:05 2018 +0100
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 
 # import packages
 from pyams_content_es.process import ContentIndexerProcess, ContentIndexerMessageHandler
+from pyams_utils.protocol.tcp import is_port_in_use
 from pyams_utils.registry import get_global_registry
 from pyams_zmq.process import process_exit_func
 from pyramid.events import subscriber
@@ -61,10 +62,16 @@
     settings = registry.settings
     start_handler = asbool(settings.get(INDEXER_STARTER_KEY, False))
     if start_handler:
-        process = None
+        # check if port is available
+        handler_address = settings.get(INDEXER_HANDLER_KEY, '127.0.0.1:5557')
+        hostname, port = handler_address.split(':')
+        if is_port_in_use(int(port), hostname):
+            logger.info("Elasticsearch content indexer port already used, aborting...")
+            return
         # create content indexer process
+        process = None
         try:
-            process = ContentIndexerProcess(settings.get(INDEXER_HANDLER_KEY, '127.0.0.1:5557'),
+            process = ContentIndexerProcess(handler_address,
                                             ContentIndexerMessageHandler,
                                             settings.get(INDEXER_AUTH_KEY),
                                             settings.get(INDEXER_CLIENTS_KEY),