diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index 15b5eb4..de0ebae 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ pipeline {
                     withCredentials([[$class: 'AmazonWebServicesCredentialsBinding', credentialsId: env.AWS_CRED_ID]]) {
                         echo "🔄 Checking/Bootstrapping Terraform backend..."
                         dir(tfBackendDir) {
-                            try {
-                                sh """
+                            def exitCode = sh(
+                                script: """
                                     terraform init \\
                                         -var="aws_region=${TF_VAR_aws_region}" \\
                                         -var="backend_bucket_name=${TF_BACKEND_BUCKET}" \\
@@ -74,15 +74,27 @@ pipeline {
                                         -var="aws_region=${TF_VAR_aws_region}" \\
                                         -var="backend_bucket_name=${TF_BACKEND_BUCKET}" \\
                                         -var="lock_table_name=${TF_DDB_TABLE}"
-                                """
+                                """,
+                                returnStatus: true
+                            )
+                            
+                            if (exitCode == 0) {
                                 echo "✅ Terraform backend created successfully"
-                            } catch (Exception e) {
-                                if (e.getMessage().contains("BucketAlreadyOwnedByYou") || 
-                                    e.getMessage().contains("Table already exists")) {
+                            } else {
+                                echo "⚠️ Terraform apply failed, checking if resources already exist..."
+                                def bucketCheck = sh(
+                                    script: "aws s3api head-bucket --bucket ${TF_BACKEND_BUCKET} --region ${TF_VAR_aws_region} 2>/dev/null && echo 'exists' || echo 'missing'",
+                                    returnStdout: true
+                                ).trim()
+                                def tableCheck = sh(
+                                    script: "aws dynamodb describe-table --table-name ${TF_DDB_TABLE} --region ${TF_VAR_aws_region} 2>/dev/null && echo 'exists' || echo 'missing'",
+                                    returnStdout: true
+                                ).trim()
+                                
+                                if (bucketCheck == "exists" && tableCheck == "exists") {
                                     echo "✅ Terraform backend already exists - continuing..."
                                 } else {
-                                    echo "❌ Unexpected error during backend bootstrap: ${e.getMessage()}"
-                                    throw e
+                                    error("❌ Backend bootstrap failed and resources don't exist. Manual intervention required.")
                                 }
                             }
                         }