diff --git a/modules/mongodb/mongodb.go b/modules/mongodb/mongodb.go
index c27a5a4bf4..188c55e85b 100644
--- a/modules/mongodb/mongodb.go
+++ b/modules/mongodb/mongodb.go
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func WithReplicaSet(replSetName string) testcontainers.CustomizeRequestOption {
 				func(ctx context.Context, c testcontainers.Container) error {
 					ip, err := c.ContainerIP(ctx)
 					if err != nil {
-						return err
+						return fmt.Errorf("container ip: %w", err)
 					}
 
 					cmd := eval("rs.initiate({ _id: '%s', members: [ { _id: 0, host: '%s:27017' } ] })", replSetName, ip)
diff --git a/modules/mongodb/mongodb_test.go b/modules/mongodb/mongodb_test.go
index 36bd907e32..ead2b1818b 100644
--- a/modules/mongodb/mongodb_test.go
+++ b/modules/mongodb/mongodb_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package mongodb_test
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"log"
 	"testing"
 
 	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/mongo"
@@ -73,14 +72,17 @@ func TestMongoDB(t *testing.T) {
 				tt.Fatalf("failed to get connection string: %s", err)
 			}
 
-			mongoClient, err := mongo.Connect(ctx, options.Client().ApplyURI(endpoint))
+			// Force direct connection to the container to avoid the replica set
+			// connection string that is returned by the container itself when
+			// using the replica set option.
+			mongoClient, err := mongo.Connect(ctx, options.Client().ApplyURI(endpoint+"/?connect=direct"))
 			if err != nil {
 				tt.Fatalf("failed to connect to MongoDB: %s", err)
 			}
 
 			err = mongoClient.Ping(ctx, nil)
 			if err != nil {
-				log.Fatalf("failed to ping MongoDB: %s", err)
+				tt.Fatalf("failed to ping MongoDB: %s", err)
 			}
 
 			if mongoClient.Database("test").Name() != "test" {