diff --git a/examples/compose/vtcompose/vtcompose.go b/examples/compose/vtcompose/vtcompose.go
index 412542d8cef..5337d87b2f9 100644
--- a/examples/compose/vtcompose/vtcompose.go
+++ b/examples/compose/vtcompose/vtcompose.go
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ func applyKeyspaceDependentPatches(
 	if keyspaceData.shards < 2 {
 		tabAlias = tabAlias + 100
 		dockerComposeFile = applyTabletPatches(dockerComposeFile, tabAlias, shard, keyspaceData, externalDbInfoMap, opts)
+		dockerComposeFile = applyShardPatches(dockerComposeFile, tabAlias, shard, keyspaceData, opts)
 	} else {
 		// Determine shard range
 		for i := 0; i < keyspaceData.shards; i++ {
@@ -446,6 +447,7 @@ func applyKeyspaceDependentPatches(
 			}
 			tabAlias = tabAlias + 100
 			dockerComposeFile = applyTabletPatches(dockerComposeFile, tabAlias, shard, keyspaceData, externalDbInfoMap, opts)
+			dockerComposeFile = applyShardPatches(dockerComposeFile, tabAlias, shard, keyspaceData, opts)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -475,6 +477,39 @@ func applyDockerComposePatches(
 	return dockerComposeFile
 }
 
+func applyShardPatches(
+	dockerComposeFile []byte,
+	tabAlias int,
+	shard string,
+	keyspaceData keyspaceInfo,
+	opts vtOptions,
+) []byte {
+	dockerComposeFile = applyInMemoryPatch(dockerComposeFile, generateDefaultShard(tabAlias, shard, keyspaceData, opts))
+	return dockerComposeFile
+}
+
+func generateDefaultShard(tabAlias int, shard string, keyspaceData keyspaceInfo, opts vtOptions) string {
+	aliases := []int{tabAlias + 1} // master alias, e.g. 201
+	for i := 0; i < keyspaceData.replicaTablets; i++ {
+		aliases = append(aliases, tabAlias+2+i) // replica aliases, e.g. 202, 203, ...
+	}
+	tabletDepends := make([]string, len(aliases))
+	for i, tabletId := range aliases {
+		tabletDepends[i] = fmt.Sprintf("vttablet%d: {condition : service_healthy}", tabletId)
+	}
+	// Wait on all shard tablets to be healthy
+	dependsOn := "depends_on: {" + strings.Join(tabletDepends, ", ") + "}"
+
+	return fmt.Sprintf(`
+- op: add
+  path: /services/init_shard_master%[2]d
+  value:
+    image: vitess/base
+    command: ["sh", "-c", "$$VTROOT/bin/vtctl %[5]s InitShardMaster -force %[4]s/%[3]s %[6]s-%[2]d "]
+    %[1]s
+`, dependsOn, aliases[0], shard, keyspaceData.keyspace, opts.topologyFlags, opts.cell)
+}
+
 func applyTabletPatches(
 	dockerComposeFile []byte,
 	tabAlias int,
@@ -674,7 +709,7 @@ func generatePrimaryVIndex(tableName, column, name string) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf(`
 [{"op": "add",
 "path": "/tables/%[1]s",
-"value": 
+"value":
   {"column_vindexes": [
     {
       "column": "%[2]s",
diff --git a/examples/compose/vttablet-up.sh b/examples/compose/vttablet-up.sh
index 7284fc37d7e..f9f08084330 100755
--- a/examples/compose/vttablet-up.sh
+++ b/examples/compose/vttablet-up.sh
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 # Copyright 2019 The Vitess Authors.
-# 
+#
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
 # You may obtain a copy of the License at
-# 
+#
 #     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
-# 
+#
 # Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
 # distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
@@ -120,8 +120,6 @@ $VTROOT/bin/vtctl $TOPOLOGY_FLAGS AddCellInfo -root vitess/$CELL -server_address
 $VTROOT/bin/vtctl $TOPOLOGY_FLAGS CreateKeyspace $keyspace || true
 $VTROOT/bin/vtctl $TOPOLOGY_FLAGS CreateShard $keyspace/$shard || true
 
-$VTROOT/bin/vtctl $TOPOLOGY_FLAGS InitTablet -shard $shard -keyspace $keyspace -grpc_port $grpc_port -port $web_port -allow_master_override $alias $tablet_role
-
 #Populate external db conditional args
 if [ "$external" = "1" ]; then
     if [ $role = "master" ]; then