diff --git a/contracts/sh/prepare-ec2.sh b/contracts/sh/prepare-ec2.sh
index c989830bf..231020c7d 100755
--- a/contracts/sh/prepare-ec2.sh
+++ b/contracts/sh/prepare-ec2.sh
@@ -47,3 +47,9 @@ cd monorepo
 git checkout feat/aws-scripts
 yarn
 cd contracts && yarn build
+
+# install the cron job to start the tally task at instance reboot
+crontab -l > tmpcron
+echo "@reboot /home/ubuntu/monorepo/contracts/sh/start-tally-with-logging.sh" >> tmpcron
+crontab tmpcron
+rm tmpcron awscliv2.zip
\ No newline at end of file