diff --git a/ops_openstack/core.py b/ops_openstack/core.py
index 566590e..776d332 100644
--- a/ops_openstack/core.py
+++ b/ops_openstack/core.py
@@ -148,15 +148,18 @@ class OSBaseCharm(CharmBase):
             else:
                 self.unit.status = _result
                 return
+
         if self._stored.series_upgrade:
             self.unit.status = BlockedStatus(
                 'Ready for do-release-upgrade and reboot. '
                 'Set complete when finished.')
             return
+
         if self._stored.is_paused:
             self.unit.status = MaintenanceStatus(
                 "Paused. Use 'resume' action to resume normal service.")
             return
+
         missing_relations = []
         for relation in self.REQUIRED_RELATIONS:
             if not self.model.get_relation(relation):
@@ -165,6 +168,13 @@ class OSBaseCharm(CharmBase):
             self.unit.status = BlockedStatus(
                 'Missing relations: {}'.format(', '.join(missing_relations)))
             return
+
+        _, services_not_running_msg = os_utils.ows_check_services_running(
+            self.services(), ports=[])
+        if services_not_running_msg is not None:
+            self.unit.status = BlockedStatus(services_not_running_msg)
+            return
+
         if self._stored.is_started:
             _unique = []
             # Reverse sort the list so that a shorter message that has the same
@@ -178,6 +188,7 @@ class OSBaseCharm(CharmBase):
             self.unit.status = ActiveStatus(', '.join(_unique))
         else:
             self.unit.status = WaitingStatus('Charm configuration in progress')
+
         logging.info("Status updated")
 
     def on_update_status(self, event):
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_ops_openstack.py b/unit_tests/test_ops_openstack.py
index e2cf713..12d13cc 100644
--- a/unit_tests/test_ops_openstack.py
+++ b/unit_tests/test_ops_openstack.py
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ class TestOSBaseCharm(CharmTestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         super().setUp(ops_openstack.core, self.PATCHES)
         self.os_utils.manage_payload_services = MagicMock()
+        self.os_utils.ows_check_services_running = MagicMock()
         self.harness = Harness(
             OpenStackTestAPICharm,
             meta='''
@@ -179,6 +180,7 @@ class TestOSBaseCharm(CharmTestCase):
             fatal=True)
 
     def test_update_status(self):
+        self.os_utils.ows_check_services_running.return_value = (None, None)
         self.harness.add_relation('shared-db', 'mysql')
         self.harness.begin()
         self.harness.charm._stored.is_started = True
@@ -191,6 +193,7 @@ class TestOSBaseCharm(CharmTestCase):
             ActiveStatus)
 
     def test_update_status_custom_check_fail(self):
+        self.os_utils.ows_check_services_running.return_value = (None, None)
         self.harness.update_config(
             key_values={
                 'custom-check-fail': 'True'})
@@ -206,6 +209,7 @@ class TestOSBaseCharm(CharmTestCase):
             MaintenanceStatus)
 
     def test_update_status_not_started(self):
+        self.os_utils.ows_check_services_running.return_value = (None, None)
         self.harness.add_relation('shared-db', 'mysql')
         self.harness.begin()
         self.harness.charm.on.update_status.emit()
@@ -217,6 +221,7 @@ class TestOSBaseCharm(CharmTestCase):
             WaitingStatus)
 
     def test_update_status_series_upgrade(self):
+        self.os_utils.ows_check_services_running.return_value = (None, None)
         self.harness.begin()
         self.harness.charm._stored.series_upgrade = True
         self.harness.charm.on_update_status('An Event')
@@ -229,6 +234,7 @@ class TestOSBaseCharm(CharmTestCase):
             BlockedStatus)
 
     def test_update_status_series_paused(self):
+        self.os_utils.ows_check_services_running.return_value = (None, None)
         self.harness.begin()
         self.harness.charm._stored.is_paused = True
         self.harness.charm.on.update_status.emit()
@@ -240,6 +246,7 @@ class TestOSBaseCharm(CharmTestCase):
             MaintenanceStatus)
 
     def test_update_status_missing_relation(self):
+        self.os_utils.ows_check_services_running.return_value = (None, None)
         self.harness.begin()
         self.harness.charm.on.update_status.emit()
         self.assertEqual(
@@ -250,6 +257,7 @@ class TestOSBaseCharm(CharmTestCase):
             BlockedStatus)
 
     def test_update_status_plugin_check_fail(self):
+        self.os_utils.ows_check_services_running.return_value = (None, None)
         self.harness.update_config(
             key_values={
                 'plugin1-check-fail': 'True',
@@ -276,6 +284,21 @@ class TestOSBaseCharm(CharmTestCase):
             self.harness.charm.unit.status,
             BlockedStatus)
 
+    def test_update_status_service_not_running(self):
+        self.os_utils.ows_check_services_running.return_value = (
+            'blocked', 'apache2 is not running')
+        self.harness.add_relation('shared-db', 'mysql')
+        self.harness.begin()
+        self.harness.charm.on.update_status.emit()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.harness.charm.unit.status.message,
+            'apache2 is not running')
+        self.assertIsInstance(
+            self.harness.charm.unit.status,
+            BlockedStatus)
+        self.os_utils.ows_check_services_running.assert_called_once_with(
+            ['apache2', 'ks-api'], ports=[])
+
     def test_services(self):
         self.harness.begin()
         self.assertEqual(