diff --git a/heat/engine/resource.py b/heat/engine/resource.py
index 9e8fdad9c..d65f67dad 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resource.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resource.py
@@ -884,10 +884,6 @@ class Resource(object):
             return 'Unknown'
 
         try:
-            if self.action in (self.SUSPEND, self.DELETE):
-                msg = _('Cannot signal resource during %s') % self.action
-                raise Exception(msg)
-
             if not callable(getattr(self, 'handle_signal', None)):
                 msg = (_('Resource %s is not able to receive a signal') %
                        str(self))
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/autoscaling.py b/heat/engine/resources/autoscaling.py
index ab08aac81..e29a76ba8 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/autoscaling.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/autoscaling.py
@@ -948,6 +948,10 @@ class ScalingPolicy(signal_responder.SignalResponder, CooldownMixin):
         return self.properties[self.ADJUSTMENT_TYPE]
 
     def handle_signal(self, details=None):
+        if self.action in (self.SUSPEND, self.DELETE):
+            msg = _('Cannot signal resource during %s') % self.action
+            raise Exception(msg)
+
         # ceilometer sends details like this:
         # {u'alarm_id': ID, u'previous': u'ok', u'current': u'alarm',
         #  u'reason': u'...'})
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/instance.py b/heat/engine/resources/instance.py
index 4d627c097..c43de4119 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/instance.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/instance.py
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ class Restarter(signal_responder.SignalResponder):
         self.resource_id_set(self._get_user_id())
 
     def handle_signal(self, details=None):
+        if self.action in (self.SUSPEND, self.DELETE):
+            msg = _('Cannot signal resource during %s') % self.action
+            raise Exception(msg)
+
         if details is None:
             alarm_state = 'alarm'
         else:
diff --git a/heat/tests/generic_resource.py b/heat/tests/generic_resource.py
index 84ab7721e..78acf1f2b 100644
--- a/heat/tests/generic_resource.py
+++ b/heat/tests/generic_resource.py
@@ -112,6 +112,10 @@ class SignalResource(signal_responder.SignalResponder):
         self.resource_id_set(self._get_user_id())
 
     def handle_signal(self, details=None):
+        if self.action in (self.SUSPEND, self.DELETE):
+            msg = _('Cannot signal resource during %s') % self.action
+            raise Exception(msg)
+
         logger.warning(_('Signaled resource (Type "%(type)s") %(details)s')
                        % {'type': self.type(), 'details': details})