diff --git a/heat/engine/clients/os/senlin.py b/heat/engine/clients/os/senlin.py
index 408cabe296..6b62d01c7f 100644
--- a/heat/engine/clients/os/senlin.py
+++ b/heat/engine/clients/os/senlin.py
@@ -50,6 +50,17 @@ class SenlinClientPlugin(sdk_plugin.OpenStackSDKPlugin):
             )
         return False
 
+    def cluster_is_active(self, cluster_id):
+        cluster = self.client().get_cluster(cluster_id)
+        if cluster.status == 'ACTIVE':
+            return True
+        elif cluster.status == 'ERROR':
+            raise exception.ResourceInError(
+                status_reason=cluster.status_reason,
+                resource_status=cluster.status,
+            )
+        return False
+
     def get_profile_id(self, profile_name):
         profile = self.client().get_profile(profile_name)
         return profile.id
@@ -72,15 +83,19 @@ class SenlinClientPlugin(sdk_plugin.OpenStackSDKPlugin):
             if action['done']:
                 continue
             all_executed = False
-            if action['action_id'] is None:
-                func = getattr(self.client(), action['func'])
-                ret = func(**action['params'])
-                if isinstance(ret, dict):
-                    action['action_id'] = ret['action']
+            if 'action_id' in action:
+                if action['action_id'] is None:
+                    func = getattr(self.client(), action['func'])
+                    ret = func(**action['params'])
+                    if isinstance(ret, dict):
+                        action['action_id'] = ret['action']
+                    else:
+                        action['action_id'] = ret.location.split('/')[-1]
                 else:
-                    action['action_id'] = ret.location.split('/')[-1]
+                    ret = self.check_action_status(action['action_id'])
+                    action['done'] = ret
             else:
-                ret = self.check_action_status(action['action_id'])
+                ret = self.cluster_is_active(action['cluster_id'])
                 action['done'] = ret
             # Execute these actions one by one.
             break
diff --git a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/senlin/cluster.py b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/senlin/cluster.py
index 371e12a999..b8e187abe5 100644
--- a/heat/engine/resources/openstack/senlin/cluster.py
+++ b/heat/engine/resources/openstack/senlin/cluster.py
@@ -218,12 +218,11 @@ class Cluster(res_base.BaseSenlinResource):
         }
 
         cluster = self.client().create_cluster(**params)
-        action_id = cluster.location.split('/')[-1]
         self.resource_id_set(cluster.id)
         # for cluster creation, we just to check the action status
         # the action is executed above
         action = {
-            'action_id': action_id,
+            'cluster_id': cluster.id,
             'done': False,
         }
         actions.append(action)
diff --git a/heat/tests/openstack/senlin/test_cluster.py b/heat/tests/openstack/senlin/test_cluster.py
index 88656df447..2b59a20231 100644
--- a/heat/tests/openstack/senlin/test_cluster.py
+++ b/heat/tests/openstack/senlin/test_cluster.py
@@ -122,6 +122,8 @@ class SenlinClusterTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.assertEqual((cluster.CREATE, cluster.COMPLETE),
                          cluster.state)
         self.assertEqual(self.fake_cl.id, cluster.resource_id)
+        self.assertEqual(1, self.senlin_mock.get_action.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual(1, self.senlin_mock.get_cluster.call_count)
         return cluster
 
     def test_cluster_create_success(self):
@@ -149,17 +151,17 @@ class SenlinClusterTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         cfg.CONF.set_override('action_retry_limit', 0)
         cluster = self._init_cluster(self.t)
         self.senlin_mock.create_cluster.return_value = self.fake_cl
-        mock_action = mock.MagicMock()
-        mock_action.status = 'FAILED'
-        mock_action.status_reason = 'oops'
+        mock_cluster = mock.MagicMock()
+        mock_cluster.status = 'ERROR'
+        mock_cluster.status_reason = 'oops'
         self.senlin_mock.get_policy.return_value = mock.Mock(
             id='fake_policy_id'
         )
-        self.senlin_mock.get_action.return_value = mock_action
+        self.senlin_mock.get_cluster.return_value = mock_cluster
         create_task = scheduler.TaskRunner(cluster.create)
         ex = self.assertRaises(exception.ResourceFailure, create_task)
         expected = ('ResourceInError: resources.senlin-cluster: '
-                    'Went to status FAILED due to "oops"')
+                    'Went to status ERROR due to "oops"')
         self.assertEqual(expected, six.text_type(ex))
 
     def test_cluster_delete_success(self):
@@ -205,7 +207,7 @@ class SenlinClusterTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         }
         self.senlin_mock.update_cluster.assert_called_once_with(
             cluster=self.fake_cl, **cluster_update_kwargs)
-        self.assertEqual(3, self.senlin_mock.get_action.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual(2, self.senlin_mock.get_action.call_count)
 
     def test_cluster_update_desire_capacity(self):
         cluster = self._create_cluster(self.t)
@@ -226,7 +228,7 @@ class SenlinClusterTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         }
         self.senlin_mock.cluster_resize.assert_called_once_with(
             cluster=cluster.resource_id, **cluster_resize_kwargs)
-        self.assertEqual(3, self.senlin_mock.get_action.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual(2, self.senlin_mock.get_action.call_count)
 
     def test_cluster_update_policy_add_remove(self):
         cluster = self._create_cluster(self.t)
@@ -259,7 +261,7 @@ class SenlinClusterTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         self.senlin_mock.cluster_detach_policy.assert_called_once_with(
             **detach_policy_kwargs)
         self.assertEqual(0, self.senlin_mock.cluster_update_policy.call_count)
-        self.assertEqual(4, self.senlin_mock.get_action.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual(3, self.senlin_mock.get_action.call_count)
 
     def test_cluster_update_policy_exists(self):
         cluster = self._create_cluster(self.t)