diff --git a/playbooks/pacemaker-status.yaml b/playbooks/pacemaker-status.yaml
index b0e84efa6..cf341722e 100644
--- a/playbooks/pacemaker-status.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/pacemaker-status.yaml
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
         A failed status post-deployment indicates something is not configured
         correctly. This should also be run before upgrade as the process will
         likely fail with a cluster that's not completely healthy.
+
+        This validation fails if pacemaker service is found failed or inactive.
       groups:
         - post-deployment
   roles:
diff --git a/roles/pacemaker_status/tasks/main.yml b/roles/pacemaker_status/tasks/main.yml
index 27840fb80..3d32b1968 100644
--- a/roles/pacemaker_status/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/pacemaker_status/tasks/main.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@
   changed_when: false
   ignore_errors: true
 
+- name: Check pacemaker service is inactive or failed
+  fail:
+    msg: "Pacemaker service found {{ check_service.stdout.split('=')[-1] }}"
+  when: check_service.stdout != 'ActiveState=active'
+
 - when: "check_service.stdout == 'ActiveState=active'"
   block:
     - name: Get pacemaker status
diff --git a/roles/pacemaker_status/vars/main.yml b/roles/pacemaker_status/vars/main.yml
index de5aa6681..71040b537 100644
--- a/roles/pacemaker_status/vars/main.yml
+++ b/roles/pacemaker_status/vars/main.yml
@@ -7,5 +7,7 @@ metadata:
     A failed status post-deployment indicates something is not configured
     correctly. This should also be run before upgrade as the process will
     likely fail with a cluster that's not completely healthy.
+
+    This validation fails if pacemaker service is found failed or inactive.
   groups:
     - post-deployment