diff --git a/core/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServer.java b/core/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServer.java
index 60b2b7a3f1d..c3794a40303 100755
--- a/core/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServer.java
+++ b/core/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServer.java
@@ -2200,4 +2200,5 @@ public interface ManagementServer {
 	VolumeVO findVolumeByInstanceAndDeviceId(long instanceId, long deviceId);
 	VolumeVO getRootVolume(Long instanceId);
 	long getPsMaintenanceCount(long podId);
+	boolean isPoolUp(long instanceId);
 }
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/api/commands/StartVMCmd.java b/server/src/com/cloud/api/commands/StartVMCmd.java
index 6c70304d573..7f4af063117 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/api/commands/StartVMCmd.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/api/commands/StartVMCmd.java
@@ -78,7 +78,10 @@ public class StartVMCmd extends BaseCmd {
                 throw new ServerApiException(BaseCmd.PARAM_ERROR, "Invalid virtual machine id (" + vmId + ") given, unable to start virtual machine.");
             }
         }
-
+
+        if(!getManagementServer().isPoolUp(vmId)){
+        	throw new ServerApiException(BaseCmd.INTERNAL_ERROR,"Storage pool for this vm is under maintenance");
+        }
         if (userId == null) {
             userId = Long.valueOf(1);
         }
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServerImpl.java
index c12c146badf..66b5518dfa6 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/server/ManagementServerImpl.java
@@ -1762,11 +1762,22 @@ public class ManagementServerImpl implements ManagementServer {
             
         // Check that there is a shared primary storage pool in the specified zone
         List<StoragePoolVO> storagePools = _poolDao.listByDataCenterId(zoneId);
+        
         boolean sharedPoolExists = false;
+        boolean readyPoolExists = false;
         for (StoragePoolVO storagePool : storagePools) {
         	if (storagePool.isShared()) {
         		sharedPoolExists = true;
         	}
+            //check if there are any pools in the UP state
+            //if not, throw an error
+        	if(storagePool.getStatus().equals(Status.Up)){
+        		readyPoolExists = true;
+        	}
+        }
+        
+        if(!readyPoolExists){
+        	throw new InternalErrorException("There are no ready pools for volume creation");
         }
         
         // Check that there is at least one host in the specified zone
@@ -8729,5 +8740,21 @@ public class ManagementServerImpl implements ManagementServer {
     	else
     		return poolsInMaintenance.size();
     }
+    
+    @Override
+    public boolean isPoolUp(long instanceId){
+		VolumeVO rootVolume = _volumeDao.findByInstance(instanceId).get(0);
+		
+		if(rootVolume!=null){
+			Status poolStatus = _poolDao.findById(rootVolume.getPoolId()).getStatus();
+    	
+			if(!poolStatus.equals(Status.Up))
+				return false;
+			else
+				return true;
+		}
+		
+		return false;
+    }
 }