diff --git a/nova_dpm/tests/unit/virt/dpm/test_utils.py b/nova_dpm/tests/unit/virt/dpm/test_utils.py
index 006c4f0..5b8f5a6 100644
--- a/nova_dpm/tests/unit/virt/dpm/test_utils.py
+++ b/nova_dpm/tests/unit/virt/dpm/test_utils.py
@@ -83,3 +83,44 @@ class HostTestCase(TestCase):
         self.assertRaises(
             exceptions.CpcDpmModeNotEnabledException,
             utils.validate_host_conf, cpc)
+
+    def test_if_cpc_is_down(self):
+        session = zhmcclient_mock.FakedSession(
+            'fake-host', 'fake-hmc', '2.13.1', '1.8')
+
+        session.hmc.cpcs.add({
+            'name': 'cpc_1',
+            'description': 'CPC #1',
+            'status': 'no-power',
+            'dpm-enabled': True,
+            'processor-count-ifl': 10,
+            'storage-customer': 2048,
+        })
+        client = zhmcclient.Client(session)
+        cpc = client.cpcs.find(**{"name": "cpc_1"})
+        self.flags(host='foo')
+        self.flags(group="dpm", max_processors=3)
+        self.flags(group="dpm", max_memory=1024)
+
+        self.assertRaises(
+            exceptions.CpcDownError,
+            utils.validate_host_conf, cpc)
+
+    def test_if_cpc_is_not_down(self):
+        session = zhmcclient_mock.FakedSession(
+            'fake-host', 'fake-hmc', '2.13.1', '1.8')
+
+        session.hmc.cpcs.add({
+            'name': 'cpc_1',
+            'description': 'CPC #1',
+            'status': 'service-required',
+            'dpm-enabled': True,
+            'processor-count-ifl': 10,
+            'storage-customer': 2048,
+        })
+        client = zhmcclient.Client(session)
+        cpc = client.cpcs.find(**{"name": "cpc_1"})
+        self.flags(host='foo')
+        self.flags(group="dpm", max_processors=3)
+        self.flags(group="dpm", max_memory=1024)
+        utils.validate_host_conf(cpc)
diff --git a/nova_dpm/virt/dpm/exceptions.py b/nova_dpm/virt/dpm/exceptions.py
index bccaad3..7376828 100644
--- a/nova_dpm/virt/dpm/exceptions.py
+++ b/nova_dpm/virt/dpm/exceptions.py
@@ -57,3 +57,7 @@ class MaxMemoryExceededError(NovaException):
 
 class CpcDpmModeNotEnabledException(NovaException):
     msg_fmt = _("DPM mode on CPC %(cpc_name)s not enabled.")
+
+
+class CpcDownError(NovaException):
+    msg_fmt = _("CPC is Down")
diff --git a/nova_dpm/virt/dpm/utils.py b/nova_dpm/virt/dpm/utils.py
index da4c3bb..4117523 100644
--- a/nova_dpm/virt/dpm/utils.py
+++ b/nova_dpm/virt/dpm/utils.py
@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import nova_dpm.conf
+from zhmcclient import HTTPError
 
 from nova_dpm.virt.dpm import exceptions
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 CONF = nova_dpm.conf.CONF
+CPC_UP_STATUS = ("active", "service-required", "degraded", "exceptions")
 
 
 def validate_host_conf(cpc):
@@ -27,6 +29,15 @@ def validate_host_conf(cpc):
         raise exceptions.CpcDpmModeNotEnabledException(
             cpc_name=cpc.get_property('name'))
 
+    try:
+        if cpc.get_property('status') not in CPC_UP_STATUS:
+            raise exceptions.CpcDownError()
+    except HTTPError as http_error:
+        if http_error.http_status == 409:
+            raise exceptions.CpcDownError()
+        else:
+            raise http_error
+
     if (CONF.dpm.max_processors > cpc.get_property('processor-count-ifl')):
         raise exceptions.MaxProcessorExceededError(
             config_proc=CONF.dpm.max_processors,