diff --git a/controller/DB.hpp b/controller/DB.hpp
index 4757bb406..4b2940cdc 100644
--- a/controller/DB.hpp
+++ b/controller/DB.hpp
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ public:
 	virtual ~DB();
 
 	virtual bool waitForReady() = 0;
+	virtual bool isReady() = 0;
 
 	inline bool hasNetwork(const uint64_t networkId) const
 	{
diff --git a/controller/EmbeddedNetworkController.cpp b/controller/EmbeddedNetworkController.cpp
index ef52f6e07..6a4134c66 100644
--- a/controller/EmbeddedNetworkController.cpp
+++ b/controller/EmbeddedNetworkController.cpp
@@ -596,10 +596,11 @@ unsigned int EmbeddedNetworkController::handleControlPlaneHttpGET(
 		// Controller status
 
 		char tmp[4096];
-		OSUtils::ztsnprintf(tmp,sizeof(tmp),"{\n\t\"controller\": true,\n\t\"apiVersion\": %d,\n\t\"clock\": %llu\n}\n",ZT_NETCONF_CONTROLLER_API_VERSION,(unsigned long long)OSUtils::now());
+		const bool dbOk = _db->isReady();
+		OSUtils::ztsnprintf(tmp,sizeof(tmp),"{\n\t\"controller\": true,\n\t\"apiVersion\": %d,\n\t\"clock\": %llu,\n\t\"databaseReady\": %s\n}\n",ZT_NETCONF_CONTROLLER_API_VERSION,(unsigned long long)OSUtils::now(),dbOk ? "true" : "false");
 		responseBody = tmp;
 		responseContentType = "application/json";
-		return 200;
+		return dbOk ? 200 : 503;
 
 	}
 
diff --git a/controller/FileDB.cpp b/controller/FileDB.cpp
index e78a64c91..8cbd60ceb 100644
--- a/controller/FileDB.cpp
+++ b/controller/FileDB.cpp
@@ -63,14 +63,10 @@ FileDB::FileDB(EmbeddedNetworkController *const nc,const Identity &myId,const ch
 	}
 }
 
-FileDB::~FileDB()
-{
-}
+FileDB::~FileDB() {}
 
-bool FileDB::waitForReady()
-{
-	return true;
-}
+bool FileDB::waitForReady() { return true; }
+bool FileDB::isReady() { return true; }
 
 void FileDB::save(nlohmann::json *orig,nlohmann::json &record)
 {
diff --git a/controller/FileDB.hpp b/controller/FileDB.hpp
index 1e275a364..1a3c12e98 100644
--- a/controller/FileDB.hpp
+++ b/controller/FileDB.hpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ public:
 	virtual ~FileDB();
 
 	virtual bool waitForReady();
+	virtual bool isReady();
 	virtual void save(nlohmann::json *orig,nlohmann::json &record);
 	virtual void eraseNetwork(const uint64_t networkId);
 	virtual void eraseMember(const uint64_t networkId,const uint64_t memberId);
diff --git a/controller/RethinkDB.cpp b/controller/RethinkDB.cpp
index f6c8a59ca..a46d033f3 100644
--- a/controller/RethinkDB.cpp
+++ b/controller/RethinkDB.cpp
@@ -263,9 +263,13 @@ RethinkDB::RethinkDB(EmbeddedNetworkController *const nc,const Identity &myId,co
 			std::unique_ptr<R::Connection> rdb;
 			while (_run == 1) {
 				try {
-					if (!rdb)
+					if (!rdb) {
+						_connected = 0;
 						rdb = R::connect(this->_host,this->_port,this->_auth);
+					}
+
 					if (rdb) {
+						_connected = 1;
 						R::Array batch;
 						R::Object tmpobj;
 
@@ -434,6 +438,11 @@ bool RethinkDB::waitForReady()
 	return true;
 }
 
+bool RethinkDB::isReady()
+{
+	return ((_ready)&&(_connected));
+}
+
 void RethinkDB::save(nlohmann::json *orig,nlohmann::json &record)
 {
 	if (!record.is_object()) // sanity check
diff --git a/controller/RethinkDB.hpp b/controller/RethinkDB.hpp
index b1049ac3d..60f04c5b8 100644
--- a/controller/RethinkDB.hpp
+++ b/controller/RethinkDB.hpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ public:
 	virtual ~RethinkDB();
 
 	virtual bool waitForReady();
+	virtual bool isReady();
 	virtual void save(nlohmann::json *orig,nlohmann::json &record);
 	virtual void eraseNetwork(const uint64_t networkId);
 	virtual void eraseMember(const uint64_t networkId,const uint64_t memberId);
@@ -72,8 +73,7 @@ protected:
 	std::thread _heartbeatThread;
 
 	mutable std::mutex _readyLock; // locked until ready
-	std::atomic<int> _ready;
-	std::atomic<int> _run;
+	std::atomic<int> _ready,_connected,_run;
 	mutable volatile bool _waitNoticePrinted;
 };