diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/ray/cluster/cluster.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/ray/cluster/cluster.py
index 438d352f..4152d70d 100644
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/ray/cluster/cluster.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/ray/cluster/cluster.py
@@ -351,21 +351,21 @@ def status(
         # check the ray cluster status
         cluster = _ray_cluster_status(self.config.name, self.config.namespace)
         if cluster:
-            if cluster.status == RayClusterStatus.SUSPENDED:
-                ready = False
-                status = CodeFlareClusterStatus.SUSPENDED
-            if cluster.status == RayClusterStatus.UNKNOWN:
-                ready = False
-                status = CodeFlareClusterStatus.STARTING
             if cluster.status == RayClusterStatus.READY:
                 ready = True
                 status = CodeFlareClusterStatus.READY
+            elif cluster.status == RayClusterStatus.SUSPENDED:
+                ready = False
+                status = CodeFlareClusterStatus.SUSPENDED
             elif cluster.status in [
                 RayClusterStatus.UNHEALTHY,
                 RayClusterStatus.FAILED,
             ]:
                 ready = False
                 status = CodeFlareClusterStatus.FAILED
+            elif cluster.status == RayClusterStatus.UNKNOWN:
+                ready = False
+                status = CodeFlareClusterStatus.STARTING
 
             if print_to_console:
                 # overriding the number of gpus with requested
diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/ray/cluster/test_status.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/ray/cluster/test_status.py
index f12bd916..ce35f4d0 100644
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/ray/cluster/test_status.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/ray/cluster/test_status.py
@@ -91,6 +91,11 @@ def test_cluster_status(mocker):
     assert status == CodeFlareClusterStatus.READY
     assert ready is True
 
+    fake_ray.status = RayClusterStatus.SUSPENDED
+    status, ready = cf.status()
+    assert status == CodeFlareClusterStatus.SUSPENDED
+    assert ready is False
+
 
 def rc_status_fields(group, version, namespace, plural, *args):
     assert group == "ray.io"