diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/AgentManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/AgentManagerImpl.java
index c85e1015ad9..39580c745fe 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/AgentManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/AgentManagerImpl.java
@@ -1160,6 +1160,10 @@ public class AgentManagerImpl implements AgentManager, HandlerFactory {
     @Override
     public Answer easySend(final Long hostId, final Command cmd, int timeout) {
         try {
+            Host h = _hostDao.findById(hostId);
+            if( !h.getStatus().equals(Status.Up) ) {
+                return null;
+            }     
             final Answer answer = send(hostId, cmd, timeout);
             if (answer == null) {
                 s_logger.warn("send returns null answer");
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/allocator/impl/FirstFitAllocator.java b/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/allocator/impl/FirstFitAllocator.java
index b192344bc65..23c83572d67 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/allocator/impl/FirstFitAllocator.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/allocator/impl/FirstFitAllocator.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import com.cloud.dc.HostPodVO;
 import com.cloud.host.DetailVO;
 import com.cloud.host.Host;
 import com.cloud.host.HostVO;
+import com.cloud.host.Status;
 import com.cloud.host.Host.Type;
 import com.cloud.host.dao.DetailsDao;
 import com.cloud.host.dao.HostDao;
@@ -97,7 +98,10 @@ public class FirstFitAllocator implements HostAllocator {
         List<StoragePoolHostVO> poolhosts = _storagePoolHostDao.listByPoolId(sp.getId());
         List<HostVO> hosts = new ArrayList<HostVO>();
         for( StoragePoolHostVO poolhost : poolhosts ){
-            hosts.add(_hostDao.findById(poolhost.getHostId()));
+            HostVO h = _hostDao.findById(poolhost.getHostId());
+            if( h != null && h.getType().equals(Type.Routing) && h.getStatus().equals(Status.Up)) {
+                 hosts.add(h);
+            }
         }
         
         long podId = pod.getId();