diff --git a/smartsim/database/orchestrator.py b/smartsim/database/orchestrator.py
index 176fb3681..3748ec28b 100644
--- a/smartsim/database/orchestrator.py
+++ b/smartsim/database/orchestrator.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ def is_active(self):
         # if a cluster
         else:
             try:
-                check_cluster_status(trials=1)
+                check_cluster_status(self._hosts, self.ports, trials=1)
                 return True
             # we expect this to fail if the cluster is not active
             except SSInternalError:
diff --git a/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_cobalt.py b/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_cobalt.py
index 55c5c2876..ad99e7c45 100644
--- a/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_cobalt.py
+++ b/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_cobalt.py
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ def test_launch_cobalt_cluster_orc(fileutils, wlmutils):
         exp.stop(orc)
         assert False
 
+    if len(orc.get_address()) < 3:
+        exp.stop(orc)
+        assert False
+
     exp.stop(orc)
     status = exp.get_status(orc)
     assert all([stat == status.STATUS_CANCELLED for stat in status])
diff --git a/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_pbs.py b/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_pbs.py
index 5ce0fef61..94d53e5f5 100644
--- a/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_pbs.py
+++ b/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_pbs.py
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ def test_launch_pbs_cluster_orc(fileutils, wlmutils):
         exp.stop(orc)
         assert False
 
+    if len(orc.get_address()) < 3:
+        exp.stop(orc)
+        assert False
+
     exp.stop(orc)
     status = exp.get_status(orc)
     assert all([stat == status.STATUS_CANCELLED for stat in status])
diff --git a/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_slurm.py b/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_slurm.py
index 34f90a537..bc3e86769 100644
--- a/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_slurm.py
+++ b/tests/on_wlm/test_launch_orc_slurm.py
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ def test_launch_slurm_cluster_orc(fileutils, wlmutils):
         exp.stop(orc)
         assert False
 
+    if len(orc.get_address()) < 3:
+        exp.stop(orc)
+        assert False
+
     exp.stop(orc)
     statuses = exp.get_status(orc)
     assert all([stat == status.STATUS_CANCELLED for stat in statuses])