diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d743b9a..fb1256c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-=================
 ansible-pacemaker
 =================
 
diff --git a/modules/pacemaker_resource.py b/modules/pacemaker_resource.py
index dd0b8ff..dbf911e 100644
--- a/modules/pacemaker_resource.py
+++ b/modules/pacemaker_resource.py
@@ -74,6 +74,15 @@
 
 '''
 
+_PCS_CLUSTER_DOWN="Error: cluster is not currently running on this node"
+
+def get_cluster_status(module):
+    cmd = "pcs cluster status"
+    rc, out, err = module.run_command(cmd)
+    if out in _PCS_CLUSTER_DOWN:
+        return 'offline'
+    else:
+        return 'online'
 
 def check_resource_state(module, resource, state):
     # get resources
@@ -120,6 +129,12 @@ def main():
     check_mode = module.params['check_mode']
     wait_for_resource = module.params['wait_for_resource']
 
+    # First, check if the cluster is running
+    # Exit if the cluster is down
+    cluster_state = get_cluster_status(module)
+    if cluster_state == 'offline':
+        module.fail_json(msg="The cluster is either offline or not started on the node")
+
     if check_mode:
         if check_resource_state(module, resource, state):
             module.exit_json(changed=False,