diff --git a/lxd/cluster/notify.go b/lxd/cluster/notify.go
index 06d419f5ff0b..8f337292694b 100644
--- a/lxd/cluster/notify.go
+++ b/lxd/cluster/notify.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package cluster
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/canonical/lxd/lxd/db"
 	"github.com/canonical/lxd/lxd/state"
 	"github.com/canonical/lxd/shared"
+	"github.com/canonical/lxd/shared/api"
 	"github.com/canonical/lxd/shared/logger"
 )
 
@@ -109,7 +111,9 @@ func NewNotifier(state *state.State, networkCert *shared.CertInfo, serverCert *s
 		// TODO: aggregate all errors?
 		for i, err := range errs {
 			if err != nil {
-				if shared.IsConnectionError(err) && policy == NotifyAlive {
+				isDown := shared.IsConnectionError(err) || api.StatusErrorCheck(err, http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+
+				if isDown && policy == NotifyAlive {
 					logger.Warnf("Could not notify node %s", peers[i])
 					continue
 				}