diff --git a/asterix-events/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/event/service/AsterixEventServiceUtil.java b/asterix-events/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/event/service/AsterixEventServiceUtil.java
index f6765e9..3a7dbd4 100644
--- a/asterix-events/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/event/service/AsterixEventServiceUtil.java
+++ b/asterix-events/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/event/service/AsterixEventServiceUtil.java
@@ -507,12 +507,14 @@
         boolean conflictFound = false;
         AsterixInstance conflictingInstance = null;
         for (AsterixInstance existing : existingInstances) {
-            conflictFound = !existing.getState().equals(State.INACTIVE)
-                    && existing.getCluster().getMasterNode().getClusterIp().equals(masterIp);
+            if (existing.getState().equals(State.INACTIVE)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            conflictFound = existing.getCluster().getMasterNode().getClusterIp().equals(masterIp);
             if (conflictFound) {
                 conflictingInstance = existing;
                 break;
-            }
+            } 
             for (Node n : existing.getCluster().getNode()) {
                 if (usedIps.contains(n.getClusterIp())) {
                     conflictFound = true;