diff --git a/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/translator/AbstractAqlTranslator.java b/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/translator/AbstractAqlTranslator.java
index 94c074f..1d6b1c3 100644
--- a/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/translator/AbstractAqlTranslator.java
+++ b/asterix-algebra/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/translator/AbstractAqlTranslator.java
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Map.Entry;
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.base.Statement;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.aql.expression.DatasetDecl;
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.entities.AsterixBuiltinTypeMap;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.metadata.entities.Dataverse;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.types.BuiltinType;
+import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.util.AsterixAppContextInfo;
 import edu.uci.ics.asterix.om.util.AsterixClusterProperties;
 import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.algebricks.common.utils.Pair;
 
@@ -39,10 +42,38 @@
  */
 public abstract class AbstractAqlTranslator {
 
+    protected static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(AbstractAqlTranslator.class.getName());
+
     protected static final Map<String, BuiltinType> builtinTypeMap = AsterixBuiltinTypeMap.getBuiltinTypes();
 
     public void validateOperation(Dataverse defaultDataverse, Statement stmt) throws AsterixException {
 
+        if (!AsterixClusterProperties.INSTANCE.getState().equals(AsterixClusterProperties.State.ACTIVE)) {
+            int maxWaitCycles = AsterixAppContextInfo.getInstance().getExternalProperties().getMaxWaitClusterActive();
+            int waitCycleCount = 0;
+            try {
+                while (!AsterixClusterProperties.INSTANCE.getState().equals(AsterixClusterProperties.State.ACTIVE)
+                        && waitCycleCount < maxWaitCycles) {
+                    Thread.sleep(1000);
+                    waitCycleCount++;
+                }
+            } catch (InterruptedException e) {
+                if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.WARNING)) {
+                    LOGGER.warning("Thread interrupted while waiting for cluster to be "
+                            + AsterixClusterProperties.State.ACTIVE);
+                }
+            }
+            if (!AsterixClusterProperties.INSTANCE.getState().equals(AsterixClusterProperties.State.ACTIVE)) {
+                throw new AsterixException(" Asterix Cluster is in " + AsterixClusterProperties.State.UNUSABLE
+                        + " state." + "\n One or more Node Controllers have left or haven't joined yet.\n");
+            } else {
+                if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
+                    LOGGER.info("Cluster is now " + AsterixClusterProperties.State.ACTIVE);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+
         if (AsterixClusterProperties.INSTANCE.getState().equals(AsterixClusterProperties.State.UNUSABLE)) {
             throw new AsterixException(" Asterix Cluster is in " + AsterixClusterProperties.State.UNUSABLE + " state."
                     + "\n One or more Node Controllers have left.\n");
diff --git a/asterix-app/src/main/resources/asterix-build-configuration.xml b/asterix-app/src/main/resources/asterix-build-configuration.xml
index 7a91205..d798cd5 100644
--- a/asterix-app/src/main/resources/asterix-build-configuration.xml
+++ b/asterix-app/src/main/resources/asterix-build-configuration.xml
@@ -25,6 +25,15 @@
 		<ncId>nc2</ncId>
 		<txnLogDirPath>target/txnLogDir/nc2</txnLogDirPath>
 	</transactionLogDir>
+
+        <property>
+                <name>max.wait.active.cluster</name>
+                <value>60</value>
+                <description>Maximum wait (in seconds) for a cluster to be ACTIVE (all nodes are available)
+                        before a submitted query/statement  can be executed. (Default = 60 seconds)
+                </description>
+        </property>
+
 	<property>
 		<name>log.level</name>
 		<value>WARNING</value>
diff --git a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java
index e975f60..674263f 100644
--- a/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java
+++ b/asterix-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/asterix/common/config/AsterixExternalProperties.java
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
     private static final String EXTERNAL_APISERVER_KEY = "api.port";
     private static int EXTERNAL_APISERVER_DEFAULT = 19002;
 
+    private static final String EXTERNAL_MAX_WAIT_FOR_ACTIVE_CLUSTER = "max.wait.active.cluster";
+    private static int EXTERNAL_MAX_WAIT_FOR_ACTIVE_CLUSTER_DEFAULT = 60;
+
     public AsterixExternalProperties(AsterixPropertiesAccessor accessor) {
         super(accessor);
     }
@@ -45,4 +48,9 @@
         return accessor.getProperty(EXTERNAL_LOGLEVEL_KEY, EXTERNAL_LOGLEVEL_DEFAULT,
                 PropertyInterpreters.getLevelPropertyInterpreter());
     }
+
+    public int getMaxWaitClusterActive() {
+        return accessor.getProperty(EXTERNAL_MAX_WAIT_FOR_ACTIVE_CLUSTER, EXTERNAL_MAX_WAIT_FOR_ACTIVE_CLUSTER_DEFAULT,
+                PropertyInterpreters.getIntegerPropertyInterpreter());
+    }
 }
diff --git a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
index cbee8f8..6f96191 100644
--- a/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
+++ b/asterix-installer/src/main/resources/conf/asterix-configuration.xml
@@ -27,6 +27,14 @@
 		</description>
 	</property>
 
+        <property>
+                <name>max.wait.active.cluster</name>
+                <value>60</value>
+                <description>Maximum wait (in seconds) for a cluster to be ACTIVE (all nodes are available)
+                        before a submitted query/statement can be executed. (Default = 60 seconds)
+                </description>
+        </property>
+
 	<property>
 		<name>storage.buffercache.pagesize</name>
 		<value>131072</value>