diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index cfc5246ae..27a104efb 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ docs/.vitepress/dist
 .env.local
 .env.*.local
 backend/.env
+ai/.env
 
 # Log files
 npm-debug.log*
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/controller/AiController.java b/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/controller/AiController.java
index 2a47347c9..8cd13a2ff 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/controller/AiController.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/controller/AiController.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package io.diveni.backend.controller;
 
+import io.diveni.backend.dto.AiServiceResponse;
 import io.diveni.backend.dto.GptConfidentialData;
 import io.diveni.backend.service.ai.AiService;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
@@ -64,9 +65,9 @@ public ResponseEntity<String> markDescription(@RequestBody GptConfidentialData d
   }
 
   @GetMapping("check-api-key")
-  public ResponseEntity<String> checkApiKey() {
+  public ResponseEntity<AiServiceResponse> ensureServiceAndApiKey() {
     LOGGER.debug("--> checkApiKey()");
-    ResponseEntity<String> response = aiService.checkApiKey();
+    ResponseEntity<AiServiceResponse> response = aiService.ensureServiceAndApiKey();
     LOGGER.debug("<-- checkApiKey()");
     return response;
   }
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/dto/AiServiceResponse.java b/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/dto/AiServiceResponse.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e7f8c6d2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/dto/AiServiceResponse.java
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package io.diveni.backend.dto;
+
+import lombok.Builder;
+import lombok.EqualsAndHashCode;
+import lombok.Getter;
+
+@Getter
+@EqualsAndHashCode
+@Builder
+public class AiServiceResponse {
+
+  private final Boolean apiKeyValid;
+
+  private final Boolean serviceAvailable;
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/service/ai/AiService.java b/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/service/ai/AiService.java
index 1097a3db7..2a355cca8 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/service/ai/AiService.java
+++ b/backend/src/main/java/io/diveni/backend/service/ai/AiService.java
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 package io.diveni.backend.service.ai;
 
 import com.google.gson.Gson;
+import io.diveni.backend.dto.AiServiceResponse;
 import io.diveni.backend.dto.GptConfidentialData;
 import jakarta.annotation.PostConstruct;
+import org.json.JSONObject;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 import org.springframework.http.*;
 import org.springframework.stereotype.Service;
+import org.springframework.web.client.RestClientException;
 import org.springframework.web.client.RestTemplate;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Value;
 
@@ -25,7 +28,8 @@ public void logConfig() {
     LOGGER.info("Url to Server is: " + aiUrl);
   }
 
-  public ResponseEntity<String> executeRequest(String url, HttpMethod method, Object body) {
+  public ResponseEntity<String> executeRequest(String url, HttpMethod method, Object body)
+      throws RestClientException {
     LOGGER.debug("--> executeRequest()");
     // Create a RestTemplate object
     RestTemplate restTemplate = new RestTemplate();
@@ -114,11 +118,22 @@ public ResponseEntity<String> markDescription(GptConfidentialData data) {
     return response;
   }
 
-  public ResponseEntity<String> checkApiKey() {
-    LOGGER.debug("--> checkApiKey()");
-    ResponseEntity<String> response =
-        executeRequest(aiUrl + "/check-api-key", HttpMethod.GET, null);
-    LOGGER.debug("<-- checkApiKey()");
-    return response;
+  public ResponseEntity<AiServiceResponse> ensureServiceAndApiKey() {
+    LOGGER.debug("--> ensureServiceAndApiKey()");
+    AiServiceResponse result;
+    try {
+      ResponseEntity<String> response =
+          executeRequest(aiUrl + "/check-api-key", HttpMethod.GET, null);
+      result =
+          AiServiceResponse.builder()
+              .apiKeyValid(new JSONObject(response.getBody()).getBoolean("has_api_key"))
+              .serviceAvailable(response.getStatusCode().is2xxSuccessful())
+              .build();
+    } catch (RestClientException rce) {
+      LOGGER.debug("AI Service is offline/unavailable: {}", rce.getMessage());
+      result = AiServiceResponse.builder().apiKeyValid(false).serviceAvailable(false).build();
+    }
+    LOGGER.debug("<-- ensureServiceAndApiKey()");
+    return new ResponseEntity<>(result, HttpStatus.OK);
   }
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/services/api.service.ts b/frontend/src/services/api.service.ts
index c4390577e..7f0739569 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/api.service.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/services/api.service.ts
@@ -310,9 +310,20 @@ class ApiService {
     return response.data.description;
   }
 
-  public async checkApiKey() {
-    const response = await axios.get(`${constants.backendURL}/ai/check-api-key`);
-    return response.data.has_api_key;
+  public async ensureServiceAndApiKey() {
+    try {
+      const response = await axios.get(`${constants.backendURL}/ai/check-api-key`);
+      const { apiKeyValid, serviceAvailable } = response.data;
+      if (!serviceAvailable) {
+        console.log("AI Service is not available!");
+        return false;
+      }
+
+      return apiKeyValid;
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.log("Error checking Service or API key:", error);
+      return false;
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/SessionPage.vue b/frontend/src/views/SessionPage.vue
index e038c6384..226ab9479 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/SessionPage.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/SessionPage.vue
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ export default defineComponent({
   },
   async created() {
     this.store.clearStoreWithoutUserStories();
-    this.hasApiKey = await apiService.checkApiKey();
+    this.hasApiKey = await apiService.ensureServiceAndApiKey();
     if (!this.sessionID || !this.adminID) {
       //check for cookie
       await this.checkAdminCookie();