diff --git a/src/cluster.c b/src/cluster.c
index 1d55ccba..1f19db3e 100644
--- a/src/cluster.c
+++ b/src/cluster.c
@@ -5065,7 +5065,10 @@ void readwriteCommand(client *c) {
  * CLUSTER_REDIR_DOWN_UNBOUND if the request addresses a slot which is
  * not bound to any node. In this case the cluster global state should be
  * already "down" but it is fragile to rely on the update of the global state,
- * so we also handle it here. */
+ * so we also handle it here.
+ *
+ * CLUSTER_REDIR_DOWN_STATE if the cluster is down but the user attempts to
+ * execute a command that addresses one or more keys. */
 clusterNode *getNodeByQuery(client *c, struct redisCommand *cmd, robj **argv, int argc, int *hashslot, int *error_code) {
     clusterNode *n = NULL;
     robj *firstkey = NULL;
@@ -5172,9 +5175,15 @@ clusterNode *getNodeByQuery(client *c, struct redisCommand *cmd, robj **argv, in
     }
 
     /* No key at all in command? then we can serve the request
-     * without redirections or errors. */
+     * without redirections or errors in all the cases. */
     if (n == NULL) return myself;
 
+    /* Cluster is globally down but we got keys? We can't serve the request. */
+    if (server.cluster->state != CLUSTER_OK) {
+        if (error_code) *error_code = CLUSTER_REDIR_DOWN_STATE;
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     /* Return the hashslot by reference. */
     if (hashslot) *hashslot = slot;
 
diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index bd56ceeb..3e0ed8df 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -2391,23 +2391,17 @@ int processCommand(client *c) {
           c->cmd->proc != execCommand))
     {
         int hashslot;
-
-        if (server.cluster->state != CLUSTER_OK) {
-            flagTransaction(c);
-            clusterRedirectClient(c,NULL,0,CLUSTER_REDIR_DOWN_STATE);
-            return C_OK;
-        } else {
-            int error_code;
-            clusterNode *n = getNodeByQuery(c,c->cmd,c->argv,c->argc,&hashslot,&error_code);
-            if (n == NULL || n != server.cluster->myself) {
-                if (c->cmd->proc == execCommand) {
-                    discardTransaction(c);
-                } else {
-                    flagTransaction(c);
-                }
-                clusterRedirectClient(c,n,hashslot,error_code);
-                return C_OK;
+        int error_code;
+        clusterNode *n = getNodeByQuery(c,c->cmd,c->argv,c->argc,
+                                        &hashslot,&error_code);
+        if (n == NULL || n != server.cluster->myself) {
+            if (c->cmd->proc == execCommand) {
+                discardTransaction(c);
+            } else {
+                flagTransaction(c);
             }
+            clusterRedirectClient(c,n,hashslot,error_code);
+            return C_OK;
         }
     }