diff --git a/src/plugins/agent_api.go b/src/plugins/agent_api.go
index b01060ab79..ba212bd7cc 100644
--- a/src/plugins/agent_api.go
+++ b/src/plugins/agent_api.go
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ type RootHandler struct {
 	isGrpcRegistered     bool
 	lastCommandSent      time.Time
 	lastMetricReportSent time.Time
+	startTime            time.Time
 }
 
 type NginxHandler struct {
@@ -254,6 +255,7 @@ func (a *AgentAPI) createHttpServer() {
 	a.rootHandler = &RootHandler{
 		config:           a.config,
 		isGrpcRegistered: false,
+		startTime:        time.Now(),
 	}
 
 	a.nginxHandler = &NginxHandler{
@@ -706,6 +708,7 @@ func (rh *RootHandler) healthCheck(w http.ResponseWriter) error {
 		})
 
 		timeNow := time.Now()
+		startTimeDiff := timeNow.Sub(rh.startTime)
 
 		if !rh.lastCommandSent.IsZero() {
 			lastCommandSentDiff := timeNow.Sub(rh.lastCommandSent)
@@ -716,6 +719,9 @@ func (rh *RootHandler) healthCheck(w http.ResponseWriter) error {
 			} else {
 				commandServiceStatus = okStatus
 			}
+		} else if startTimeDiff > (2 * rh.config.Dataplane.Status.PollInterval) {
+			commandServiceStatus = errorStatus
+			overallStatus = errorStatus
 		}
 
 		checks = append(checks, HealthStatusCheck{
@@ -733,6 +739,9 @@ func (rh *RootHandler) healthCheck(w http.ResponseWriter) error {
 				} else {
 					metricsServiceStatus = okStatus
 				}
+			} else if startTimeDiff > (2 * rh.config.AgentMetrics.ReportInterval) {
+				metricsServiceStatus = errorStatus
+				overallStatus = errorStatus
 			}
 
 			checks = append(checks, HealthStatusCheck{
diff --git a/src/plugins/agent_api_test.go b/src/plugins/agent_api_test.go
index 758dfa9a0e..39a05368f0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/agent_api_test.go
+++ b/src/plugins/agent_api_test.go
@@ -617,7 +617,59 @@ func TestRootHandler_healthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			name: "Test 4: Metrics service connection failed",
+			name: "Test 4: Command service connection pending",
+			rootHandler: &RootHandler{
+				config:               agentConfig,
+				isGrpcRegistered:     true,
+				lastMetricReportSent: time.Now(),
+				startTime:            time.Now(),
+			},
+			expected: &HealthResponse{
+				Status: pendingStatus,
+				Checks: []HealthStatusCheck{
+					{
+						Name:   registration,
+						Status: okStatus,
+					},
+					{
+						Name:   commandConnection,
+						Status: pendingStatus,
+					},
+					{
+						Name:   metricsConnection,
+						Status: okStatus,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Test 5: Command service never connected",
+			rootHandler: &RootHandler{
+				config:               agentConfig,
+				isGrpcRegistered:     true,
+				lastMetricReportSent: time.Now(),
+				startTime:            time.Now().AddDate(0, 0, -1),
+			},
+			expected: &HealthResponse{
+				Status: errorStatus,
+				Checks: []HealthStatusCheck{
+					{
+						Name:   registration,
+						Status: okStatus,
+					},
+					{
+						Name:   commandConnection,
+						Status: errorStatus,
+					},
+					{
+						Name:   metricsConnection,
+						Status: okStatus,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "Test 6: Metrics service connection failed",
 			rootHandler: &RootHandler{
 				config:               agentConfig,
 				isGrpcRegistered:     true,
@@ -643,11 +695,12 @@ func TestRootHandler_healthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 		},
 		{
-			name: "Test 5: Metrics service connection pending",
+			name: "Test 7: Metrics service connection pending",
 			rootHandler: &RootHandler{
 				config:           agentConfig,
 				isGrpcRegistered: true,
 				lastCommandSent:  time.Now(),
+				startTime:        time.Now(),
 			},
 			expected: &HealthResponse{
 				Status: pendingStatus,
@@ -667,6 +720,32 @@ func TestRootHandler_healthCheck(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "Test 8: Metrics service never connected",
+			rootHandler: &RootHandler{
+				config:           agentConfig,
+				isGrpcRegistered: true,
+				lastCommandSent:  time.Now(),
+				startTime:        time.Now().AddDate(0, 0, -1),
+			},
+			expected: &HealthResponse{
+				Status: errorStatus,
+				Checks: []HealthStatusCheck{
+					{
+						Name:   registration,
+						Status: okStatus,
+					},
+					{
+						Name:   commandConnection,
+						Status: okStatus,
+					},
+					{
+						Name:   metricsConnection,
+						Status: errorStatus,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
diff --git a/test/performance/vendor/github.com/nginx/agent/v2/src/plugins/agent_api.go b/test/performance/vendor/github.com/nginx/agent/v2/src/plugins/agent_api.go
index b01060ab79..ba212bd7cc 100644
--- a/test/performance/vendor/github.com/nginx/agent/v2/src/plugins/agent_api.go
+++ b/test/performance/vendor/github.com/nginx/agent/v2/src/plugins/agent_api.go
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ type RootHandler struct {
 	isGrpcRegistered     bool
 	lastCommandSent      time.Time
 	lastMetricReportSent time.Time
+	startTime            time.Time
 }
 
 type NginxHandler struct {
@@ -254,6 +255,7 @@ func (a *AgentAPI) createHttpServer() {
 	a.rootHandler = &RootHandler{
 		config:           a.config,
 		isGrpcRegistered: false,
+		startTime:        time.Now(),
 	}
 
 	a.nginxHandler = &NginxHandler{
@@ -706,6 +708,7 @@ func (rh *RootHandler) healthCheck(w http.ResponseWriter) error {
 		})
 
 		timeNow := time.Now()
+		startTimeDiff := timeNow.Sub(rh.startTime)
 
 		if !rh.lastCommandSent.IsZero() {
 			lastCommandSentDiff := timeNow.Sub(rh.lastCommandSent)
@@ -716,6 +719,9 @@ func (rh *RootHandler) healthCheck(w http.ResponseWriter) error {
 			} else {
 				commandServiceStatus = okStatus
 			}
+		} else if startTimeDiff > (2 * rh.config.Dataplane.Status.PollInterval) {
+			commandServiceStatus = errorStatus
+			overallStatus = errorStatus
 		}
 
 		checks = append(checks, HealthStatusCheck{
@@ -733,6 +739,9 @@ func (rh *RootHandler) healthCheck(w http.ResponseWriter) error {
 				} else {
 					metricsServiceStatus = okStatus
 				}
+			} else if startTimeDiff > (2 * rh.config.AgentMetrics.ReportInterval) {
+				metricsServiceStatus = errorStatus
+				overallStatus = errorStatus
 			}
 
 			checks = append(checks, HealthStatusCheck{