diff --git a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/app/hooks_bootstrap.go b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/app/hooks_bootstrap.go
index ab8436843d..bdca1d91fd 100644
--- a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/app/hooks_bootstrap.go
+++ b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/app/hooks_bootstrap.go
@@ -290,6 +290,11 @@ func (a *App) onBootstrapWorkerNode(ctx context.Context, s state.State, encodedT
 		}
 		return nil
 	}); err != nil {
+		log.Error(err, "Not all worker node services entered an active state. Stopping worker node services.")
+		if stopErr := snaputil.StopWorkerServices(ctx, snap); stopErr != nil {
+			log.Error(stopErr, "Could not stop all worker node services")
+			return fmt.Errorf("Not all worker node services entered an active state: %w, Encountered error while stopping the node worker services: %w", err, stopErr)
+		}
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed after retry: %w", err)
 	}
 
@@ -527,6 +532,11 @@ func (a *App) onBootstrapControlPlane(ctx context.Context, s state.State, bootst
 		}
 		return nil
 	}); err != nil {
+		log.Error(err, "Not all control plane services entered an active state. Stopping control plane services.")
+		if stopErr := snaputil.StopControlPlaneServices(ctx, snap); stopErr != nil {
+			log.Error(stopErr, "Could not stop all control plane services")
+			return fmt.Errorf("Not all control plane services entered an active state: %w, Encountered error while stopping the control plane services: %w", err, stopErr)
+		}
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed after retry: %w", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/app/hooks_join.go b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/app/hooks_join.go
index 546907fa1d..e9e0b40836 100644
--- a/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/app/hooks_join.go
+++ b/src/k8s/pkg/k8sd/app/hooks_join.go
@@ -244,6 +244,11 @@ func (a *App) onPostJoin(ctx context.Context, s state.State, initConfig map[stri
 		}
 		return nil
 	}); err != nil {
+		log.Error(err, "Not all control plane services entered an active state. Stopping control plane services.")
+		if stopErr := snaputil.StopControlPlaneServices(ctx, snap); stopErr != nil {
+			log.Error(stopErr, "Could not stop all control plane services")
+			return fmt.Errorf("Not all control plane services entered an active state: %w, Encountered error while stopping the control plane services: %w", err, stopErr)
+		}
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed after retry: %w", err)
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/k8s/pkg/snap/service.go b/src/k8s/pkg/snap/service.go
index 2bf0b9c5d3..c432679f60 100644
--- a/src/k8s/pkg/snap/service.go
+++ b/src/k8s/pkg/snap/service.go
@@ -13,3 +13,11 @@ func serviceName(serviceName string) string {
 	}
 	return fmt.Sprintf("k8s.%s", serviceName)
 }
+
+// systemdServiceName infers the name of the systemd service from the service name.
+func systemdServiceName(serviceName string) string {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(serviceName, "snap.k8s.") {
+		return serviceName
+	}
+	return fmt.Sprintf("snap.k8s.%s", serviceName)
+}
diff --git a/src/k8s/pkg/snap/snap.go b/src/k8s/pkg/snap/snap.go
index a42c8ddbbd..9629aef495 100644
--- a/src/k8s/pkg/snap/snap.go
+++ b/src/k8s/pkg/snap/snap.go
@@ -95,26 +95,12 @@ func (s *snap) GetServiceState(ctx context.Context, name string) (string, error)
 	log.FromContext(ctx).V(2).WithCallDepth(1).Info("Getting service state", "service", name)
 
 	var b bytes.Buffer
-	err := s.runCommand(ctx, []string{"snapctl", "services", serviceName(name)}, func(c *exec.Cmd) { c.Stdout = &b })
+	err := s.runCommand(ctx, []string{"systemctl", "is-active", systemdServiceName(name)}, func(c *exec.Cmd) { c.Stdout = &b })
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
-	output := b.String()
-	// We're expecting output like this:
-	// Service      Startup  Current   Notes
-	// k8s.kubelet  enabled  inactive  -
-	lines := strings.Split(output, "\n")
-	if len(lines) < 2 {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unexpected output when checking service %s state", name)
-	}
-
-	fields := strings.Fields(lines[1])
-	if len(fields) < 3 || (!strings.EqualFold(stateActive, fields[2]) && !strings.EqualFold(stateInactive, fields[2])) {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("Unexpected output when checking service %s state", name)
-	}
-
-	return fields[2], nil
+	return strings.TrimSpace(b.String()), nil
 }
 
 // Refresh refreshes the snap to a different track, revision or custom snap.