diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/inference/assignment/AllocationStatus.java b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/inference/assignment/AllocationStatus.java
index 7ae558c16cd1e..9216fc89a810d 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/inference/assignment/AllocationStatus.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/core/ml/inference/assignment/AllocationStatus.java
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ public AllocationStatus(StreamInput in) throws IOException {
     }
 
     public State calculateState() {
-        if (allocationCount == 0) {
+        if (allocationCount == 0 && targetAllocationCount > 0) {
             return State.STARTING;
         }
         if (allocationCount < targetAllocationCount) {