diff --git a/cmd/vela-worker/operate.go b/cmd/vela-worker/operate.go
index b0e50b09..5f1170bf 100644
--- a/cmd/vela-worker/operate.go
+++ b/cmd/vela-worker/operate.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-vela/server/queue"
 	"github.com/go-vela/types/constants"
 	"github.com/go-vela/types/library"
-
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 
 	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
@@ -47,12 +46,10 @@ func (w *Worker) operate(ctx context.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	logrus.Trace("getting queue creds")
-
 	// fetching queue credentials using registration token
 	creds, _, err := w.VelaClient.Queue.GetInfo()
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Trace("error getting creds")
-
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -66,23 +63,8 @@ func (w *Worker) operate(ctx context.Context) error {
 	w.Queue, err = queue.New(w.Config.Queue)
 	if err != nil {
 		logrus.Error("queue setup failed")
-
-		registryWorker.SetStatus(constants.WorkerStatusError)
-		_, resp, logErr := w.VelaClient.Worker.Update(registryWorker.GetHostname(), registryWorker)
-
-		if resp == nil {
-			// log the error instead of returning so the operation doesn't block worker deployment
-			logrus.Error("worker status update response is nil")
-		}
-
-		if logErr != nil {
-			if resp != nil {
-				// log the error instead of returning so the operation doesn't block worker deployment
-				logrus.Errorf("status code: %v, unable to update worker %s status with the server: %v", resp.StatusCode, registryWorker.GetHostname(), logErr)
-			}
-		}
-
-		return err
+		// set to error as queue setup fails
+		w.updateWorkerStatus(registryWorker, constants.WorkerStatusError)
 	}
 
 	// spawn goroutine for phoning home
@@ -130,6 +112,15 @@ func (w *Worker) operate(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 						continue
 					}
+					w.QueueCheckedIn, err = w.queueCheckIn(gctx, registryWorker)
+					if err != nil {
+						// queue check in failed, retry
+						logrus.Errorf("unable to ping queue %v", err)
+						logrus.Info("retrying check-in...")
+
+						time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
+						continue
+					}
 
 					// successful check in breaks the loop
 					break
@@ -171,6 +162,12 @@ func (w *Worker) operate(ctx context.Context) error {
 					logrus.Info("worker not checked in, skipping queue read")
 					continue
 				}
+				// do not pull from queue unless queue setup is done and connected
+				if !w.QueueCheckedIn {
+					time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
+					logrus.Info("queue ping failed, skipping queue read")
+					continue
+				}
 				select {
 				case <-gctx.Done():
 					logrus.WithFields(logrus.Fields{
diff --git a/cmd/vela-worker/register.go b/cmd/vela-worker/register.go
index 76ffab99..ae07a369 100644
--- a/cmd/vela-worker/register.go
+++ b/cmd/vela-worker/register.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ func (w *Worker) checkIn(config *library.Worker) (bool, string, error) {
 	_, resp, err := w.VelaClient.Worker.Get(config.GetHostname())
 	if err != nil {
 		respErr := fmt.Errorf("unable to retrieve worker %s from the server: %w", config.GetHostname(), err)
+		// if server is down, the worker status will not be updated
 		if resp == nil {
 			return false, "", respErr
 		}
@@ -35,8 +37,12 @@ func (w *Worker) checkIn(config *library.Worker) (bool, string, error) {
 
 	tkn, _, err := w.VelaClient.Worker.RefreshAuth(config.GetHostname())
 	if err != nil {
+		// set to error when check in fails
+		w.updateWorkerStatus(config, constants.WorkerStatusError)
 		return false, "", fmt.Errorf("unable to refresh auth for worker %s on the server: %w", config.GetHostname(), err)
 	}
+	// update worker status to Idle when checkIn is successful.
+	w.updateWorkerStatus(config, constants.WorkerStatusIdle)
 
 	return true, tkn.GetToken(), nil
 }
@@ -45,6 +51,8 @@ func (w *Worker) checkIn(config *library.Worker) (bool, string, error) {
 func (w *Worker) register(config *library.Worker) (bool, string, error) {
 	logrus.Infof("worker %s not found, registering it with the server", config.GetHostname())
 
+	// status Idle will be set for worker upon first time registration
+	// if worker cannot be registered, no status will be set.
 	config.SetStatus(constants.WorkerStatusIdle)
 
 	tkn, _, err := w.VelaClient.Worker.Add(config)
@@ -58,3 +66,45 @@ func (w *Worker) register(config *library.Worker) (bool, string, error) {
 	// successfully added the worker so return nil
 	return true, tkn.GetToken(), nil
 }
+
+// queueCheckIn is a helper function to phone home to the redis.
+func (w *Worker) queueCheckIn(ctx context.Context, registryWorker *library.Worker) (bool, error) {
+	pErr := w.Queue.Ping(ctx)
+	if pErr != nil {
+		logrus.Errorf("worker %s unable to contact the queue: %v", registryWorker.GetHostname(), pErr)
+		// set status to error as queue is not available
+		w.updateWorkerStatus(registryWorker, constants.WorkerStatusError)
+
+		return false, pErr
+	}
+
+	// update worker status to Idle when setup and ping are good.
+	w.updateWorkerStatus(registryWorker, constants.WorkerStatusIdle)
+
+	return true, nil
+}
+
+// updateWorkerStatus is a helper function to update worker status
+// logs the error if it can't update status
+func (w *Worker) updateWorkerStatus(config *library.Worker, status string) {
+	config.SetStatus(status)
+	_, resp, logErr := w.VelaClient.Worker.Update(config.GetHostname(), config)
+
+	if resp == nil {
+		// log the error instead of returning so the operation doesn't block worker deployment
+		logrus.Error("worker status update response is nil")
+	}
+
+	if logErr != nil {
+		if resp != nil {
+			// log the error instead of returning so the operation doesn't block worker deployment
+			logrus.Errorf("status code: %v, unable to update worker %s status with the server: %v",
+				resp.StatusCode, config.GetHostname(), logErr)
+		}
+		if resp == nil {
+			// log the error instead of returning so the operation doesn't block worker deployment
+			logrus.Errorf("worker status update response is nil, unable to update worker %s status with the server: %v",
+				config.GetHostname(), logErr)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/vela-worker/worker.go b/cmd/vela-worker/worker.go
index 19c6c41b..af03ff77 100644
--- a/cmd/vela-worker/worker.go
+++ b/cmd/vela-worker/worker.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ type (
 		VelaClient           *vela.Client
 		RegisterToken        chan string
 		CheckedIn            bool
+		QueueCheckedIn       bool
 		RunningBuildIDs      []string
 		RunningBuildIDsMutex sync.Mutex
 	}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 33ac9610..bf46316d 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ require (
 	github.com/docker/go-units v0.5.0
 	github.com/gin-gonic/gin v1.9.1
 	github.com/go-vela/sdk-go v0.21.0
-	github.com/go-vela/server v0.21.1-0.20231017135815-bb35e76f6056
-	github.com/go-vela/types v0.21.1-0.20231012142227-0c0b890487af
+	github.com/go-vela/server v0.21.1-0.20231031195602-6708cea79580
+	github.com/go-vela/types v0.21.1-0.20231024201126-19101a5b1346
 	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt/v5 v5.0.0
 	github.com/google/go-cmp v0.5.9
 	github.com/joho/godotenv v1.5.1
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 6b217251..1b40c434 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -152,10 +152,10 @@ github.com/go-task/slim-sprig v0.0.0-20230315185526-52ccab3ef572 h1:tfuBGBXKqDEe
 github.com/go-task/slim-sprig v0.0.0-20230315185526-52ccab3ef572/go.mod h1:9Pwr4B2jHnOSGXyyzV8ROjYa2ojvAY6HCGYYfMoC3Ls=
 github.com/go-vela/sdk-go v0.21.0 h1:Hedak1Yk9rGn3ZBOvLvxLrMcyvBf3+RB6/wMgHNxyxw=
 github.com/go-vela/sdk-go v0.21.0/go.mod h1:fNMQxSqBCXQH6bK3Ej0aCj/iugEDZNEIWW3Xj/m22AQ=
-github.com/go-vela/server v0.21.1-0.20231017135815-bb35e76f6056 h1:TqLmvWRU3sqflw7kRUxDRw4H5g9JupLIp0JAGI8biG8=
-github.com/go-vela/server v0.21.1-0.20231017135815-bb35e76f6056/go.mod h1:SFAAje/TsPxW+9iDo38CotLX0ralvPRLxbaS9fffT+A=
-github.com/go-vela/types v0.21.1-0.20231012142227-0c0b890487af h1:qiP6pXFDyPDDP+hy8zY+nhmoWv9aoQrrnNmfAAT6yCA=
-github.com/go-vela/types v0.21.1-0.20231012142227-0c0b890487af/go.mod h1:Jn8K28uj7mACc55fkFgaIzL0q45iXydOFGEeoSeHUtQ=
+github.com/go-vela/server v0.21.1-0.20231031195602-6708cea79580 h1:u1B9VAj6eMouR37zRXQ7ThXrXu282ud6+rvefQa8TOE=
+github.com/go-vela/server v0.21.1-0.20231031195602-6708cea79580/go.mod h1:1nQQLHtK1EJWW/0sQ/62ryYsg4OccDt8JRmbzoIe+IA=
+github.com/go-vela/types v0.21.1-0.20231024201126-19101a5b1346 h1:8VqRJ02KcAxV+gHuxLzuPuNaf7EOE/zfBomEV+UPj/E=
+github.com/go-vela/types v0.21.1-0.20231024201126-19101a5b1346/go.mod h1:Jn8K28uj7mACc55fkFgaIzL0q45iXydOFGEeoSeHUtQ=
 github.com/goccy/go-json v0.10.2 h1:CrxCmQqYDkv1z7lO7Wbh2HN93uovUHgrECaO5ZrCXAU=
 github.com/goccy/go-json v0.10.2/go.mod h1:6MelG93GURQebXPDq3khkgXZkazVtN9CRI+MGFi0w8I=
 github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2 h1:Ov1cvc58UF3b5XjBnZv7+opcTcQFZebYjWzi34vdm4Q=