diff --git a/sky/backends/backend_utils.py b/sky/backends/backend_utils.py
index b5e8f5e358a..74685e344e2 100644
--- a/sky/backends/backend_utils.py
+++ b/sky/backends/backend_utils.py
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@ class ReservedClusterGroup(enum.Enum):
             f'sky spot queue{colorama.Style.RESET_ALL}'),
         decline_stop_hint=('Spot controller will be auto-stopped after all '
                            'spot jobs finish.'),
+        decline_cancel_hint=(
+            'Cancelling the spot controller\'s jobs is not allowed.\nTo cancel '
+            f'spot jobs, use: {colorama.Style.BRIGHT}sky spot cancel <spot '
+            f'job IDs> [--all]{colorama.Style.RESET_ALL}'),
         check_cluster_name_hint=(
             f'Cluster {spot_lib.SPOT_CONTROLLER_NAME} is reserved for '
             'managed spot controller. '))
@@ -138,6 +142,8 @@ class ReservedClusterGroup(enum.Enum):
             f'sky serve status{colorama.Style.RESET_ALL}'),
         decline_stop_hint=(f'To teardown a service, use {colorama.Style.BRIGHT}'
                            f'sky serve down{colorama.Style.RESET_ALL}.'),
+        decline_cancel_hint=(
+            'Cancelling the sky serve controller\'s jobs is not allowed.'),
         check_cluster_name_hint=(
             f'Cluster prefix {serve_lib.CONTROLLER_PREFIX} is reserved for '
             'sky serve controller. '))
diff --git a/sky/cli.py b/sky/cli.py
index 4ce6159fb79..d8b9b23d74d 100644
--- a/sky/cli.py
+++ b/sky/cli.py
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@
 from sky import core
 from sky import exceptions
 from sky import global_user_state
-from sky import serve as serve_lib
 from sky import sky_logging
 from sky import spot as spot_lib
 from sky import status_lib
@@ -2102,8 +2101,6 @@ def cancel(cluster: str, all: bool, jobs: List[int], yes: bool):  # pylint: disa
 
     Job IDs can be looked up by ``sky queue cluster_name``.
     """
-    bold = colorama.Style.BRIGHT
-    reset = colorama.Style.RESET_ALL
     job_identity_str = None
     job_ids_to_cancel = None
     if not jobs and not all:
@@ -2131,18 +2128,9 @@ def cancel(cluster: str, all: bool, jobs: List[int], yes: bool):  # pylint: disa
     try:
         core.cancel(cluster, all=all, job_ids=job_ids_to_cancel)
     except exceptions.NotSupportedError:
-        if cluster == spot_lib.SPOT_CONTROLLER_NAME:
-            # Friendly message for usage like 'sky cancel <spot controller>
-            # -a/<jobid>'.
-            error_str = (
-                'Cancelling the spot controller\'s jobs is not allowed.'
-                f'\nTo cancel spot jobs, use: {bold}sky spot cancel <spot '
-                f'job IDs> [--all]{reset}')
-        else:
-            assert cluster.startswith(serve_lib.CONTROLLER_PREFIX)
-            error_str = (
-                'Cancelling the sky serve controller\'s jobs is not allowed.')
-        click.echo(error_str)
+        group = backend_utils.ReservedClusterGroup.get_group(cluster)
+        assert group is not None
+        click.echo(group.value.decline_cancel_hint)
         sys.exit(1)
     except ValueError as e:
         raise click.UsageError(str(e))
diff --git a/sky/core.py b/sky/core.py
index a0cbc01207c..26a227a3add 100644
--- a/sky/core.py
+++ b/sky/core.py
@@ -184,17 +184,20 @@ def _start(
             f'Starting cluster {cluster_name!r} with backend {backend.NAME} '
             'is not supported.')
 
-    if cluster_name == spot.SPOT_CONTROLLER_NAME:
+    if backend_utils.ReservedClusterGroup.get_group(cluster_name) is not None:
         if down:
             raise ValueError('Using autodown (rather than autostop) is not '
-                             'supported for the spot controller. Pass '
+                             'supported for skypilot controllers. Pass '
                              '`down=False` or omit it instead.')
         if idle_minutes_to_autostop is not None:
             raise ValueError(
                 'Passing a custom autostop setting is currently not '
-                'supported when starting the spot controller. To '
+                'supported when starting skypilot controllers. To '
                 'fix: omit the `idle_minutes_to_autostop` argument to use the '
                 f'default autostop settings (got: {idle_minutes_to_autostop}).')
+        # TODO(tian): Maybe we should merge the two MINUTES_TO_AUTOSTOP
+        # together. Currently, the two value is the same so we just use spot
+        # constant here.
         idle_minutes_to_autostop = spot.SPOT_CONTROLLER_IDLE_MINUTES_TO_AUTOSTOP
 
     # NOTE: if spot_queue() calls _start() and hits here, that entrypoint