diff --git a/sky/serve/serve_utils.py b/sky/serve/serve_utils.py
index 4ae40c24feb..fa0193185a7 100644
--- a/sky/serve/serve_utils.py
+++ b/sky/serve/serve_utils.py
@@ -542,11 +542,6 @@ def stream_replica_logs(service_name: str,
 
     replica_cluster_name = generate_replica_cluster_name(
         service_name, replica_id)
-    handle = global_user_state.get_handle_from_cluster_name(
-        replica_cluster_name)
-    if handle is None:
-        return _FAILED_TO_FIND_REPLICA_MSG.format(replica_id=replica_id)
-    assert isinstance(handle, backends.CloudVmRayResourceHandle), handle
 
     launch_log_file_name = generate_replica_launch_log_file_name(
         service_name, replica_id)
@@ -580,6 +575,11 @@ def _get_replica_status() -> serve_state.ReplicaStatus:
           f'of replica {replica_id}...{colorama.Style.RESET_ALL}')
 
     backend = backends.CloudVmRayBackend()
+    handle = global_user_state.get_handle_from_cluster_name(
+        replica_cluster_name)
+    if handle is None:
+        return _FAILED_TO_FIND_REPLICA_MSG.format(replica_id=replica_id)
+    assert isinstance(handle, backends.CloudVmRayResourceHandle), handle
     # Always tail the latest logs, which represent user setup & run.
     returncode = backend.tail_logs(handle, job_id=None, follow=follow)
     if returncode != 0: