diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/block/ClusterBlockException.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/block/ClusterBlockException.java
index 1ee48055254..0151360c5f8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/block/ClusterBlockException.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/block/ClusterBlockException.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ package org.elasticsearch.cluster.block;
 
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet;
 import org.elasticsearch.ElasticSearchException;
+import org.elasticsearch.rest.RestStatus;
 
 /**
  *
@@ -54,4 +55,9 @@ public class ClusterBlockException extends ElasticSearchException {
         }
         return sb.toString();
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public RestStatus status() {
+        return RestStatus.SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE;
+    }
 }