diff --git a/src/aws/dependencies/utilitiyFunction.sh b/src/aws/dependencies/utilitiyFunction.sh
index 702f4a77..2a003533 100644
--- a/src/aws/dependencies/utilitiyFunction.sh
+++ b/src/aws/dependencies/utilitiyFunction.sh
@@ -43,3 +43,9 @@ function makePortArray {
 
     echo "${portArray[@]}"
 }
+
+function getState(){
+    local instanceId=$1
+    local state=$(aws ec2 describe-instances --instance-ids $instanceId | jq '.Reservations[].Instances[].State.Name')
+    echo $state
+}
diff --git a/src/aws/down.sh b/src/aws/down.sh
index ce8dcac0..31a4f0c5 100755
--- a/src/aws/down.sh
+++ b/src/aws/down.sh
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ function down(){
   instanceId=$(getValueByAttribute $balloonName instanceId)
 
   if [ "$instanceId" = "null" ]; then
-      echo "$balloonName is already deleted"
-      exit 1
+      echo "$balloonName does not exist"
+      exit 0
   fi
 
   keyName=$(getValueByAttribute $balloonName key)
diff --git a/src/aws/start.sh b/src/aws/start.sh
index c9036ce5..76cec03f 100644
--- a/src/aws/start.sh
+++ b/src/aws/start.sh
@@ -14,12 +14,24 @@ function start(){
     instanceId=$(getValueByAttribute $balloonName instanceId)
 
     if [ "$instanceId" = "null" ]; then
-        echo "$balloonName is already deleted"
+        echo "$balloonName does not exist"
         exit 1
     fi
 
     oldPublicIp=$(getValueByAttribute $balloonName publicIp)
 
+    state=$(getState $instanceId)
+
+    if [ "$state" == "\"running\"" ]; then
+        echo "The instance is already running"
+        exit 0
+    fi
+
+    if [ "$state" == "\"stopping\"" ]; then
+        echo "The instance is stopping"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+
     aws ec2 start-instances --instance-ids $instanceId
 
     echo "get the new ip address. The procedure might take time for a while"
diff --git a/src/aws/stop.sh b/src/aws/stop.sh
index 96ca37ac..240e2bd3 100644
--- a/src/aws/stop.sh
+++ b/src/aws/stop.sh
@@ -13,10 +13,16 @@ function stop(){
     instanceId=$(getValueByAttribute $balloonName instanceId)
 
     if [ "$instanceId" = "null" ]; then
-        echo "$balloonName is already deleted"
+        echo "$balloonName does not exist"
         exit 1
     fi
 
+    state=$(getState $instanceId)
+    if [[ "$state" == "\"stopped\"" || "$state" == "\"stopping\"" ]]; then
+        echo "The instance is already stopped"
+        exit 0
+    fi
+
     groupName=$(getValueByAttribute $balloonName groupName)
     storePortArrayString $groupName tcp $balloonName
     storePortArrayString $groupName udp $balloonName