diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
index 295332ae4..c3e1d33ae 100644
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 import requests
 
 from kubernetes import config
+from kubernetes.client.rest import ApiException
 
 
 class Cluster:
@@ -216,6 +217,10 @@ def up(self):
         Applies the AppWrapper yaml, pushing the resource request onto
         the MCAD queue.
         """
+
+        # check if RayCluster CustomResourceDefinition exists if not throw RuntimeError
+        self._throw_for_no_raycluster()
+
         namespace = self.config.namespace
 
         try:
@@ -246,12 +251,32 @@ def up(self):
         except Exception as e:  # pragma: no cover
             return _kube_api_error_handling(e)
 
+    def _throw_for_no_raycluster(self):
+        api_instance = client.CustomObjectsApi(api_config_handler())
+        try:
+            api_instance.list_namespaced_custom_object(
+                group="ray.io",
+                version="v1",
+                namespace=self.config.namespace,
+                plural="rayclusters",
+            )
+        except ApiException as e:
+            if e.status == 404:
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    "RayCluster CustomResourceDefinition unavailable contact your administrator."
+                )
+            else:
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    "Failed to get RayCluster CustomResourceDefinition: " + str(e)
+                )
+
     def down(self):
         """
         Deletes the AppWrapper yaml, scaling-down and deleting all resources
         associated with the cluster.
         """
         namespace = self.config.namespace
+        self._throw_for_no_raycluster()
         try:
             config_check()
             api_instance = client.CustomObjectsApi(api_config_handler())
diff --git a/tests/unit_test.py b/tests/unit_test.py
index 322449fbf..49ebf8e26 100644
--- a/tests/unit_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit_test.py
@@ -508,6 +508,7 @@ def arg_check_del_effect(group, version, namespace, plural, name, *args):
 def test_cluster_up_down(mocker):
     mocker.patch("kubernetes.client.ApisApi.get_api_versions")
     mocker.patch("kubernetes.config.load_kube_config", return_value="ignore")
+    mocker.patch("codeflare_sdk.cluster.cluster.Cluster._throw_for_no_raycluster")
     mocker.patch(
         "kubernetes.client.CustomObjectsApi.get_cluster_custom_object",
         return_value={"spec": {"domain": ""}},
@@ -530,6 +531,7 @@ def test_cluster_up_down(mocker):
 
 
 def test_cluster_up_down_no_mcad(mocker):
+    mocker.patch("codeflare_sdk.cluster.cluster.Cluster._throw_for_no_raycluster")
     mocker.patch("kubernetes.config.load_kube_config", return_value="ignore")
     mocker.patch("kubernetes.client.ApisApi.get_api_versions")
     mocker.patch(
@@ -3000,6 +3002,37 @@ def test_export_env():
     )
 
 
+def test_cluster_throw_for_no_raycluster(mocker: MockerFixture):
+    mocker.patch("kubernetes.client.ApisApi.get_api_versions")
+    mocker.patch(
+        "codeflare_sdk.cluster.cluster.get_current_namespace",
+        return_value="opendatahub",
+    )
+    mocker.patch(
+        "codeflare_sdk.utils.generate_yaml.get_default_kueue_name",
+        return_value="default",
+    )
+
+    def throw_if_getting_raycluster(group, version, namespace, plural):
+        if plural == "rayclusters":
+            raise client.ApiException(status=404)
+        return
+
+    mocker.patch(
+        "kubernetes.client.CustomObjectsApi.list_namespaced_custom_object",
+        side_effect=throw_if_getting_raycluster,
+    )
+    cluster = Cluster(
+        ClusterConfiguration(
+            "test_cluster",
+            image="quay.io/project-codeflare/ray:latest-py39-cu118",
+            write_to_file=False,
+        )
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+        cluster.up()
+
+
 """
 Ray Jobs tests
 """