diff --git a/server/channels/app/shared_channel.go b/server/channels/app/shared_channel.go
index 71d2252178..7cb7a27ead 100644
--- a/server/channels/app/shared_channel.go
+++ b/server/channels/app/shared_channel.go
@@ -16,12 +16,16 @@ import (
 	"github.com/mattermost/mattermost/server/v8/channels/store"
 )
 
-func (a *App) getSharedChannelsService() (SharedChannelServiceIFace, error) {
+func (a *App) getSharedChannelsService(ensureIsActive bool) (SharedChannelServiceIFace, error) {
 	scService := a.Srv().GetSharedChannelSyncService()
-	if scService == nil || !scService.Active() {
+	if scService == nil {
 		return nil, model.NewAppError("getSharedChannelsService", "api.command_share.service_disabled",
 			nil, "", http.StatusBadRequest)
 	}
+	if ensureIsActive && !scService.Active() {
+		return nil, model.NewAppError("getSharedChannelsService", "api.command_share.service_inactive",
+			nil, "", http.StatusInternalServerError)
+	}
 	return scService, nil
 }
 
@@ -51,7 +55,7 @@ func (a *App) checkChannelIsShared(channelId string) error {
 }
 
 func (a *App) CheckCanInviteToSharedChannel(channelId string) error {
-	scService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService()
+	scService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService(false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ func (a *App) CheckCanInviteToSharedChannel(channelId string) error {
 // SharedChannels
 
 func (a *App) ShareChannel(c request.CTX, sc *model.SharedChannel) (*model.SharedChannel, error) {
-	scService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService()
+	scService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService(false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -89,7 +93,7 @@ func (a *App) GetSharedChannelsCount(opts model.SharedChannelFilterOpts) (int64,
 }
 
 func (a *App) UpdateSharedChannel(sc *model.SharedChannel) (*model.SharedChannel, error) {
-	scService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService()
+	scService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService(false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -97,7 +101,7 @@ func (a *App) UpdateSharedChannel(sc *model.SharedChannel) (*model.SharedChannel
 }
 
 func (a *App) UnshareChannel(channelID string) (bool, error) {
-	scService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService()
+	scService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService(false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
@@ -107,7 +111,7 @@ func (a *App) UnshareChannel(channelID string) (bool, error) {
 // SharedChannelRemotes
 
 func (a *App) InviteRemoteToChannel(channelID, remoteID, userID string, shareIfNotShared bool) error {
-	ssService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService()
+	ssService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService(false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -115,7 +119,7 @@ func (a *App) InviteRemoteToChannel(channelID, remoteID, userID string, shareIfN
 }
 
 func (a *App) UninviteRemoteFromChannel(channelID, remoteID string) error {
-	ssService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService()
+	ssService, err := a.getSharedChannelsService(false)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/server/channels/app/status.go b/server/channels/app/status.go
index ad7d099e66..4402179579 100644
--- a/server/channels/app/status.go
+++ b/server/channels/app/status.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func (a *App) UpdateDNDStatusOfUsers() {
 		return
 	}
 
-	scs, _ := a.getSharedChannelsService()
+	scs, _ := a.getSharedChannelsService(false)
 	for i := range statuses {
 		a.Srv().Platform().AddStatusCache(statuses[i])
 		a.Srv().Platform().BroadcastStatus(statuses[i])
diff --git a/server/i18n/en.json b/server/i18n/en.json
index 0b3181088d..aaa2f232ef 100644
--- a/server/i18n/en.json
+++ b/server/i18n/en.json
@@ -1621,6 +1621,10 @@
     "id": "api.command_share.service_disabled",
     "translation": "Shared Channels Service is disabled."
   },
+  {
+    "id": "api.command_share.service_inactive",
+    "translation": "Shared Channels Service is enabled but not active."
+  },
   {
     "id": "api.command_share.share_channel.error",
     "translation": "Cannot share this channel: {{.Error}}"