diff --git a/kalavai_client/cli.py b/kalavai_client/cli.py
index d6077ca..db7e7b7 100644
--- a/kalavai_client/cli.py
+++ b/kalavai_client/cli.py
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@
 CLUSTER = k3sCluster(
     kube_version=KUBE_VERSION,
     flannel_iface=DEFAULT_FLANNEL_IFACE,
-    kubeconfig_file=USER_KUBECONFIG_FILE
+    kubeconfig_file=USER_KUBECONFIG_FILE,
+    poolconfig_file=USER_LOCAL_SERVER_FILE
 )
 
 
@@ -111,6 +112,22 @@ def fetch_remote_templates():
         remote_load=True)
     return templates
 
+def pre_join_check(node_name, server_url, server_key):
+    # check with the server that we can connect
+    try:
+        nodes = request_to_server(
+            force_url=server_url,
+            force_key=server_key,
+            method="get",
+            endpoint="/v1/get_nodes",
+            data={"node_names": [node_name]},
+            server_creds=USER_LOCAL_SERVER_FILE
+        )
+        return node_name not in nodes.keys()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Error when connecting to kalavai service: {str(e)}")
+        return False
+
 def restart():
     console.log("[white] Restarting sharing (may take a few minutes)...")
     success = CLUSTER.restart_agent()
@@ -153,6 +170,8 @@ def select_ip_address(subnet=None):
             pass
     if len(ips) == 1:
         return ips[0]
+    if len(ips) == 0:
+        raise ValueError("No IPs available")
     while True:
         option = user_confirm(
             question="Select IP to advertise the node (needs to be visible to other nodes)",
@@ -235,15 +254,16 @@ def pool__publish(*others, description=None):
     # - cluster is up and running
     # - cluster is connected to vpn (has net token)
     # - user is authenticated
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init():
-        console.log(f"[red] No local cluster running. Start a cluster with [yellow]kalavai pool start [white]first.")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
         return
     
     if description is None:
         console.log("[yellow] [Markdown] In a few words (max 500 chars), describe your goals with this cluster. Remember, this is what other users will see to decide whether to share their resources with you, [blue]so inspire them!")
         description = input(f"(You can edit this later in {KALAVAI_PLATFORM_URL}\n")
     
-
     description = description
     
     try:
@@ -269,8 +289,10 @@ def pool__unpublish(cluster_name=None, *others):
     # Check for:
     # - cluster is up and running
     # - user is authenticated
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init():
-        console.log(f"[red] No local cluster running. Start a cluster with [yellow]kalavai pool start [white]first.")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
         return
     
     try:
@@ -404,8 +426,14 @@ def pool__token(*others, admin_workers=False):
     """
     Generate a join token for others to connect to your pool
     """
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init() or not CLUSTER.is_seed_node():
-        console.log("[red]Node is not seed. Possible reasons: the cluster has not been started or this is a worker node.")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
+    
+    if not CLUSTER.is_seed_node():
+        console.log("[red]Node is not seed. Possible reasons: this is a worker node.")
         return None
     
     if admin_workers:
@@ -524,6 +552,10 @@ def pool__join(token, *others, node_name=None, ip_address: str=None):
     
     # local k3s agent join
     console.log(f"[white] Connecting to {cluster_name} @ {kalavai_seed_ip} (this may take a few minutes)...")
+    # send note to server to let them know the node is coming online
+    if not pre_join_check(node_name=node_name, server_url=watcher_service, server_key=auth_key):
+        console.log(f"[red] Failed pre join checks. Server offline or node '{node_name}' may already exist. Please specify a different one with '--node-name'")
+        return
     try:
         CLUSTER.start_worker_node(
             url=kalavai_seed_ip,
@@ -610,14 +642,47 @@ def pool__resume(*others):
     console.log("[white] Resuming kalavai app...")
     restart()
 
+@arguably.command
+def pool__gpus(*others):
+    """
+    Display GPU information from all connected nodes
+    """
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
+
+    try:
+        data = request_to_server(
+            method="post",
+            endpoint="/v1/get_node_gpus",
+            data={},
+            server_creds=USER_LOCAL_SERVER_FILE
+        )
+        columns, rows = [], []
+        for node, gpus in data.items():
+            for gpu in gpus:
+                rows.append([node] + list(gpu.values()))
+            columns = list(gpu.keys())
+        columns = ["Node"] + columns
+        console.print(
+            generate_table(columns=columns, rows=rows)
+        )
+        
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Error when connecting to kalavai service: {str(e)}")
+
 
 @arguably.command
 def pool__resources(*others):
     """
     Display information about resources on the pool
     """
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init() or not CLUSTER.is_agent_running():
-        console.log("[red]Kalavai is not running or not installed on your machine")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
         return
 
     try:
@@ -663,9 +728,12 @@ def pool__status(*others):
     """
     Check the status of the kalavai pool
     """
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init():
-        console.log("This node is not connected to any pool")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
         return
+
     try:
         response = request_to_server(
             method="POST",
@@ -818,8 +886,10 @@ def node__list(*others):
     """
     Display information about nodes connected
     """
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init() or not CLUSTER.is_agent_running():
-        console.log("[red]Kalavai is not running on your machine")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
         return
 
     try:
@@ -855,8 +925,10 @@ def node__delete(name, *others):
     """
     Delete a node from the cluster
     """
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init():
-        console.log("This node is not connected to any cluster")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
         return
     
     data = {
@@ -882,6 +954,11 @@ def node__cordon(node_name, *others):
     """
     Cordon a particular node so no more work will be scheduled on it
     """
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
     set_schedulable(schedulable=False, node_name=node_name)
 
 
@@ -890,6 +967,11 @@ def node__uncordon(node_name, *others):
     """
     Uncordon a particular node to allow more work to be scheduled on it
     """
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
     set_schedulable(schedulable=True, node_name=node_name)
 
 
@@ -927,8 +1009,11 @@ def job__run(template_name, *others, values_path=None):
     Args:
         *others: all the other positional arguments go here
     """
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init() or not CLUSTER.is_agent_running():
-        console.log("[red]Kalavai is not running or not installed on your machine")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
 
     expose = True
 
@@ -1049,8 +1134,11 @@ def job__delete(name, *others):
     """
     Delete job in the cluster
     """
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init() or not CLUSTER.is_agent_running():
-        console.log("[red]Kalavai is not running or not installed on your machine")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
 
     # deploy template with kube-watcher
     data = {
@@ -1075,8 +1163,11 @@ def job__list(*others):
     """
     List jobs in the cluster
     """
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init() or not CLUSTER.is_agent_running():
-        console.log("[red]Kalavai is not running or not installed on your machine")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
 
     data = {
         "group": "leaderworkerset.x-k8s.io",
@@ -1174,6 +1265,12 @@ def job__logs(name, *others, pod_name=None, stream=False):
     """
     Get logs for a specific job
     """
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
+    
     data = {
         "namespace": "default",
         "label": "leaderworkerset.sigs.k8s.io/name",
@@ -1214,6 +1311,12 @@ def job__manifest(*others, name):
     """
     Get job manifest description
     """
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
+    
     data = {
         "namespace": "default",
         "label": "leaderworkerset.sigs.k8s.io/name",
@@ -1240,6 +1343,12 @@ def ray__create(template_path, *others):
     """
     Create a cluster using KubeRay operator
     """
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
+    
     with open(template_path, "r") as f:
         template_yaml = yaml.safe_load(f)
         # ensure deployment is labelled (for tracking and deletion)
@@ -1283,8 +1392,14 @@ def ray__create(template_path, *others):
 
 @arguably.command
 def ray__list(*status):
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init() or not CLUSTER.is_agent_running():
-        console.log("[red]Kalavai is not running or not installed on your machine")
+    """
+    List all available ray clusters
+    """
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
 
     data = {
         "group": "ray.io",
@@ -1335,8 +1450,11 @@ def ray__delete(*others, name):
     """
     Delete a ray cluster
     """
-    if not CLUSTER.is_cluster_init() or not CLUSTER.is_agent_running():
-        console.log("[red]Kalavai is not running or not installed on your machine")
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
 
     # deploy template with kube-watcher
     data = {
@@ -1360,6 +1478,12 @@ def ray__manifest(*others, name):
     """
     Get ray cluster manifest description
     """
+    try:
+        CLUSTER.validate_cluster()
+    except Exception as e:
+        console.log(f"[red]Problems with your pool: {str(e)}")
+        return
+    
     data = {
         "namespace": "default",
         "label": "ray.io/cluster",
diff --git a/kalavai_client/cluster.py b/kalavai_client/cluster.py
index 9d7b42e..83a14d1 100644
--- a/kalavai_client/cluster.py
+++ b/kalavai_client/cluster.py
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
 from kalavai_client.utils import (
     run_cmd,
     user_path,
-    check_gpu_drivers
+    check_gpu_drivers,
+    validate_poolconfig
 )
 
 
@@ -56,13 +57,18 @@ def get_cluster_token(self) -> str:
     def diagnostics(self) -> str:
         raise NotImplementedError()
     
+    @abstractmethod
+    def validate_cluster(self) -> bool:
+        raise NotImplementedError
+    
 
 class k0sCluster(Cluster):
 
-    def __init__(self, kubeconfig_file, kube_version="v1.31.1+k3s1", flannel_iface=None):
+    def __init__(self, kubeconfig_file, poolconfig_file, kube_version="v1.31.1+k3s1", flannel_iface=None):
         self.kube_version = kube_version
         self.flannel_iface = flannel_iface
         self.kubeconfig_file = kubeconfig_file
+        self.poolconfig_file = poolconfig_file
 
 
     def start_seed_node(self, ip_address, cluster_config_file, labels):
@@ -130,9 +136,10 @@ def diagnostics(self) -> str:
 
 class k3sCluster(Cluster):
 
-    def __init__(self, kubeconfig_file, kube_version="v1.31.1+k3s1", flannel_iface=None):
+    def __init__(self, kubeconfig_file, poolconfig_file, kube_version="v1.31.1+k3s1", flannel_iface=None):
         self.kube_version = kube_version
         self.kubeconfig_file = kubeconfig_file
+        self.poolconfig_file = poolconfig_file
 
         if flannel_iface is not None:
             self.default_flannel_iface = flannel_iface
@@ -204,14 +211,18 @@ def is_cluster_init(self):
         return status
 
     def pause_agent(self):
+        status = False
         try:
             run_cmd('sudo systemctl stop k3s >/dev/null 2>&1')
+            status = True
         except:
             pass
         try:
             run_cmd('sudo systemctl stop k3s-agent >/dev/null 2>&1')
+            status = True
         except:
             pass
+        return status
 
 
     def restart_agent(self):
@@ -237,3 +248,14 @@ def diagnostics(self) -> str:
             return run_cmd(f"k3s kubectl get pods -A -o wide --kubeconfig {self.kubeconfig_file}").decode() + "\n\n" + run_cmd(f"k3s kubectl get nodes --kubeconfig {self.kubeconfig_file}").decode()
         else:
             return None
+        
+    def validate_cluster(self) -> bool:
+        if not self.is_cluster_init():
+            raise ValueError("Pool not initialised")
+        if not self.is_agent_running():
+            raise ValueError("Pool initialised but agent is not running")
+        # check cache files
+        if not validate_poolconfig(self.poolconfig_file):
+            raise ValueError("Cache missconfigured. Run 'kalavai pool stop' to clear.")
+        return True
+
diff --git a/kalavai_client/utils.py b/kalavai_client/utils.py
index 2b2d59d..562e8eb 100644
--- a/kalavai_client/utils.py
+++ b/kalavai_client/utils.py
@@ -42,6 +42,14 @@
     WATCHER_SERVICE_KEY,
     PUBLIC_LOCATION_KEY
 ]
+MANDATORY_POOLCONFIG_FIELDS = [
+    SERVER_IP_KEY,
+    AUTH_KEY,
+    WATCHER_SERVICE_KEY,
+    NODE_NAME_KEY,
+    CLUSTER_NAME_KEY,
+    PUBLIC_LOCATION_KEY
+]
 
 
 def load_server_info(data_key, file):
@@ -147,6 +155,16 @@ def validate_join_public_seed(cluster_name, join_key, user_cookie):
     )
     return seed
 
+def validate_poolconfig(poolconfig_file):
+    if not Path(poolconfig_file).is_file():
+        return False
+    with open(poolconfig_file, "r") as f:
+        data = json.load(f)
+    for field in MANDATORY_POOLCONFIG_FIELDS:
+        if field not in data:
+            return False
+    return True
+
 def check_gpu_drivers():
     value = run_cmd("command -v nvidia-smi")
     if len(value.decode("utf-8")) == 0:
@@ -241,9 +259,16 @@ def get_all_templates(local_path, templates_path=None, remote_load=False):
     return [ (local_path, item) for item in os.listdir(local_path) if os.path.isdir(os.path.join(local_path, item)) ]
 
 
-def request_to_server(method, endpoint, data, server_creds):
-    service_url = load_server_info(data_key=WATCHER_SERVICE_KEY, file=server_creds)
-    auth_key = load_server_info(data_key=AUTH_KEY, file=server_creds)
+def request_to_server(method, endpoint, data, server_creds, force_url=None, force_key=None):
+    if force_url is None:
+        service_url = load_server_info(data_key=WATCHER_SERVICE_KEY, file=server_creds)
+    else:
+        service_url = force_url
+    
+    if force_key is None:
+        auth_key = load_server_info(data_key=AUTH_KEY, file=server_creds)
+    else:
+        auth_key = force_key
 
     headers = {
         "X-API-KEY": auth_key