diff --git a/instana/agent/host.py b/instana/agent/host.py
index 215c55e9b..0dbbf4c00 100644
--- a/instana/agent/host.py
+++ b/instana/agent/host.py
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ class HostAgent(BaseAgent):
     """
     AGENT_DISCOVERY_PATH = "com.instana.plugin.python.discovery"
     AGENT_DATA_PATH = "com.instana.plugin.python.%d"
-    AGENT_HEADER = "Instana Agent"
 
     def __init__(self):
         super(HostAgent, self).__init__()
@@ -157,15 +156,16 @@ def is_agent_listening(self, host, port):
         result = False
         try:
             url = "http://%s:%s/" % (host, port)
-            response = self.client.get(url, timeout=0.8)
+            response = self.client.get(url, timeout=5)
 
-            server_header = response.headers["Server"]
-            if server_header == self.AGENT_HEADER:
+            if 200 <= response.status_code < 300:
                 logger.debug("Instana host agent found on %s:%d", host, port)
                 result = True
             else:
-                logger.debug("...something is listening on %s:%d but it's not the Instana Host Agent: %s",
-                             host, port, server_header)
+                logger.debug("The attempt to connect to the Instana host "\
+                             "agent on %s:%d has failed with an unexpected " \
+                             "status code. Expected HTTP 200 but received: %d",
+                             host, port, response.status_code)
         except Exception:
             logger.debug("Instana Host Agent not found on %s:%d", host, port)
         return result
diff --git a/tests/platforms/test_host.py b/tests/platforms/test_host.py
index f866f25eb..c82167ff9 100644
--- a/tests/platforms/test_host.py
+++ b/tests/platforms/test_host.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 from mock import MagicMock, patch
 
 import requests
+import requests_mock
 
 from instana.agent.host import HostAgent
 from instana.fsm import Discovery
@@ -236,3 +237,22 @@ def test_announce_fails_with_missing_uuid(self, mock_requests_session_put):
         self.assertEqual(len(log.output), 1)
         self.assertEqual(len(log.records), 1)
         self.assertIn('response payload has no agentUuid', log.output[0])
+
+    @patch.object(requests.Session, "get")
+    def test_agent_instana_is_agent_listening(self, mock_requests_session_get):
+        mock_response = MagicMock()
+        mock_response.status_code = 404
+        mock_requests_session_get.return_value = mock_response
+
+        self.create_agent_and_setup_tracer()
+        host = self.agent.options.agent_host
+        port = self.agent.options.agent_port
+        msg = "The attempt to connect to the Instana host agent on " \
+              f"{host}:{port} has failed with an unexpected status code. " \
+              f"Expected HTTP 200 but received: {mock_response.status_code}"
+
+        with self.assertLogs(logger, level='DEBUG') as log:
+            result = self.agent.is_agent_listening(host, port)
+
+        self.assertFalse(result)
+        self.assertIn(msg, log.output[0])