diff --git a/API.md b/API.md
index d8b59175..cabb39c4 100644
--- a/API.md
+++ b/API.md
@@ -215,11 +215,13 @@ Creates a Redis Cluster instance
 | startupNodes | <code>Array.&lt;Object&gt;</code> |  | An array of nodes in the cluster, [{ port: number, host: string }] |
 | options | <code>Object</code> |  |  |
 | [options.enableOfflineQueue] | <code>boolean</code> | <code>true</code> | See Redis class |
+| [options.enableReadyCheck] | <code>boolean</code> | <code>true</code> | When enabled, ioredis only emits "ready" event when `CLUSTER INFO` command reporting the cluster is ready for handling commands. |
 | [options.scaleReads] | <code>string</code> | <code>&quot;master&quot;</code> | Scale reads to the node with the specified role. Available values are "master", "slave" and "all". |
 | [options.maxRedirections] | <code>number</code> | <code>16</code> | When a MOVED or ASK error is received, client will redirect the command to another node. This option limits the max redirections allowed to send a command. |
 | [options.clusterRetryStrategy] | <code>function</code> |  | See "Quick Start" section |
 | [options.retryDelayOnFailover] | <code>number</code> | <code>100</code> | When an error is received when sending a command(e.g. "Connection is closed." when the target Redis node is down), |
 | [options.retryDelayOnClusterDown] | <code>number</code> | <code>100</code> | When a CLUSTERDOWN error is received, client will retry if `retryDelayOnClusterDown` is valid delay time. |
+| [options.redisOptions] | <code>Object</code> |  | Passed to the constructor of `Redis`. |
 
 <a name="Cluster+connect"></a>
 ### cluster.connect() ⇒ <code>Promise</code>
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5146449c..b0a89b56 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ sub.subscribe('news', function () {
 Event    | Description
 :------------- | :-------------
 connect  | emits when a connection is established to the Redis server.
-ready    | emits immediately after `connect` event.
+ready    | emits when `CLUSTER INFO` reporting the cluster is able to receive commands (if `enableReadyCheck` is `true`) or immediately after `connect` event (if `enableReadyCheck` is false).
 error    | emits when an error occurs while connecting with a property of `lastNodeError` representing the last node error received. This event is emitted silently (only emitting if there's at least one listener).
 close    | emits when an established Redis server connection has closed.
 reconnecting | emits after `close` when a reconnection will be made. The argument of the event is the time (in ms) before reconnecting.
diff --git a/lib/cluster/index.js b/lib/cluster/index.js
index 7181a7f0..063ed601 100644
--- a/lib/cluster/index.js
+++ b/lib/cluster/index.js
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ var ConnectionPool = require('./connection_pool');
  * @param {Object[]} startupNodes - An array of nodes in the cluster, [{ port: number, host: string }]
  * @param {Object} options
  * @param {boolean} [options.enableOfflineQueue=true] - See Redis class
+ * @param {boolean} [options.enableReadyCheck=true] - When enabled, ioredis only emits "ready" event when `CLUSTER INFO`
+ * command reporting the cluster is ready for handling commands.
  * @param {string} [options.scaleReads=master] - Scale reads to the node with the specified role.
  * Available values are "master", "slave" and "all".
  * @param {number} [options.maxRedirections=16] - When a MOVED or ASK error is received, client will redirect the
@@ -30,6 +32,7 @@ var ConnectionPool = require('./connection_pool');
  * "Connection is closed." when the target Redis node is down),
  * @param {number} [options.retryDelayOnClusterDown=100] - When a CLUSTERDOWN error is received, client will retry
  * if `retryDelayOnClusterDown` is valid delay time.
+ * @param {Object} [options.redisOptions] - Passed to the constructor of `Redis`.
  * @extends [EventEmitter](http://nodejs.org/api/events.html#events_class_events_eventemitter)
  * @extends Commander
  */
@@ -103,10 +106,11 @@ function Cluster(startupNodes, options) {
  */
 Cluster.defaultOptions = {
   maxRedirections: 16,
+  enableOfflineQueue: true,
+  enableReadyCheck: true,
   retryDelayOnFailover: 100,
   retryDelayOnClusterDown: 100,
   scaleReads: 'master',
-  enableOfflineQueue: true,
   clusterRetryStrategy: function (times) {
     return Math.min(100 + times * 2, 2000);
   }
@@ -134,6 +138,12 @@ Cluster.prototype.resetClusterDownQueue = function () {
  * @public
  */
 Cluster.prototype.connect = function () {
+  function readyHandler() {
+    this.setStatus('ready');
+    this.retryAttempts = 0;
+    this.executeOfflineCommands();
+  }
+
   return new Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
     if (this.status === 'connecting' || this.status === 'connect' || this.status === 'ready') {
       reject(new Error('Redis is already connecting/connected'));
@@ -146,11 +156,19 @@ Cluster.prototype.connect = function () {
     var closeListener;
     var refreshListener = function () {
       this.removeListener('close', closeListener);
-      this.retryAttempts = 0;
       this.manuallyClosing = false;
       this.setStatus('connect');
-      this.setStatus('ready');
-      this.executeOfflineCommands();
+      if (this.options.enableReadyCheck) {
+        this._readyCheck(function (err, fail) {
+          if (err || fail) {
+            this.disconnect(true);
+          } else {
+            readyHandler.call(this);
+          }
+        }.bind(this));
+      } else {
+        readyHandler.call(this);
+      }
       resolve();
     };
 
@@ -444,7 +462,7 @@ Cluster.prototype.sendCommand = function (command, stream, node) {
       return;
     }
     var redis;
-    if (_this.status === 'ready') {
+    if (_this.status === 'ready' || (command.name === 'cluster')) {
       if (node && node.redis) {
         redis = node.redis;
       } else if (_.includes(Command.FLAGS.ENTER_SUBSCRIBER_MODE, command.name) ||
@@ -457,7 +475,7 @@ Cluster.prototype.sendCommand = function (command, stream, node) {
             if (typeof to === 'function') {
               var nodes =
                   nodeKeys
-                  .map(function(key) {
+                  .map(function (key) {
                     return _this.connectionPool.nodes.all[key];
                   });
               redis = to(nodes, command);
@@ -582,6 +600,40 @@ Cluster.prototype.getInfoFromNode = function (redis, callback) {
   }, 1000));
 };
 
+/**
+ * Check whether Cluster is able to process commands
+ *
+ * @param {Function} callback
+ * @private
+ */
+Cluster.prototype._readyCheck = function (callback) {
+  this.cluster('info', function (err, res) {
+    if (err) {
+      return callback(err);
+    }
+    if (typeof res !== 'string') {
+      return callback();
+    }
+
+    var state;
+    var lines = res.split('\r\n');
+    for (var i = 0; i < lines.length; ++i) {
+      var parts = lines[i].split(':');
+      if (parts[0] === 'cluster_state') {
+        state = parts[1];
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (state === 'fail') {
+      debug('cluster state not ok (%s)', state);
+      callback(null, state);
+    } else {
+      callback();
+    }
+  });
+};
+
 ['sscan', 'hscan', 'zscan', 'sscanBuffer', 'hscanBuffer', 'zscanBuffer']
 .forEach(function (command) {
   Cluster.prototype[command + 'Stream'] = function (key, options) {
diff --git a/test/functional/cluster.js b/test/functional/cluster.js
index 18160a1b..dab34407 100644
--- a/test/functional/cluster.js
+++ b/test/functional/cluster.js
@@ -935,6 +935,37 @@ describe('cluster', function () {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('enableReadyCheck', function () {
+    it('should reconnect when cluster state is not ok', function (done) {
+      var state = 'fail';
+      var server = new MockServer(30001, function (argv) {
+        if (argv[0] === 'cluster' && argv[1] === 'slots') {
+          return [
+            [0, 16383, ['127.0.0.1', 30001]]
+          ];
+        } else if (argv[0] === 'cluster' && argv[1] === 'info') {
+          return 'cluster_state:' + state;
+        }
+      });
+      var count = 0;
+      var client = new Redis.Cluster([{
+        host: '127.0.0.1', port: '30001'
+      }], {
+        clusterRetryStrategy: function (times) {
+          expect(++count).to.eql(times);
+          if (count === 3) {
+            state = 'ok';
+          }
+          return 0;
+        }
+      });
+      client.on('ready', function () {
+        client.disconnect();
+        disconnect([server], done);
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('scaleReads', function () {
     beforeEach(function () {
       function handler(port, argv) {
@@ -1010,12 +1041,11 @@ describe('cluster', function () {
     context('custom', function () {
       it('should send to selected slave', function (done) {
         var cluster = new Redis.Cluster([{ host: '127.0.0.1', port: '30001' }], {
-          scaleReads: function(node, command) {
+          scaleReads: function (node, command) {
             if (command.name === 'get') {
               return node[1];
-            } else {
-              return node[2];
             }
+            return node[2];
           }
         });
         cluster.on('ready', function () {
@@ -1035,12 +1065,11 @@ describe('cluster', function () {
 
       it('should send writes to masters', function (done) {
         var cluster = new Redis.Cluster([{ host: '127.0.0.1', port: '30001' }], {
-          scaleReads: function(node, command) {
+          scaleReads: function (node, command) {
             if (command.name === 'get') {
               return node[1];
-            } else {
-              return node[2];
             }
+            return node[2];
           }
         });
         cluster.on('ready', function () {