diff --git a/src/dstack/_internal/server/background/tasks/process_pools.py b/src/dstack/_internal/server/background/tasks/process_pools.py
index affea4aaf..43d1864e4 100644
--- a/src/dstack/_internal/server/background/tasks/process_pools.py
+++ b/src/dstack/_internal/server/background/tasks/process_pools.py
@@ -80,14 +80,19 @@ async def check_shim(instance_id: UUID) -> None:
 
         instance_health = instance_healthcheck(ssh_private_key, job_provisioning_data)
 
-        logger.info("check instance %s status: %s", instance.name, instance_health)
+        logger.debug("check instance %s status: shim health is %s", instance.name, instance_health)
 
         if instance_health:
             if instance.status in (InstanceStatus.CREATING, InstanceStatus.STARTING):
-                instance.status = InstanceStatus.READY
+                instance.status = (
+                    InstanceStatus.READY if instance.job_id is None else InstanceStatus.BUSY
+                )
                 await session.commit()
         else:
             if instance.status in (InstanceStatus.READY, InstanceStatus.BUSY):
+                logger.warning(
+                    "instance %s shim is not available, marked as failed", instance.name
+                )
                 instance.status = InstanceStatus.FAILED
                 await session.commit()
 
diff --git a/src/dstack/_internal/server/background/tasks/process_submitted_jobs.py b/src/dstack/_internal/server/background/tasks/process_submitted_jobs.py
index 4e8fdb9d5..415c4ccb0 100644
--- a/src/dstack/_internal/server/background/tasks/process_submitted_jobs.py
+++ b/src/dstack/_internal/server/background/tasks/process_submitted_jobs.py
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ async def _process_submitted_job(session: AsyncSession, job_model: JobModel):
             pool=pool,
             created_at=common_utils.get_current_datetime(),
             started_at=common_utils.get_current_datetime(),
-            status=InstanceStatus.BUSY,
+            status=InstanceStatus.STARTING,
             job_provisioning_data=job_provisioning_data.json(),
             offer=offer.json(),
             termination_policy=profile.termination_policy,
diff --git a/src/dstack/_internal/server/services/gateways/__init__.py b/src/dstack/_internal/server/services/gateways/__init__.py
index 908233d00..18915131e 100644
--- a/src/dstack/_internal/server/services/gateways/__init__.py
+++ b/src/dstack/_internal/server/services/gateways/__init__.py
@@ -314,6 +314,7 @@ async def init_gateways(session: AsyncSession):
     )
     gateway_computes = res.scalars().all()
 
+    logger.debug(f"Connecting to {len(gateway_computes)} gateways...")
     for gateway, error in await gather_map_async(
         gateway_computes,
         lambda g: gateway_connections_pool.add(g.ip_address, g.ssh_private_key),