diff --git a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/users.py b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/users.py
index 9fea47bd..9ec1fb0e 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/apihandlers/users.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/apihandlers/users.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class BaseUserHandler(APIHandler):
         return {
             'name': user.name,
             'admin': user.admin,
-            'server': user.server.base_url if user.server and not (user.spawn_pending or user.stop_pending) else None,
+            'server': user.server.base_url if user.running and not (user.spawn_pending or user.stop_pending) else None,
             'last_activity': user.last_activity.isoformat(),
         }
     
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ class UserServerAPIHandler(BaseUserHandler):
         if user.stop_pending:
             self.set_status(202)
             return
-        if user.spawner is None:
+        if not user.running:
             raise web.HTTPError(400, "%s's server is not running" % name)
         status = yield user.spawner.poll()
         if status is not None:
@@ -175,8 +175,8 @@ class UserAdminAccessAPIHandler(BaseUserHandler):
         user = self.find_user(name)
         if user is None:
             raise web.HTTPError(404)
-        if user.server is None:
-            raise web.HTTPError(400, "%s has no server running" % name)
+        if not user.running:
+            raise web.HTTPError(400, "%s's server is not running" % name)
         self.set_server_cookie(user)
 
 
diff --git a/jupyterhub/orm.py b/jupyterhub/orm.py
index 4f9a28de..959bf052 100644
--- a/jupyterhub/orm.py
+++ b/jupyterhub/orm.py
@@ -267,6 +267,15 @@ class User(Base):
                 name=self.name,
             )
     
+    @property
+    def running(self):
+        """property for whether a user has a running server"""
+        if self.spawner is None:
+            return False
+        if self.server is None:
+            return False
+        return True
+    
     def new_api_token(self):
         """Create a new API token"""
         assert self.id is not None
diff --git a/share/jupyter/hub/templates/admin.html b/share/jupyter/hub/templates/admin.html
index 7e072f01..99725deb 100644
--- a/share/jupyter/hub/templates/admin.html
+++ b/share/jupyter/hub/templates/admin.html
@@ -42,11 +42,11 @@
       <td class="admin-col col-sm-2">{% if u.admin %}admin{% endif %}</td>
       <td class="time-col col-sm-3">{{u.last_activity.isoformat() + 'Z'}}</td>
       <td class="server-col col-sm-3 text-center">
-        <span class="stop-server btn btn-xs btn-danger {% if not u.server %}hidden{% endif %}">stop server</span>
+        <span class="stop-server btn btn-xs btn-danger {% if not u.running %}hidden{% endif %}">stop server</span>
         {% if admin_access %}
-        <span class="access-server btn btn-xs btn-success {% if not u.server %}hidden{% endif %}">access server</span>
+        <span class="access-server btn btn-xs btn-success {% if not u.running %}hidden{% endif %}">access server</span>
         {% endif %}
-        <span class="start-server btn btn-xs btn-success {% if u.server %}hidden{% endif %}">start server</span>
+        <span class="start-server btn btn-xs btn-success {% if u.running %}hidden{% endif %}">start server</span>
       </td>
       <td class="edit-col col-sm-2">
         <span class="edit-user btn btn-xs btn-primary">edit</span>
diff --git a/share/jupyter/hub/templates/home.html b/share/jupyter/hub/templates/home.html
index 66a09629..62ac135a 100644
--- a/share/jupyter/hub/templates/home.html
+++ b/share/jupyter/hub/templates/home.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 <div class="container">
   <div class="row">
     <div class="text-center">
-      {% if user.server %}
+      {% if user.running %}
       <a id="stop" class="btn btn-lg btn-danger">Stop My Server</a>
       {% endif %}
       <a id="start" class="btn btn-lg btn-success"