diff --git a/api/api.go b/api/api.go
index 08ca2c370..7bb43811a 100644
--- a/api/api.go
+++ b/api/api.go
@@ -278,8 +278,8 @@ func (a *API) StartCodespace(ctx context.Context, token string, codespace *Codes
 		if len(b) > 100 {
 			b = append(b[:97], "..."...)
 		}
-		if resp.StatusCode == http.StatusServiceUnavailable && strings.TrimSpace(string(b)) == "7" {
-			// HTTP 503 with error code 7 (EnvironmentNotShutdown) is benign.
+		if strings.TrimSpace(string(b)) == "7" {
+			// Non-HTTP 200 with error code 7 (EnvironmentNotShutdown) is benign.
 			// Ignore it.
 		} else {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to start codespace: %s", b)