diff --git a/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/rpc/client.py b/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/rpc/client.py
index 5a17d2a38..fb8f5367c 100644
--- a/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/rpc/client.py
+++ b/src/ansys/mechanical/core/embedding/rpc/client.py
@@ -220,6 +220,16 @@ def download_project(self, extensions=None, target_dir=None, progress_bar=False)
             list_of_files.extend(temp_files)
         return list_of_files
 
+    @property
+    def is_alive(self):
+        """Check if the Mechanical instance is alive."""
+        try:
+            conn = rpyc.connect(self.host, self.port)
+            conn.ping()
+            return True
+        except:
+            return False
+
     def exit(self):
         """Shuts down the Mechanical instance."""
         # TODO: implement
diff --git a/tests/test_mechanical.py b/tests/test_mechanical.py
index 802e123d8..1f480fe9b 100644
--- a/tests/test_mechanical.py
+++ b/tests/test_mechanical.py
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ def test_run_python_script_from_file_error(mechanical):
 @pytest.mark.remote_session_connect
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("file_name", [r"hsec.x_t"])
 def test_upload(mechanical, file_name, assets):
+    if not mechanical.is_alive:
+        pytest.fail("Mechanical instance is not alive")
     mechanical.run_python_script("ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.New()")
     directory = mechanical.run_python_script("ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.ProjectDirectory")
     print(directory)
@@ -120,6 +122,8 @@ def test_upload(mechanical, file_name, assets):
 # ideally this will be 64*1024, 1024*1024, etc.
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("chunk_size", [10, 50, 100])
 def test_upload_with_different_chunk_size(mechanical, chunk_size, assets):
+    if not mechanical.is_alive:
+        pytest.fail("Mechanical instance is not alive")
     file_path = os.path.join(assets, "hsec.x_t")
     mechanical.run_python_script("ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.New()")
     directory = mechanical.run_python_script("ExtAPI.DataModel.Project.ProjectDirectory")
@@ -274,6 +278,8 @@ def verify_project_download(mechanical, tmpdir):
 # @pytest.mark.wip
 # @pytest.mark.skip(reason="avoid long running")
 def test_upload_attach_mesh_solve_use_api_non_distributed_solve(mechanical, tmpdir):
+    if not mechanical.is_alive:
+        pytest.fail("Mechanical instance is not alive")
     # default is distributed solve
     # let's disable the distributed solve and then solve
     # enable the distributed solve back
@@ -307,6 +313,8 @@ def test_upload_attach_mesh_solve_use_api_non_distributed_solve(mechanical, tmpd
 
 @pytest.mark.remote_session_connect
 def test_upload_attach_mesh_solve_use_api_distributed_solve(mechanical, tmpdir):
+    if not mechanical.is_alive:
+        pytest.fail("Mechanical instance is not alive")
     # default is distributed solve
 
     result = solve_and_return_results(mechanical)