diff --git a/salt/_states/consul.py b/salt/_states/consul.py
index 75f67466..759258df 100644
--- a/salt/_states/consul.py
+++ b/salt/_states/consul.py
@@ -1,15 +1,16 @@
 def external_service(name, datacenter, node, address, port, token=None):
     ret = {'name': name, 'changes': {}, 'result': False, 'comment': ''}
 
-    if token is None:
-        token = __pillar__['consul']['acl']['tokens']['default']
-
-    # Determine if the cluster is ready
+    # Determine if the cluster is ready first, before trying to get token
     if not __salt__["consul.cluster_ready"]():
         ret["result"] = True
         ret["comment"] = "Consul cluster is not ready."
         return ret
 
+    # Get token after confirming cluster is ready
+    if token is None:
+        token = __pillar__['consul']['acl']['tokens']['default']
+
     # Determine if the node we're attempting to register exists
     if __salt__["consul.node_exists"](node, address, dc=datacenter):
         # Determine if the service we're attempting to register exists
diff --git a/salt/consul/init.sls b/salt/consul/init.sls
index b97865df..c819c0f5 100644
--- a/salt/consul/init.sls
+++ b/salt/consul/init.sls
@@ -127,4 +127,5 @@ consul-external-{{ service.service }}:
     - port: {{ service.port }}
     - require:
       - pkg: python-requests
+      - service: consul
 {% endfor %}