diff --git a/src/charm.py b/src/charm.py
index de1c5089..4b3aecb3 100755
--- a/src/charm.py
+++ b/src/charm.py
@@ -97,12 +97,13 @@ def _logrotate(self) -> machine_logrotate.LogRotate:
     def host_address(self) -> str:
         """The host address for the machine."""
         if (
-            self._ha_cluster.relation
-            and self._ha_cluster.is_clustered()
-            and self.config.get("vip")
+            not self.is_externally_accessible(event=None)
+            or not self.config.get("vip")
+            or (self._ha_cluster and not self._ha_cluster.is_clustered())
         ):
-            return self.config["vip"]
-        return str(self.model.get_binding("juju-info").network.bind_address)
+            return str(self.model.get_binding("juju-info").network.bind_address)
+
+        return self.config["vip"]
 
     @property
     def _read_write_endpoints(self) -> str:
diff --git a/src/relations/hacluster.py b/src/relations/hacluster.py
index de4ea9d6..cf1f3906 100644
--- a/src/relations/hacluster.py
+++ b/src/relations/hacluster.py
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@
 
 import ops
 
-import workload
-
 HACLUSTER_RELATION_NAME = "ha"
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -36,6 +34,9 @@ def relation(self) -> Optional[ops.Relation]:
 
     def is_clustered(self) -> bool:
         """Check if the related hacluster charm is clustered."""
+        if not self.relation:
+            return False
+
         for key, value in self.relation.data.items():
             if (
                 isinstance(key, ops.Unit)
@@ -57,13 +58,6 @@ def get_unit_juju_status(self) -> ops.StatusBase:
         if vip and not self.charm.is_externally_accessible(event=None):
             return ops.BlockedStatus("vip configuration without data-integrator")
 
-        if (
-            isinstance(self.charm.get_workload(event=None), workload.AuthenticatedWorkload)
-            and self.charm.unit.is_leader()
-            and vip
-        ):
-            return ops.ActiveStatus(f"VIP: {vip}")
-
     def set_vip(self, vip: Optional[str]) -> None:
         """Adds the requested virtual IP to the integration."""
         if not self.relation: