diff --git a/src/headless/plugins/muc/muc.js b/src/headless/plugins/muc/muc.js
index 06ab58983..8d478cb2c 100644
--- a/src/headless/plugins/muc/muc.js
+++ b/src/headless/plugins/muc/muc.js
@@ -1908,10 +1908,20 @@ const ChatRoomMixin = {
         return true;
     },
 
+    /**
+     * When sending a status update presence (i.e. based on the `<show>`
+     * element), we need to first make sure that the MUC is connected,
+     * otherwise we will get an error from the MUC service.
+     * @method _converse.ChatRoom#sendStatusPresence
+     */
+    async sendStatusPresence (presence) {
+        await this.rejoinIfNecessary();
+        api.send(presence);
+    },
+
     /**
      * Check whether we're still joined and re-join if not
      * @async
-     * @private
      * @method _converse.ChatRoom#rejoinIfNecessary
      */
     async rejoinIfNecessary () {
diff --git a/src/headless/plugins/status/api.js b/src/headless/plugins/status/api.js
index eab36280d..bfda8caad 100644
--- a/src/headless/plugins/status/api.js
+++ b/src/headless/plugins/status/api.js
@@ -18,28 +18,20 @@ export default {
          */
         async send (type, to, status, child_nodes) {
             await api.waitUntil('statusInitialized');
-
+            if (child_nodes && !Array.isArray(child_nodes)) {
+                child_nodes = [child_nodes];
+            }
             const model= _converse.xmppstatus
             const presence = await model.constructPresence(type, to, status);
-            if (child_nodes) {
-                if (!Array.isArray(child_nodes)) {
-                    child_nodes = [child_nodes];
-                }
-                child_nodes.map(c => c?.tree() ?? c).forEach(c => presence.cnode(c).up());
-            }
+            child_nodes?.map(c => c?.tree() ?? c).forEach(c => presence.cnode(c).up());
             api.send(presence);
 
             if (['away', 'chat', 'dnd', 'online', 'xa', undefined].includes(type)) {
                 const mucs = await api.rooms.get();
                 mucs.forEach(async muc => {
                     const presence = await model.constructPresence(type, muc.getRoomJIDAndNick(), status);
-                    if (child_nodes) {
-                        if (!Array.isArray(child_nodes)) {
-                            child_nodes = [child_nodes];
-                        }
-                        child_nodes.map(c => c?.tree() ?? c).forEach(c => presence.cnode(c).up());
-                    }
-                    api.send(presence);
+                    child_nodes?.map(c => c?.tree() ?? c).forEach(c => presence.cnode(c).up());
+                    muc.sendStatusPresence(presence);
                 });
             }
         }