diff --git a/src/py/flwr/server/server.py b/src/py/flwr/server/server.py
index 1cab2d03c21d..f1bfb6f0533b 100644
--- a/src/py/flwr/server/server.py
+++ b/src/py/flwr/server/server.py
@@ -282,7 +282,14 @@ def _get_initial_parameters(
         get_parameters_res = random_client.get_parameters(
             ins=ins, timeout=timeout, group_id=server_round
         )
-        log(INFO, "Received initial parameters from one random client")
+        if get_parameters_res.status.code == Code.OK:
+            log(INFO, "Received initial parameters from one random client")
+        else:
+            log(
+                WARN,
+                "Failed to receive initial parameters from the client."
+                " Empty initial parameters will be used.",
+            )
         return get_parameters_res.parameters
 
 
diff --git a/src/py/flwr/server/workflow/default_workflows.py b/src/py/flwr/server/workflow/default_workflows.py
index 66491ec87427..80759316da84 100644
--- a/src/py/flwr/server/workflow/default_workflows.py
+++ b/src/py/flwr/server/workflow/default_workflows.py
@@ -146,7 +146,14 @@ def default_init_params_workflow(driver: Driver, context: Context) -> None:
             ]
         )
         msg = list(messages)[0]
-        if msg.has_content():
+
+        if (
+            msg.has_content()
+            and compat._extract_status_from_recordset(  # pylint: disable=W0212
+                "getparametersres", msg.content
+            ).code
+            == Code.OK
+        ):
             log(INFO, "Received initial parameters from one random client")
             paramsrecord = next(iter(msg.content.parameters_records.values()))
         else: