diff --git a/lib/Config/Menu.php b/lib/Config/Menu.php
index ac3e93ac91..89d2b9b4d1 100644
--- a/lib/Config/Menu.php
+++ b/lib/Config/Menu.php
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ class Menu {
     $system_status_data = array(
       'cron' => array(
         'url' => CronHelper::getCronUrl(CronDaemon::ACTION_PING),
-        'isReachable' => CronHelper::pingDaemon()
+        'isReachable' => CronHelper::pingDaemon(true)
       ),
       'mss' => array(
         'enabled' => (Bridge::isMPSendingServiceEnabled()) ?
diff --git a/lib/Cron/CronHelper.php b/lib/Cron/CronHelper.php
index 64c306b609..3e7a9c0cb9 100644
--- a/lib/Cron/CronHelper.php
+++ b/lib/Cron/CronHelper.php
@@ -48,14 +48,16 @@ class CronHelper {
     return Security::generateRandomString();
   }
 
-  static function pingDaemon() {
+  static function pingDaemon($validate_response = false) {
     $url = self::getCronUrl(
       CronDaemonEndpoint::ACTION_PING_RESPONSE
     );
     $result = self::queryCronUrl($url);
-    return (is_wp_error($result)) ?
-      $result->get_error_message() :
-      wp_remote_retrieve_body($result);
+    if (is_wp_error($result)) return $result->get_error_message();
+    $response = wp_remote_retrieve_body($result);
+    return (!$validate_response) ?
+      $response :
+      $response === Daemon::PING_SUCCESS_RESPONSE;
   }
 
   static function accessDaemon($token) {
diff --git a/lib/Cron/Daemon.php b/lib/Cron/Daemon.php
index c48e2dd784..596f222e5e 100644
--- a/lib/Cron/Daemon.php
+++ b/lib/Cron/Daemon.php
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ class Daemon {
   public $request_data;
   public $timer;
 
+  const PING_SUCCESS_RESPONSE = 'pong';
+
   function __construct($request_data = false) {
     $this->request_data = $request_data;
     $this->daemon = CronHelper::getDaemon();
@@ -22,7 +24,7 @@ class Daemon {
   }
 
   function ping() {
-    $this->terminateRequest('pong');
+    $this->terminateRequest(self::PING_SUCCESS_RESPONSE);
   }
 
   function run() {
diff --git a/tests/unit/Cron/CronHelperTest.php b/tests/unit/Cron/CronHelperTest.php
index 53aed80873..d3edf4d731 100644
--- a/tests/unit/Cron/CronHelperTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/Cron/CronHelperTest.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ namespace MailPoet\Test\Cron;
 
 use AspectMock\Test as Mock;
 use MailPoet\Cron\CronHelper;
+use MailPoet\Cron\Daemon;
 use MailPoet\Models\Setting;
 
 class CronHelperTest extends \MailPoetTest {
@@ -162,7 +163,10 @@ class CronHelperTest extends \MailPoetTest {
 
   function testItPingsDaemon() {
     if(getenv('WP_TEST_ENABLE_NETWORK_TESTS') !== 'true') return;
-    expect(CronHelper::pingDaemon())->equals('pong');
+    // raw response is returned
+    expect(CronHelper::pingDaemon())->equals(Daemon::PING_SUCCESS_RESPONSE);
+    // response is validated
+    expect(CronHelper::pingDaemon(true))->true();
   }
 
   function _after() {