diff --git a/portality/constants.py b/portality/constants.py
index 2f2bb566b6..6ad42111a5 100644
--- a/portality/constants.py
+++ b/portality/constants.py
@@ -99,6 +99,9 @@
 BG_STATUS_STABLE = 'stable'
 BG_STATUS_UNSTABLE = 'unstable'
 
+# Redis Keys Constants
+KAFKA_ACTIVE_STATUS = 'KAFKA_ACTIVE_STATUS'
+
 
 class ConstantList:
     @classmethod
diff --git a/portality/events/kafka_producer.py b/portality/events/kafka_producer.py
index 4dfef4aa51..03d0a90c24 100644
--- a/portality/events/kafka_producer.py
+++ b/portality/events/kafka_producer.py
@@ -1,12 +1,52 @@
 import json
 from kafka import KafkaProducer
+from portality.core import app
+from portality import app_email
+from portality.events.shortcircuit import send_event as shortcircuit_send_event
+from portality.events.system_status_check import KafkaStatusCheck
 
 from portality.core import app as doajapp
 bootstrap_server = doajapp.config.get("KAFKA_BOOTSTRAP_SERVER")
 
-producer = KafkaProducer(bootstrap_servers=bootstrap_server, value_serializer=lambda v: json.dumps(v).encode('utf-8'))
+def handle_exception(error_msg, exception):
+    app.logger.exception(error_msg + str(exception))
+    app_email.send_mail(
+        to=[app.config.get('ADMIN_EMAIL', 'sysadmin@cottagelabs.com')],
+        fro=app.config.get('SYSTEM_EMAIL_FROM', 'helpdesk@doaj.org'),
+        subject='Alert: DOAJ Kafka send event error',
+        msg_body=error_msg + ": \n" + str(exception)
+    )
+
+producer = None
+
+def kafka_producer():
+    global producer
+    try:
+        if producer is None:
+            producer = KafkaProducer(bootstrap_servers=bootstrap_server, value_serializer=lambda v: json.dumps(v).encode('utf-8'))
+    except Exception as exp:
+        producer = None
+        handle_exception("Error in setting up kafka connection", exp)
+    return producer
+
+try:
+    kafka_status = KafkaStatusCheck()
+except Exception as exp:
+    kafka_status = None
+    handle_exception("Error in setting up Redis for kafka events", exp)
 
 
 def send_event(event):
-    future = producer.send('events', value=event.serialise())
-    future.get(timeout=60)
\ No newline at end of file
+    try:
+        if kafka_status and kafka_status.is_active() and kafka_producer():
+            future = producer.send('events', value=event.serialise())
+            future.get(timeout=60)
+        else:
+            shortcircuit_send_event(event)
+    except Exception as e:
+        try:
+            kafka_status.set_kafka_inactive_redis()
+        except Exception as exp:
+            handle_exception("Failed to set kafka inactive status in Redis", exp)
+        shortcircuit_send_event(event)
+        handle_exception("Failed to send event to Kafka.", e)
diff --git a/portality/events/system_status_check.py b/portality/events/system_status_check.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e0facc3fbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/portality/events/system_status_check.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+import redis
+from portality import constants
+from portality.core import app
+from portality.lib import dates
+
+class KafkaStatusCheck:
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.is_kafka_active = True
+        self.time_gap = app.config['TIME_GAP_REDIS_KAFKA']
+        self.last_time = dates.now()
+        redis_host = app.config['HUEY_REDIS_HOST']
+        redis_port = app.config['HUEY_REDIS_PORT']
+        self.redis_conn = redis.StrictRedis(host=redis_host, port=redis_port, db=0)
+
+    def is_active(self):
+        if self.can_check_in_redis():
+            self.is_kafka_active = self.is_kafka_active_redis()
+        return self.is_kafka_active
+
+    def can_check_in_redis(self):
+        time_diff = dates.now() - self.last_time
+        if time_diff.seconds > self.time_gap:
+            self.last_time = dates.now()
+            return True
+
+        return False
+
+    def is_kafka_active_redis(self):
+        value = self.redis_conn.get(constants.KAFKA_ACTIVE_STATUS)
+        # set the key value if not set
+        if value is None:
+            self.set_default_kafka_status()
+            return True
+        return value.decode('utf-8').lower() == "true"
+
+    def set_default_kafka_status(self):
+        self.redis_conn.set(constants.KAFKA_ACTIVE_STATUS, "true")
+
+    def set_kafka_inactive_redis(self):
+        self.redis_conn.set(constants.KAFKA_ACTIVE_STATUS, "false")
diff --git a/portality/settings.py b/portality/settings.py
index 2bffdbab8a..f4c645782c 100644
--- a/portality/settings.py
+++ b/portality/settings.py
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@
 KAFKA_BROKER = "kafka://localhost:9092"
 KAFKA_EVENTS_TOPIC = "events"
 KAFKA_BOOTSTRAP_SERVER = "localhost:9092"
+# Time gap interval in seconds to query redis server
+TIME_GAP_REDIS_KAFKA = 60 * 60
 
 ###########################################
 # Read Only Mode