diff --git a/lib/ldclient-rb/impl/data_source/polling.rb b/lib/ldclient-rb/impl/data_source/polling.rb
index 13e22448..6f01138b 100644
--- a/lib/ldclient-rb/impl/data_source/polling.rb
+++ b/lib/ldclient-rb/impl/data_source/polling.rb
@@ -67,8 +67,11 @@ def poll
                 error_info
               )
             else
-              @ready.set  # if client was waiting on us, make it stop waiting - has no effect if already set
+              # Publish the OFF status before releasing anyone waiting on the
+              # ready event, so a client that returns from start can rely on the
+              # data source status already reflecting the failure.
               stop_with_error_info error_info
+              @ready.set  # if client was waiting on us, make it stop waiting - has no effect if already set
             end
           rescue StandardError => e
             Impl::Util.log_exception(@config.logger, "Exception while polling", e)
diff --git a/spec/impl/data_store_spec.rb b/spec/impl/data_store_spec.rb
index cce0964e..2a1a6789 100644
--- a/spec/impl/data_store_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/impl/data_store_spec.rb
@@ -36,25 +36,25 @@ module DataStore
 
         describe "hash" do
           it "constant instances are equal to themselves" do
-            expect(FEATURES.hash).to be FEATURES.hash
-            expect(SEGMENTS.hash).to be SEGMENTS.hash
+            expect(FEATURES.hash).to eq FEATURES.hash
+            expect(SEGMENTS.hash).to eq SEGMENTS.hash
           end
 
           it "same constructions are equal" do
-            expect(FEATURES.hash).to be DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 1).hash
-            expect(DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 1).hash).to be DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 1).hash
+            expect(FEATURES.hash).to eq DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 1).hash
+            expect(DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 1).hash).to eq DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 1).hash
 
-            expect(SEGMENTS.hash).to be DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 0).hash
-            expect(DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 0).hash).to be DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 0).hash
+            expect(SEGMENTS.hash).to eq DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 0).hash
+            expect(DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 0).hash).to eq DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 0).hash
           end
 
           it "distinct namespaces are not equal" do
-            expect(DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 1).hash).not_to be DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 1).hash
+            expect(DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 1).hash).not_to eq DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 1).hash
           end
 
           it "distinct priorities are not equal" do
-            expect(DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 1).hash).not_to be DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 2).hash
-            expect(DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 1).hash).not_to be DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 2).hash
+            expect(DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 1).hash).not_to eq DataKind.new(namespace: "features", priority: 2).hash
+            expect(DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 1).hash).not_to eq DataKind.new(namespace: "segments", priority: 2).hash
           end
         end
       end