diff --git a/sysprep/activate_instance.ps1 b/sysprep/activate_instance.ps1
index 6cbbb6c0..6797f9f5 100644
--- a/sysprep/activate_instance.ps1
+++ b/sysprep/activate_instance.ps1
@@ -266,17 +266,33 @@ function Verify-ActivationStatus {
   [String]$activation_status = $null
   [String]$status = $null
 
-  try {
-    $slmgr_status = & cscript //E:VBScript //nologo $env:windir\system32\slmgr.vbs /dli
-  }
-  catch {
-    return $active
+  # Server 2008 doesn't store activation status in registry; check slmgr
+  if([Environment]::OSVersion.Version.Major -eq 6 -and [Environment]::OSVersion.Version.Minor -le 1)
+  {
+    try {
+      $slmgr_status = & cscript //E:VBScript //nologo $env:windir\system32\slmgr.vbs /dli
+    }
+    catch {
+      Write-Host "Error getting slmgr license status output."
+    }
+    $status = $slmgr_status | Select-String -Pattern '^License Status:'
+    # The initial space is to ensure "Unlicensed" does not match.
+    if ($status -match ' Licensed') {
+      $active = $true
+    }
   }
-
-  $status = $slmgr_status | Select-String -Pattern '^License Status:'
-  # The initial space is to ensure "Unlicensed" does not match.
-  if ($status -match ' Licensed') {
-    $active = $true
+  # All server versions newer than 2008
+  else {
+    try {
+      $activation_status = (Get-ItemProperty -Path "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\Activation" -Name ProductActivationResult).ProductActivationResult
+    }
+    catch {
+      Write-Host "Error retrieving last activation result registry key."
+    }
+    # Anything other than 0x0 is a failure.
+    if ($activation_status -eq '0') {
+      $active = $true
+    }
   }
   return $active
 }