diff --git a/pyomo/solvers/plugins/solvers/xpress_direct.py b/pyomo/solvers/plugins/solvers/xpress_direct.py
index 1064a985a72..0e7f4dd7ce3 100644
--- a/pyomo/solvers/plugins/solvers/xpress_direct.py
+++ b/pyomo/solvers/plugins/solvers/xpress_direct.py
@@ -257,12 +257,24 @@ def __init__(self, **kwds):
     def available(self, exception_flag=True):
         """True if the solver is available."""
 
-        if exception_flag and not xpress_available:
-            xpress.log_import_warning(logger=__name__)
-            raise ApplicationError(
-                "No Python bindings available for %s solver plugin" % (type(self),)
-            )
-        return bool(xpress_available)
+        if not xpress_available:
+            if exception_flag:
+                xpress.log_import_warning(logger=__name__)
+                raise ApplicationError(
+                    "No Python bindings available for %s solver plugin" % (type(self),)
+                )
+            return False
+
+        # Check that there is a valid license
+        try:
+            xpress.init()
+            return True
+        except:
+            if exception_flag:
+                raise
+            return False
+        finally:
+            xpress.free()
 
     def _apply_solver(self):
         StaleFlagManager.mark_all_as_stale()
diff --git a/pyomo/solvers/tests/checks/test_xpress_persistent.py b/pyomo/solvers/tests/checks/test_xpress_persistent.py
index 50966ab6184..d5107f9dda7 100644
--- a/pyomo/solvers/tests/checks/test_xpress_persistent.py
+++ b/pyomo/solvers/tests/checks/test_xpress_persistent.py
@@ -8,12 +8,18 @@
 #  rights in this software.
 #  This software is distributed under the 3-clause BSD License.
 #  ___________________________________________________________________________
+import logging
 
 import pyomo.common.unittest as unittest
 import pyomo.environ as pe
+import pyomo.solvers.plugins.solvers.xpress_direct as xpd
+
+from pyomo.common.log import LoggingIntercept
 from pyomo.core.expr.taylor_series import taylor_series_expansion
-from pyomo.solvers.plugins.solvers.xpress_direct import xpress_available
 from pyomo.opt.results.solver import TerminationCondition, SolverStatus
+from pyomo.solvers.plugins.solvers.xpress_persistent import XpressPersistent
+
+xpress_available = pe.SolverFactory('xpress_persistent').available(False)
 
 
 class TestXpressPersistent(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -329,3 +335,52 @@ def test_nonconvexqp_infeasible(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             results.solver.termination_condition, TerminationCondition.infeasible
         )
+
+    def test_available(self):
+        class mock_xpress(object):
+            def __init__(self, importable, initable):
+                self._initable = initable
+                xpd.xpress_available = importable
+
+            def log_import_warning(self, logger):
+                logging.getLogger(logger).warning("import warning")
+
+            def init(self):
+                if not self._initable:
+                    raise RuntimeError("init failed")
+
+            def free(self):
+                pass
+
+        orig = xpd.xpress, xpd.xpress_available
+        try:
+            _xpress_persistent = XpressPersistent
+            xpd.xpress = mock_xpress(True, True)
+            with LoggingIntercept() as LOG:
+                self.assertTrue(XpressPersistent().available(True))
+                self.assertTrue(XpressPersistent().available(False))
+            self.assertEqual(LOG.getvalue(), "")
+
+            xpd.xpress = mock_xpress(False, False)
+            with LoggingIntercept() as LOG:
+                self.assertFalse(XpressPersistent().available(False))
+            self.assertEqual(LOG.getvalue(), "")
+            with LoggingIntercept() as LOG:
+                with self.assertRaisesRegex(
+                    xpd.ApplicationError,
+                    "No Python bindings available for .*XpressPersistent.* "
+                    "solver plugin",
+                ):
+                    XpressPersistent().available(True)
+            self.assertEqual(LOG.getvalue(), "import warning\n")
+
+            xpd.xpress = mock_xpress(True, False)
+            with LoggingIntercept() as LOG:
+                self.assertFalse(XpressPersistent().available(False))
+            self.assertEqual(LOG.getvalue(), "")
+            with LoggingIntercept() as LOG:
+                with self.assertRaisesRegex(RuntimeError, "init failed"):
+                    XpressPersistent().available(True)
+            self.assertEqual(LOG.getvalue(), "")
+        finally:
+            xpd.xpress, xpd.xpress_available = orig