diff --git a/src/escpos/constants.py b/src/escpos/constants.py
index 34684840..976d620f 100644
--- a/src/escpos/constants.py
+++ b/src/escpos/constants.py
@@ -299,7 +299,8 @@
 RT_STATUS: bytes = DLE + EOT
 RT_STATUS_ONLINE: bytes = RT_STATUS + b"\x01"
 RT_STATUS_PAPER: bytes = RT_STATUS + b"\x04"
-RT_MASK_ONLINE: int = 8
+RT_MASK_ONLINE: int = 18
+RT_MASK_OFFLINE: int = 26
 RT_MASK_PAPER: int = 18
 RT_MASK_LOWPAPER: int = 30
 RT_MASK_NOPAPER: int = 114
diff --git a/src/escpos/escpos.py b/src/escpos/escpos.py
index fc00e713..f28bd3f9 100644
--- a/src/escpos/escpos.py
+++ b/src/escpos/escpos.py
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
     QR_MODEL_2,
     RT_MASK_LOWPAPER,
     RT_MASK_NOPAPER,
-    RT_MASK_ONLINE,
+    RT_MASK_OFFLINE,
     RT_MASK_PAPER,
     RT_STATUS_ONLINE,
     RT_STATUS_PAPER,
@@ -1442,7 +1442,7 @@ def is_online(self) -> bool:
         status = self.query_status(RT_STATUS_ONLINE)
         if len(status) == 0:
             return False
-        return not (status[0] & RT_MASK_ONLINE)
+        return not (status[0] & RT_MASK_OFFLINE == RT_MASK_OFFLINE)
 
     def paper_status(self) -> int:  # could be IntEnum
         """Query the paper status of the printer.
diff --git a/src/escpos/printer/cups.py b/src/escpos/printer/cups.py
index bdd53c31..02d09306 100644
--- a/src/escpos/printer/cups.py
+++ b/src/escpos/printer/cups.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import tempfile
 from typing import Literal, Optional, Type, Union
 
+from ..constants import RT_MASK_OFFLINE, RT_MASK_ONLINE
 from ..escpos import Escpos
 from ..exceptions import DeviceNotFoundError
 
@@ -206,8 +207,8 @@ def _read(self) -> bytes:
         printer = self.printers.get(self.printer_name, {})
         state = printer.get("printer-state")
         if not state or state in [4, 5]:
-            return b"8"  # offline
-        return b"0"  # online
+            return bytes([RT_MASK_OFFLINE])
+        return bytes([RT_MASK_ONLINE])
 
     def close(self) -> None:
         """Close CUPS connection.
diff --git a/test/test_printers/test_printer_cups.py b/test/test_printers/test_printer_cups.py
index 85edfe32..e7d76835 100644
--- a/test/test_printers/test_printer_cups.py
+++ b/test/test_printers/test_printer_cups.py
@@ -169,8 +169,33 @@ def test_printers_no_device(cupsprinter) -> None:
 def test_read_no_device(cupsprinter) -> None:
     """
     GIVEN a cups printer object
-    WHEN device is None
-    THEN check the return value is b'8'
+    WHEN device is None while querying for printer status
+    THEN check the return value is the byte '\x1a'
     """
     cupsprinter.device = None
-    assert cupsprinter._read() == b"8"
+    assert cupsprinter._read() == bytes([26])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "state,expected",
+    [
+        pytest.param(3, bytes([18])),
+        pytest.param(4, bytes([26])),
+        pytest.param(5, bytes([26])),
+    ],
+)
+def test_read(cupsprinter, mocker, state, expected) -> None:
+    """
+    GIVEN a cups printer object and a mocked pycups device
+    WHEN querying for printer status
+    THEN check the return value is the expected
+    """
+    mocker.patch("cups.Connection")
+    mocker.patch(
+        "escpos.printer.CupsPrinter.printers",
+        new={"test_printer": {"printer-state": state}},
+    )
+
+    cupsprinter.printer_name = "test_printer"
+
+    assert cupsprinter._read() == expected