A system and method for selectively operating a fuel cell stack in response to loss of a voltage signal from one or more fuel cells in the stack. If the voltage signal from the one or more fuel cells is lost, the method performs one or more remedial actions to cause the fuel cell stack to operate in a more stack safe condition. The method then determines whether the cell or cells whose voltage signal is lost was healthy, such as operating above a predetermined voltage threshold, prior to the voltage signal being lost. If the cell voltage signal was above the voltage threshold, then the fuel cell stack is operated normally under the remedial actions, and if the voltage signal is below the voltage threshold, then the fuel cell stack is operated in a power limitation mode.