diff --git a/nb2workflow/service.py b/nb2workflow/service.py
index aca9f2cd..1d4808b0 100644
--- a/nb2workflow/service.py
+++ b/nb2workflow/service.py
@@ -168,12 +168,12 @@ def _run(self):
             async_queue.put(self)
             app.async_workflows[self.key] = 'submitted'
             return
-
-        app.async_workflows[self.key] = 'started'
-
+       
         template_nba = app.notebook_adapters.get(self.target)
-
         nba = NotebookAdapter(template_nba.notebook_fn, tempdir_cache=app.async_workflow_jobdirs)
+        
+        app.async_workflows[self.key] = 'started'
+        self.perform_callback(action='progress')
 
         try:
             exceptions = nba.execute(self.params['request_parameters'], callback_url=self.callback, tmpdir_key=self.key)
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ def _run(self):
 
         self.perform_callback()
 
-    def perform_callback(self):
+    def perform_callback(self, action='done'):
         if self.callback is None:
             logger.info('no callback registered, skipping')
             return
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ def perform_callback(self):
         result = app.async_workflows[self.key]
 
         callback_payload = dict(
-            action='done'
+            action=action
         )
         
         if re.match('^file://', self.callback):
diff --git a/tests/test_service.py b/tests/test_service.py
index b03c46b1..dcc91f64 100644
--- a/tests/test_service.py
+++ b/tests/test_service.py
@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ def test_worker_run():
 
 
     while True:
-        if os.path.exists(callback_fn):
-            callback_json = json.load(open(callback_fn))
+        # if os.path.exists(callback_fn):
+        #     callback_json = json.load(open(callback_fn))
             # assert callback_json['action'] == 'done'
         
         options = client.get('/api/v1.0/options')