diff --git a/nb2workflow/nbadapter.py b/nb2workflow/nbadapter.py
index f492378b..c7ee3f28 100644
--- a/nb2workflow/nbadapter.py
+++ b/nb2workflow/nbadapter.py
@@ -238,18 +238,23 @@ def as_dict(self):
 class NotebookAdapter:
     limit_output_attachment_file = None
 
-    def __init__(self, notebook_fn):
+    def __init__(self, notebook_fn, tempdir_cache=None):
         self.notebook_fn = os.path.abspath(notebook_fn)
         self.name = notebook_short_name(notebook_fn)
+        self.tempdir_cache = tempdir_cache
         logger.debug("notebook adapter for %s", self.notebook_fn)
         logger.debug(self.extract_parameters())
 
-    def new_tmpdir(self):
+    def new_tmpdir(self, cache_key=None):
         logger.debug("tmpdir was "+getattr(self,'_tmpdir','unset'))
         self._tmpdir = None
         logger.debug("tmpdir became %s", self._tmpdir)
 
-        return self.tmpdir
+        newdir = self.tmpdir
+        if ( self.tempdir_cache is not None ) and ( cache_key is not None ):
+            self.tempdir_cache[cache_key] = newdir
+        
+        return newdir
 
     @property
     def tmpdir(self):
@@ -407,12 +412,12 @@ def update_summary(self, **d):
 
         
 
-    def execute(self, parameters, progress_bar = True, log_output = True, inplace=False):
+    def execute(self, parameters, progress_bar = True, log_output = True, inplace=False, tmpdir_key=None):
         t0 = time.time()
         logstasher.log(dict(origin="nb2workflow.execute", event="starting", parameters=parameters, workflow_name=notebook_short_name(self.notebook_fn), health=current_health()))
 
         logger.info("starting job")
-        exceptions = self._execute(parameters, progress_bar, log_output, inplace)
+        exceptions = self._execute(parameters, progress_bar, log_output, inplace, tmpdir_key)
             
         tspent = time.time() - t0
         logstasher.log(dict(origin="nb2workflow.execute", 
@@ -425,10 +430,10 @@ def execute(self, parameters, progress_bar = True, log_output = True, inplace=Fa
 
         return exceptions
 
-    def _execute(self, parameters, progress_bar = True, log_output = True, inplace=False):
+    def _execute(self, parameters, progress_bar = True, log_output = True, inplace=False, tmpdir_key=None):
 
         if not inplace :
-            tmpdir = self.new_tmpdir()
+            tmpdir = self.new_tmpdir(tmpdir_key)
             logger.info("new tmpdir: %s", tmpdir)
 
             try:
diff --git a/nb2workflow/service.py b/nb2workflow/service.py
index 0dff2896..7c91a3de 100644
--- a/nb2workflow/service.py
+++ b/nb2workflow/service.py
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ def create_app():
 app = create_app()
 
 app.async_workflows = dict()
+app.async_workflow_jobdirs = dict()
 app.started_at = datetime.datetime.now()
 
 
@@ -172,10 +173,11 @@ def _run(self):
 
         template_nba = app.notebook_adapters.get(self.target)
 
-        nba = NotebookAdapter(template_nba.notebook_fn)
+        nba = NotebookAdapter(template_nba.notebook_fn, tempdir_cache=app.async_workflow_jobdirs)
 
         try:
-            exceptions = nba.execute(self.params['request_parameters'])
+            exceptions = nba.execute(self.params['request_parameters'], tmpdir_key=self.key)
+            
         except PapermillWorkflowIncomplete as e:
             logger.info("found incomplete workflow: %s, rescheduling", repr(e))
 
@@ -286,19 +288,34 @@ def workflow(target, background=False, async_request=False):
         print('cache key/value', key, value)
 
         if value is None:
-            async_task = AsyncWorkflow(
-                key=key, target=target, params=interpreted_parameters, callback=async_request_callback)
-
-            async_queue.put(async_task)
+            async_task = AsyncWorkflow(key=key, 
+                                       target=target, 
+                                       params=interpreted_parameters, 
+                                       callback=async_request_callback)
 
             app.async_workflows[key] = 'submitted'
-            return make_response(jsonify(workflow_status="submitted", comment="task created"), 201)
+            async_queue.put(async_task)
 
-        elif value in ['started', 'submitted']:
-            return make_response(jsonify(workflow_status=value, comment="task is "+value), 201)
+            return make_response(jsonify(workflow_status="submitted", 
+                                         comment="task created"), 
+                                 201)
+
+        elif value == 'submitted':
+            return make_response(jsonify(workflow_status=value, 
+                                         comment="task is "+value), 
+                                 201)
+            
+        elif value == 'started':
+            return make_response(jsonify(workflow_status=value, 
+                                         comment="task is "+value,
+                                         jobdir=app.async_workflow_jobdirs.get(key)), 
+                                 201)
 
         else:
-            return make_response(jsonify(workflow_status="done", data=value, comment=""), 200)
+            return make_response(jsonify(workflow_status="done", 
+                                         data=value, 
+                                         comment=""), 
+                                 200)
 
     if len(issues) > 0:
         return make_response(jsonify(issues=issues), 400)
diff --git a/tests/test_service.py b/tests/test_service.py
index b7ea94fb..b03c46b1 100644
--- a/tests/test_service.py
+++ b/tests/test_service.py
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ def test_worker_run():
 
         logger.info('service returns %s %s', r, r.json)
 
+        if r.json['workflow_status'] == 'started':
+            assert 'jobdir' in r.json
+            logger.info('jobdir is reported as %s', r.json['jobdir'])
+        
         if r.json['workflow_status'] == 'done':
             logger.info('workflow done!')
             break