diff --git a/app/models/domain.rb b/app/models/domain.rb
index ebd493871..be2689558 100644
--- a/app/models/domain.rb
+++ b/app/models/domain.rb
@@ -265,44 +265,56 @@ class Domain < ActiveRecord::Base
       STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} - Expiring domains\n" unless Rails.env.test?
 
       domains = Domain.where('valid_to <= ?', Time.zone.now)
+      marked = 0
+      real = 0
       domains.each do |domain|
         next unless domain.expirable?
+        real += 1
         domain.set_graceful_expired
         DomainMailer.expiration_reminder(domain.id).deliver_in(Setting.expiration_reminder_mail.days)
         STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} Domain.start_expire_period: ##{domain.id} (#{domain.name}) #{domain.changes}\n" unless Rails.env.test?
-        domain.save
+        domain.save and marked += 1
       end
 
-      STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} - Successfully expired #{domains.count} domains\n" unless Rails.env.test?
+      STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} - Successfully expired #{marked} of #{real} domains\n" unless Rails.env.test?
     end
 
     def start_redemption_grace_period
       STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} - Setting server_hold to domains\n" unless Rails.env.test?
 
       d = Domain.where('outzone_at <= ?', Time.zone.now)
+      marked = 0
+      real = 0
       d.each do |domain|
         next unless domain.server_holdable?
+        real += 1
         domain.statuses << DomainStatus::SERVER_HOLD
         STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} Domain.start_redemption_grace_period: ##{domain.id} (#{domain.name}) #{domain.changes}\n" unless Rails.env.test?
-        domain.save
+        domain.save and marked += 1
       end
 
-      STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} - Successfully set server_hold to #{d.count} domains\n" unless Rails.env.test?
+      STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} - Successfully set server_hold to #{marked} of #{real} domains\n" unless Rails.env.test?
+      marked
     end
 
     def start_delete_period
-      STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} - Setting delete_candidate to domains\n" unless Rails.env.test?
+      begin
+        STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} - Setting delete_candidate to domains\n" unless Rails.env.test?
 
-      d = Domain.where('delete_at <= ?', Time.zone.now)
-      d.each do |domain|
-        next unless domain.delete_candidateable?
-        domain.statuses << DomainStatus::DELETE_CANDIDATE
-        STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} Domain.start_delete_period: ##{domain.id} (#{domain.name}) #{domain.changes}\n" unless Rails.env.test?
-        domain.save
+        d = Domain.where('delete_at <= ?', Time.zone.now)
+        marked = 0
+        real = 0
+        d.each do |domain|
+          next unless domain.delete_candidateable?
+          real += 1
+          domain.statuses << DomainStatus::DELETE_CANDIDATE
+          STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} Domain.start_delete_period: ##{domain.id} (#{domain.name}) #{domain.changes}\n" unless Rails.env.test?
+          domain.save and marked += 1
+        end
+      ensure # the operator should see what was accomplished
+        STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} - Finished setting delete_candidate -  #{marked} out of #{real} successfully set\n" unless Rails.env.test?
       end
-
-      return if Rails.env.test?
-      STDOUT << "#{Time.zone.now.utc} - Successfully set delete_candidate to #{d.count} domains\n"
+      marked
     end
 
     # rubocop:disable Rails/FindEach