diff --git a/api.py b/api.py
index 800985714..05ff5c3e8 100644
--- a/api.py
+++ b/api.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import os
 import argparse
 import asyncio
+import time
 
 import json
 import signal
@@ -421,6 +422,26 @@ async def server_worker_start(
 
     with storage.open(get_global_log_path(), "a") as global_log:
         global_log.write(f"Model loaded successfully: {model_name}\n")
+
+    try:
+        job = job_get(job_id)
+        experiment_id = job.get("experiment_id")
+        await job_update_status(job_id=job_id, status="RUNNING", experiment_id=experiment_id)
+    except Exception:
+        # best effort only
+        pass
+    try:
+        from lab import Job  # noqa: used for manipulating job_data directly
+
+        j = Job.get(job_id)
+        jd = j.get_job_data() or {}
+        tail = jd.get("tail", [])
+        tail.append(f"{time.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')} | INFO | launcher | Process started, waiting for readiness")
+        jd["tail"] = tail
+        j.set_job_data(jd)
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
     return {"status": "success", "job_id": job_id}
 
 
diff --git a/transformerlab/shared/shared.py b/transformerlab/shared/shared.py
index 8403ee6dd..37ccad0fd 100644
--- a/transformerlab/shared/shared.py
+++ b/transformerlab/shared/shared.py
@@ -271,8 +271,18 @@ async def async_run_python_daemon_and_update_status(
         with storage.open(pid_file, "w") as f:
             f.write(str(pid))
 
+        # Mark job as RUNNING immediately after process starts so frontend sees progress
+        try:
+            job = job_service.job_get(job_id)
+            experiment_id = job.get("experiment_id")
+            await job_update_status(job_id=job_id, status="RUNNING", experiment_id=experiment_id)
+        except Exception:
+            # best effort only
+            pass
+
         # keep a tail of recent lines so we can show them on failure:
-        recent_lines = deque(maxlen=10)
+        recent_lines = deque(maxlen=50)
+        last_update_time = 0.0
 
         line = await process.stdout.readline()
         error_msg = None
@@ -280,6 +290,20 @@ async def async_run_python_daemon_and_update_status(
             decoded = line.decode()
             recent_lines.append(decoded.strip())
 
+            try:
+                now = time.time()
+                if now - last_update_time >= 1.0:
+                    try:
+                        job = Job.get(job_id)
+                        job_data = job.get_job_data() or {}
+                        job_data["tail"] = list(recent_lines)
+                        job.set_job_data(job_data)
+                    except Exception:
+                        # Best-effort only; don't fail the loop
+                        pass
+                    last_update_time = now
+            except Exception:
+                pass
             # If we hit the begin_string then the daemon is started and we can return!
             if begin_string in decoded:
                 if set_process_id_function is not None:
@@ -288,7 +312,8 @@ async def async_run_python_daemon_and_update_status(
                 print(f"Worker job {job_id} started successfully")
                 job = job_service.job_get(job_id)
                 experiment_id = job["experiment_id"]
-                await job_update_status(job_id=job_id, status="COMPLETE", experiment_id=experiment_id)
+
+                await job_update_status(job_id=job_id, status="RUNNING", experiment_id=experiment_id)
 
                 # Schedule the read_process_output coroutine in the current event
                 # so we can keep watching this process, but return back to the caller