diff --git a/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py b/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py
index 05550429b..438ff7dbb 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/importers/importer.py
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ def import_item_task(item_id):
     except Exception as err:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
         item.fail_reason = _("Error loading book")
         item.save()
+        item.update_job()
         raise err
 
     if item.book:
@@ -135,6 +136,7 @@ def import_item_task(item_id):
         item.fail_reason = _("Could not find a match for book")
 
     item.save()
+    item.update_job()
 
 
 def handle_imported_book(item):
@@ -144,6 +146,8 @@ def handle_imported_book(item):
     if isinstance(item.book, models.Work):
         item.book = item.book.default_edition
     if not item.book:
+        item.fail_reason = _("Error loading book")
+        item.save()
         return
     if not isinstance(item.book, models.Edition):
         item.book = item.book.edition
diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0116_auto_20211114_1700.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0116_auto_20211114_1700.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ff71b89ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0116_auto_20211114_1700.py
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.5 on 2021-11-14 17:00
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+import django.utils.timezone
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('bookwyrm', '0115_importitem_linked_review'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RemoveField(
+            model_name='importjob',
+            name='complete',
+        ),
+        migrations.RemoveField(
+            model_name='importjob',
+            name='task_id',
+        ),
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='importjob',
+            name='completed_count',
+            field=models.IntegerField(default=0),
+        ),
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='importjob',
+            name='updated_date',
+            field=models.DateTimeField(default=django.utils.timezone.now),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py b/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
index 753662d65..953ae3946 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/import_job.py
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ class ImportJob(models.Model):
 
     user = models.ForeignKey(User, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
     created_date = models.DateTimeField(default=timezone.now)
-    task_id = models.CharField(max_length=100, null=True)  # TODO: deprecated
     include_reviews = models.BooleanField(default=True)
     mappings = models.JSONField()
-    complete = models.BooleanField(default=False)
+    updated_date = models.DateTimeField(default=timezone.now)
+    completed_count = models.IntegerField(default=0)
     source = models.CharField(max_length=100)
     privacy = models.CharField(
         max_length=255, default="public", choices=PrivacyLevels.choices
@@ -66,6 +66,12 @@ class ImportItem(models.Model):
         "Review", on_delete=models.SET_NULL, null=True, blank=True
     )
 
+    def update_job(self):
+        """this user is here! they are doing things!"""
+        self.job.completed_count += 1
+        self.job.updated_date = timezone.now()
+        self.job.save()
+
     def resolve(self):
         """try various ways to lookup a book"""
         # we might be calling this after manually adding the book,