diff --git a/cmd/droned/drone.go b/cmd/droned/drone.go
index e8d0e2ab6..1087fbed4 100644
--- a/cmd/droned/drone.go
+++ b/cmd/droned/drone.go
@@ -122,12 +122,12 @@ func setupDatabase() {
 // the drone process was shut down mid-build and thus the
 // builds will never complete.
 func discardOldBuilds() {
-	err := database.FailStartedBuilds()
+	err := database.FailUnfinishedBuilds()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
-	err = database.FailStartedCommits()
+	err = database.FailUnfinishedCommits()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/database/builds.go b/pkg/database/builds.go
index c589b625c..a77f7ec2e 100644
--- a/pkg/database/builds.go
+++ b/pkg/database/builds.go
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ SET status = 'Failure'
 WHERE status = 'Started'
 `
 
+// SQL Queries to fail all builds that are pending
+const buildFailPendingStmt = `
+UPDATE builds
+SET status = 'Failure'
+WHERE status = 'Pending'
+`
+
 // SQL Queries to delete a Commit.
 const buildDeleteStmt = `
 DELETE FROM builds WHERE id = ?
@@ -77,7 +84,12 @@ func ListBuilds(id int64) ([]*Build, error) {
 	return builds, err
 }
 
-func FailStartedBuilds() error {
+func FailUnfinishedBuilds() error {
 	_, err := db.Exec(buildFailStartedStmt)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	_, err = db.Exec(buildFailPendingStmt)
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/database/commits.go b/pkg/database/commits.go
index b58f3f8d9..26c7f0fea 100644
--- a/pkg/database/commits.go
+++ b/pkg/database/commits.go
@@ -113,6 +113,13 @@ SET status = 'Failure'
 WHERE status = 'Started'
 `
 
+// SQL Queries to fail all commits that are currently pending
+const commitFailPendingStmt = `
+UPDATE commits
+SET status = 'Failure'
+WHERE status = 'Started'
+`
+
 // Returns the Commit with the given ID.
 func GetCommit(id int64) (*Commit, error) {
 	commit := Commit{}
@@ -180,7 +187,12 @@ func ListBranches(repo int64) ([]*Commit, error) {
 	return commits, err
 }
 
-func FailStartedCommits() error {
+func FailUnfinishedCommits() error {
 	_, err := db.Exec(commitFailStartedStmt)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	_, err = db.Exec(commitFailPendingStmt)
 	return err
 }