diff --git a/cmd/droned/drone.go b/cmd/droned/drone.go
index 607716fe2..616d87cea 100644
--- a/cmd/droned/drone.go
+++ b/cmd/droned/drone.go
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ func main() {
 	if err := database.Init(driver, datasource); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal("Can't initialize database: ", err)
 	}
+	discardOldBuilds()
 	setupStatic()
 	setupHandlers()
 
@@ -89,6 +90,22 @@ func checkTLSFlags() {
 
 }
 
+// discardOldBuilds sets builds that are in the 'Started'
+// state to 'Failure' on startup. The assumption is that
+// the drone process was shut down mid-build and thus the
+// builds will never complete.
+func discardOldBuilds() {
+	err := database.FailUnfinishedBuilds()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	err = database.FailUnfinishedCommits()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
 // setup routes for static assets. These assets may
 // be directly embedded inside the application using
 // the `rice embed` command, else they are served from disk.
diff --git a/pkg/database/builds.go b/pkg/database/builds.go
index 8aacf32dd..fefe1e7bb 100644
--- a/pkg/database/builds.go
+++ b/pkg/database/builds.go
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ WHERE slug = ? AND commit_id = ?
 LIMIT 1
 `
 
+// SQL Queries to fail all builds that are running or pending
+const buildFailUnfinishedStmt = `
+UPDATE builds
+SET status = 'Failure'
+WHERE status IN ('Started', 'Pending')
+`
+
 // SQL Queries to delete a Commit.
 const buildDeleteStmt = `
 DELETE FROM builds WHERE id = ?
@@ -69,3 +76,10 @@ func ListBuilds(id int64) ([]*Build, error) {
 	err := meddler.QueryAll(db, &builds, buildStmt, id)
 	return builds, err
 }
+
+// FailUnfinishedBuilds sets status=Failure to all builds
+// in the Pending and Started states
+func FailUnfinishedBuilds() error {
+	_, err := db.Exec(buildFailUnfinishedStmt)
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/pkg/database/commits.go b/pkg/database/commits.go
index 883d3d065..743f32d14 100644
--- a/pkg/database/commits.go
+++ b/pkg/database/commits.go
@@ -101,11 +101,18 @@ WHERE id IN (
     SELECT MAX(id)
     FROM commits
     WHERE repo_id = ?
-    AND   branch  = ? 
+    AND   branch  = ?
     GROUP BY branch)
 LIMIT 1
  `
 
+// SQL Queries to fail all commits that are currently building
+const commitFailUnfinishedStmt = `
+UPDATE commits
+SET status = 'Failure'
+WHERE status IN ('Started', 'Pending')
+`
+
 // Returns the Commit with the given ID.
 func GetCommit(id int64) (*Commit, error) {
 	commit := Commit{}
@@ -172,3 +179,8 @@ func ListBranches(repo int64) ([]*Commit, error) {
 	err := meddler.QueryAll(db, &commits, commitBranchesStmt, repo)
 	return commits, err
 }
+
+func FailUnfinishedCommits() error {
+	_, err := db.Exec(commitFailUnfinishedStmt)
+	return err
+}