diff --git a/src/backups.js b/src/backups.js
index cdc1543fc..0daf8f59a 100644
--- a/src/backups.js
+++ b/src/backups.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ exports = module.exports = {
 
     get: get,
 
+    startBackupTask: startBackupTask,
     ensureBackup: ensureBackup,
 
     restore: restore,
@@ -44,7 +45,10 @@ var addons = require('./addons.js'),
     database = require('./database.js'),
     DatabaseError = require('./databaseerror.js'),
     debug = require('debug')('box:backups'),
+    eventlog = require('./eventlog.js'),
     fs = require('fs'),
+    locker = require('./locker.js'),
+    mailer = require('./mailer.js'),
     mkdirp = require('mkdirp'),
     once = require('once'),
     path = require('path'),
@@ -918,6 +922,25 @@ function backupBoxAndApps(progressCallback, callback) {
     });
 }
 
+function startBackupTask(auditSource, callback) {
+    let error = locker.lock(locker.OP_FULL_BACKUP);
+    if (error) return callback(error);
+
+    let task = tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, [], auditSource);
+    task.on('error', (error) => callback(new BackupsError(BackupsError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error)));
+    task.on('start', (taskId) => {
+        eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_BACKUP_START, auditSource, { taskId });
+        callback(null, taskId);
+    });
+    task.on('finish', (error, result) => {
+        locker.unlock(locker.OP_FULL_BACKUP);
+
+        if (error) mailer.backupFailed(error);
+
+        eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_BACKUP_FINISH, auditSource, { errorMessage: error ? error.message : null, backupId: result });
+    });
+}
+
 function ensureBackup(auditSource, callback) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof auditSource, 'object');
 
@@ -937,7 +960,7 @@ function ensureBackup(auditSource, callback) {
                 return callback(null);
             }
 
-            tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, {}, auditSource, callback);
+            startBackupTask(auditSource, callback);
         });
     });
 }
diff --git a/src/routes/backups.js b/src/routes/backups.js
index c354ac469..ff9942aeb 100644
--- a/src/routes/backups.js
+++ b/src/routes/backups.js
@@ -9,9 +9,7 @@ var backupdb = require('../backupdb.js'),
     backups = require('../backups.js'),
     BackupsError = require('../backups.js').BackupsError,
     HttpError = require('connect-lastmile').HttpError,
-    HttpSuccess = require('connect-lastmile').HttpSuccess,
-    tasks = require('../tasks.js'),
-    TasksError = require('../tasks.js').TasksError;
+    HttpSuccess = require('connect-lastmile').HttpSuccess;
 
 function auditSource(req) {
     var ip = req.headers['x-forwarded-for'] || req.connection.remoteAddress || null;
@@ -34,10 +32,8 @@ function list(req, res, next) {
 }
 
 function startBackup(req, res, next) {
-    // note that cloudron.backup only waits for backup initiation and not for backup to complete
-    // backup progress can be checked up ny polling the progress api call
-    tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, {}, auditSource(req), function (error, taskId) {
-        if (error && error.reason === TasksError.BAD_STATE) return next(new HttpError(409, error.message));
+    backups.startBackupTask(auditSource(req), function (error, taskId) {
+        if (error && error.reason === BackupsError.BAD_STATE) return next(new HttpError(409, error.message));
         if (error) return next(new HttpError(500, error));
 
         next(new HttpSuccess(202, { taskId }));
diff --git a/src/routes/sysadmin.js b/src/routes/sysadmin.js
index 62253efe7..427b78a54 100644
--- a/src/routes/sysadmin.js
+++ b/src/routes/sysadmin.js
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ exports = module.exports = {
 var apps = require('../apps.js'),
     AppsError = apps.AppsError,
     addons = require('../addons.js'),
+    backups = require('../backups.js'),
+    BackupsError = require('../backups.js').BackupsError,
     cloudron = require('../cloudron.js'),
     debug = require('debug')('box:routes/sysadmin'),
     HttpError = require('connect-lastmile').HttpError,
     HttpSuccess = require('connect-lastmile').HttpSuccess,
-    tasks = require('../tasks.js'),
-    TasksError = require('../tasks.js').TasksError,
     updater = require('../updater.js'),
     UpdaterError = require('../updater.js').UpdaterError;
 
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@ function backup(req, res, next) {
     // note that cloudron.backup only waits for backup initiation and not for backup to complete
     // backup progress can be checked up ny polling the progress api call
     var auditSource = { userId: null, username: 'sysadmin' };
-    tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, {}, auditSource, function (error, taskId) {
-        if (error && error.reason === TasksError.BAD_STATE) return next(new HttpError(409, error.message));
+    backups.startBackupTask(auditSource, function (error, taskId) {
+        if (error && error.reason === BackupsError.BAD_STATE) return next(new HttpError(409, error.message));
         if (error) return next(new HttpError(500, error));
 
         next(new HttpSuccess(202, { taskId }));
diff --git a/src/taskdb.js b/src/taskdb.js
index c2e0c9260..969ac99da 100644
--- a/src/taskdb.js
+++ b/src/taskdb.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function postProcess(result) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof result, 'object');
 
     assert(result.argsJson === null || typeof result.argsJson === 'string');
-    result.args = safe.JSON.parse(result.argsJson) || {};
+    result.args = safe.JSON.parse(result.argsJson) || [];
     delete result.argsJson;
 
     result.id = String(result.id);
diff --git a/src/tasks.js b/src/tasks.js
index eaf390e5d..9799a1324 100644
--- a/src/tasks.js
+++ b/src/tasks.js
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ exports = module.exports = {
 
     TaskError: TaskError,
 
-    // task types
+    // task types. if you add a task here, fill up the function table in taskworker
     TASK_BACKUP: 'backup',
     TASK_UPDATE: 'update',
     TASK_MIGRATE: 'migrate'
@@ -22,36 +22,16 @@ let assert = require('assert'),
     child_process = require('child_process'),
     DatabaseError = require('./databaseerror.js'),
     debug = require('debug')('box:tasks'),
-    eventlog = require('./eventlog.js'),
-    locker = require('./locker.js'),
-    mailer = require('./mailer.js'),
+    EventEmitter = require('events'),
     paths = require('./paths.js'),
     safe = require('safetydance'),
     spawn = require('child_process').spawn,
     split = require('split'),
     taskdb = require('./taskdb.js'),
-    util = require('util'),
-    _ = require('underscore');
+    util = require('util');
 
 const NOOP_CALLBACK = function (error) { if (error) debug(error); };
 
-const TASKS = { // indexed by task type
-    backup: {
-        lock: locker.OP_FULL_BACKUP,
-        program: __dirname + '/tasks/backuptask.js',
-        onFailure: mailer.backupFailed,
-        startEventId: eventlog.ACTION_BACKUP_START,
-        finishEventId: eventlog.ACTION_BACKUP_FINISH
-    },
-    update: {
-        lock: locker.OP_BOX_UPDATE,
-        program: __dirname + '/tasks/updatertask.js',
-        onFailure: NOOP_CALLBACK,
-        startEventId: eventlog.ACTION_UPDATE,
-        finishEventId: eventlog.ACTION_UPDATE
-    }
-};
-
 let gTasks = {}; // indexed by task id
 
 function TaskError(reason, errorOrMessage) {
@@ -106,33 +86,26 @@ function update(id, task, callback) {
     });
 }
 
-function startTask(type, args, auditSource, callback) {
+function startTask(type, args, auditSource) {
     assert.strictEqual(typeof type, 'string');
-    assert(args && typeof args === 'object');
+    assert(Array.isArray(args));
     assert.strictEqual(typeof auditSource, 'object');
-    assert.strictEqual(typeof callback, 'function');
 
-    const taskInfo = TASKS[type];
-    if (!taskInfo) return callback(new TaskError(TaskError.NOT_FOUND, 'No such task'));
-
-    let error = locker.lock(taskInfo.lock);
-    if (error) return callback(new TaskError(TaskError.BAD_STATE, error.message));
+    let events = new EventEmitter();
 
     taskdb.add({ type: type, percent: 0, message: 'Starting', args: args }, function (error, taskId) {
-        if (error) return callback(new TaskError(TaskError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
+        if (error) return events.emit('error', new TaskError(TaskError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
 
-        let fd = safe.fs.openSync(`${paths.TASKS_LOG_DIR}/${taskId}.log`, 'a'); // will autoclose
+        const logFile = `${paths.TASKS_LOG_DIR}/${taskId}.log`;
+        let fd = safe.fs.openSync(logFile, 'a'); // will autoclose
         if (!fd) {
             debug(`startTask: unable to get log filedescriptor ${safe.error.message}`);
-            locker.unlock(taskInfo.lock);
-            return callback(new TaskError(TaskError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error.message));
+            return events.emit('error', new TaskError(TaskError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error.message));
         }
 
-        debug(`startTask - starting task ${type}. logs at ${taskInfo.logFile}. id ${taskId}`);
+        debug(`startTask - starting task ${type}. logs at ${logFile} id ${taskId}`);
 
-        eventlog.add(taskInfo.startEventId, auditSource, args);
-
-        gTasks[taskId] = child_process.fork(taskInfo.program, [ taskId ], { stdio: [ 'pipe', fd, fd, 'ipc' ]}); // fork requires ipc
+        gTasks[taskId] = child_process.fork(`${__dirname}/taskworker.js`, [ taskId ], { stdio: [ 'pipe', fd, fd, 'ipc' ]}); // fork requires ipc
         gTasks[taskId].once('exit', function (code, signal) {
             debug(`startTask: ${taskId} completed with code ${code} and signal ${signal}`);
 
@@ -144,20 +117,18 @@ function startTask(type, args, auditSource, callback) {
                     error = new Error(task.errorMessage);
                 }
 
-                eventlog.add(taskInfo.finishEventId, auditSource, _.extend({ errorMessage: error ? error.message : null }, task ? task.result : {}));
-
-                locker.unlock(taskInfo.lock);
-
-                if (error) taskInfo.onFailure(error);
-
                 gTasks[taskId] = null;
 
+                events.emit('finish', error, task.result);
+
                 debug(`startTask: ${taskId} done`);
             });
         });
 
-        callback(null, taskId);
+        events.emit('start', taskId);
     });
+
+    return events;
 }
 
 function stopTask(id, auditSource, callback) {
diff --git a/src/tasks/backuptask.js b/src/tasks/backuptask.js
deleted file mode 100755
index 07da5003e..000000000
--- a/src/tasks/backuptask.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,30 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-
-require('supererror')({ splatchError: true });
-
-var assert = require('assert'),
-    backups = require('../backups.js'),
-    database = require('../database.js'),
-    debug = require('debug')('box:backuptask'),
-    tasks = require('../tasks.js');
-
-const NOOP_CALLBACK = function (error) { if (error) debug(error); };
-
-process.on('SIGTERM', function () {
-    process.exit(0);
-});
-
-assert.strictEqual(process.argv.length, 3, 'Pass the taskid as argument');
-const taskId = process.argv[2];
-
-// Main process starts here
-debug('Staring backup');
-database.initialize(function (error) {
-    if (error) return process.exit(50);
-
-    backups.backupBoxAndApps((progress) => tasks.update(taskId, progress, NOOP_CALLBACK), function (error, backupId) {
-        const progress = { percent: 100, result: backupId || '', errorMessage: error ? error.message : '' };
-
-        tasks.update(taskId, progress, () => process.exit(error ? 50 : 0));
-    });
-});
diff --git a/src/tasks/updatertask.js b/src/tasks/updatertask.js
deleted file mode 100755
index 53596b7e0..000000000
--- a/src/tasks/updatertask.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-'use strict';
-
-require('supererror')({ splatchError: true });
-
-let assert = require('assert'),
-    database = require('../database.js'),
-    debug = require('debug')('box:updatertask'),
-    tasks = require('../tasks.js'),
-    updater = require('../updater.js');
-
-const NOOP_CALLBACK = function (error) { if (error) debug(error); };
-
-process.on('SIGTERM', function () {
-    process.exit(0);
-});
-
-function exit(error) {
-    if (!error) process.exit(0);
-
-    debug(error);
-    process.exit(50);
-}
-
-assert.strictEqual(process.argv.length, 3, 'Pass the taskid as argument');
-const taskId = process.argv[2];
-
-// Main process starts here
-debug('Staring update');
-database.initialize(function (error) {
-    if (error) return exit(error);
-
-    tasks.get(taskId, function (error, result) {
-        if (error) return exit(error);
-        if (!result.args.boxUpdateInfo) return exit(new Error('Invalid args:' + JSON.stringify(result)));
-
-        updater.update(result.args.boxUpdateInfo, (progress) => tasks.update(taskId, progress, NOOP_CALLBACK), function (updateError) {
-            const progress = { percent: 100, errorMessage: updateError ? updateError.message : '' };
-
-            tasks.update(taskId, progress, () => exit(updateError));
-        });
-    });
-});
diff --git a/src/taskworker.js b/src/taskworker.js
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..b85dd4f87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/taskworker.js
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+'use strict';
+
+require('supererror')({ splatchError: true });
+
+var assert = require('assert'),
+    backups = require('./backups.js'),
+    database = require('./database.js'),
+    debug = require('debug')('box:taskworker'),
+    tasks = require('./tasks.js'),
+    updater = require('./updater.js');
+
+const NOOP_CALLBACK = function (error) { if (error) debug(error); };
+
+const TASKS = { // indexed by task type
+    backup: backups.backupBoxAndApps,
+    updater: updater.update,
+};
+
+process.on('SIGTERM', function () {
+    process.exit(0);
+});
+
+assert.strictEqual(process.argv.length, 3, 'Pass the taskid as argument');
+const taskId = process.argv[2];
+
+// Main process starts here
+debug(`Staring task ${taskId}`);
+
+database.initialize(function (error) {
+    if (error) return process.exit(50);
+
+    tasks.get(taskId, function (error, task) {
+        if (error) return process.exit(50);
+
+        const progressCallback = (progress) => tasks.update(taskId, progress, NOOP_CALLBACK);
+        const resultCallback = (error, result) => {
+            const progress = { percent: 100, result: result || '', errorMessage: error ? error.message : '' };
+
+            tasks.update(taskId, progress, () => process.exit(error ? 50 : 0));
+        };
+
+        TASKS[task.type].apply(null, task.args.concat(progressCallback).concat(resultCallback));
+    });
+});
diff --git a/src/test/backups-test.js b/src/test/backups-test.js
index be0a83088..24a80801a 100644
--- a/src/test/backups-test.js
+++ b/src/test/backups-test.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var async = require('async'),
     tasks = require('../tasks.js');
 
 function createBackup(callback) {
-    tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_BACKUP, [], { username: 'test' }, function (error, taskId) { // this call does not wait for the backup!
+    backups.startBackupTask({ username: 'test' }, function (error, taskId) { // this call does not wait for the backup!
         if (error) return callback(error);
 
         function waitForBackup() {
diff --git a/src/test/setupTest b/src/test/setupTest
index 3418c73c8..7e5723fe6 100755
--- a/src/test/setupTest
+++ b/src/test/setupTest
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ cd $HOME/.cloudron_test
 mkdir -p configs
 mkdir -p appsdata
 mkdir -p boxdata/appicons boxdata/mail boxdata/certs boxdata/mail/dkim/localhost boxdata/mail/dkim/foobar.com
-mkdir -p platformdata/addons/mail platformdata/nginx/cert platformdata/nginx/applications platformdata/collectd/collectd.conf.d platformdata/addons platformdata/logrotate.d platformdata/backup platformdata/logs/backup
+mkdir -p platformdata/addons/mail platformdata/nginx/cert platformdata/nginx/applications platformdata/collectd/collectd.conf.d platformdata/addons platformdata/logrotate.d platformdata/backup platformdata/logs/tasks
 
 # put cert
 openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:2048 -keyout platformdata/nginx/cert/host.key -out platformdata/nginx/cert/host.cert -days 3650 -subj '/CN=localhost' -nodes -config <(cat /etc/ssl/openssl.cnf <(printf "\n[SAN]\nsubjectAltName=DNS:*.localhost"))
diff --git a/src/updater.js b/src/updater.js
index 315db5016..097300deb 100644
--- a/src/updater.js
+++ b/src/updater.js
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ var assert = require('assert'),
     config = require('./config.js'),
     crypto = require('crypto'),
     debug = require('debug')('box:updater'),
+    eventlog = require('./eventlog.js'),
+    locker = require('./locker.js'),
     mkdirp = require('mkdirp'),
     os = require('os'),
     path = require('path'),
@@ -21,7 +23,6 @@ var assert = require('assert'),
     safe = require('safetydance'),
     shell = require('./shell.js'),
     tasks = require('./tasks.js'),
-    TaskError = require('./tasks.js').TaskError,
     updateChecker = require('./updatechecker.js'),
     util = require('util');
 
@@ -188,10 +189,18 @@ function updateToLatest(auditSource, callback) {
     if (!boxUpdateInfo) return callback(new UpdaterError(UpdaterError.ALREADY_UPTODATE, 'No update available'));
     if (!boxUpdateInfo.sourceTarballUrl) return callback(new UpdaterError(UpdaterError.BAD_STATE, 'No automatic update available'));
 
-    tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_UPDATE, { boxUpdateInfo }, auditSource, function (error, taskId) {
-        if (error && error.reason === TaskError.BAD_STATE) return callback(new UpdaterError(UpdaterError.BAD_STATE, error.message));
-        if (error) return callback(new UpdaterError(UpdaterError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error));
+    let error = locker.lock(locker.OP_BOX_UPDATE);
+    if (error) return callback(error);
 
+    let task = tasks.startTask(tasks.TASK_UPDATE, [ boxUpdateInfo ], auditSource);
+    task.on('error', (error) => callback(new UpdaterError(UpdaterError.INTERNAL_ERROR, error)));
+    task.on('start', (taskId) => {
+        eventlog.add(eventlog.ACTION_UPDATE, auditSource, { taskId });
         callback(null, taskId);
     });
+    task.on('finish', (error) => {
+        locker.unlock(locker.OP_BOX_UPDATE);
+
+        debug('Update failed with error', error);
+    });
 }