diff --git a/src/tasks.js b/src/tasks.js
index 10d7bffd6..256bf5139 100644
--- a/src/tasks.js
+++ b/src/tasks.js
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ async function startTask(id, options) {
     else taskError = { message:`Task ${id} crashed with unknown code ${sudoError.code}`, code: exports.ECRASHED };
 
     debug(`startTask: ${id} done. error: %o`, taskError);
+    await safe(setCompleted(id, { error: taskError }), { debug });
 
     throw taskError;
 }