diff --git a/hosting.queues.inc b/hosting.queues.inc
index f9ffc54..2ea362d 100644
--- a/hosting.queues.inc
+++ b/hosting.queues.inc
@@ -153,7 +153,12 @@ function hosting_tasks_queue($count = 20) {
   drush_log(dt("Running tasks queue"));
   $tasks = _hosting_get_new_tasks($count);
   foreach ($tasks as $task) {
-     drush_backend_fork("hosting task", array($task->nid));
+    // We remove this from the queue at the start of execution,
+    // otherwise, if it takes too long to run it might have a
+    // second thread spawned to process it.
+    $task->task_status = HOSTING_TASK_PROCESSING;
+    node_save($task);
+    drush_backend_fork("hosting task", array($task->nid));
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/task.hosting.inc b/task.hosting.inc
index 14e502b..50c804e 100644
--- a/task.hosting.inc
+++ b/task.hosting.inc
@@ -24,13 +24,6 @@ function drush_hosting_hosting_task_validate($task) {
     $task->changed = mktime();
     $task->executed = mktime();
     $task->revision = FALSE;
-
-    // We remove this from the queue at the start of execution,
-    // otherwise, if it takes too long to run it might have a
-    // second thread spawned to process it.
-    $task->task_status = HOSTING_TASK_PROCESSING;
-    node_save($task);
-
     $task->options = array();
     $task->args = array();
     drush_set_context('HOSTING_TASK', $task);