diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 37dd1dff..28633f26 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -400,6 +400,8 @@ fdroid build:
 
     # each `fdroid build --on-server` run expects sudo, then uninstalls it
     - if dpkg --list sudo; then echo "sudo should not be still there"; exit 1; fi
+    - 'if [ ! -f repo/status/running.json ]; then echo "ERROR: running.json does not exist!"; exit 1; fi'
+    - 'if [ ! -f repo/status/build.json ]; then echo "ERROR: build.json does not exist!"; exit 1; fi'
 
 
 # test the plugin API and specifically the fetchsrclibs plugin, which
diff --git a/fdroidserver/build.py b/fdroidserver/build.py
index ca37a4bb..cf27cc57 100644
--- a/fdroidserver/build.py
+++ b/fdroidserver/build.py
@@ -877,6 +877,9 @@ def trybuild(app, build, build_dir, output_dir, log_dir, also_check_dir,
     logging.info("Building version %s (%s) of %s" % (
         build.versionName, build.versionCode, app.id))
 
+    if not onserver:
+        common.write_running_status_json(status_output)
+
     if server:
         # When using server mode, still keep a local cache of the repo, by
         # grabbing the source now.
@@ -1070,6 +1073,9 @@ def main():
                 app['Builds'] = [build]
                 break
 
+    if not options.onserver:
+        common.write_running_status_json(status_output)
+
     # Build applications...
     failed_builds = []
     build_succeeded = []
@@ -1105,7 +1111,6 @@ def main():
             tools_version_log = ''
             if not options.onserver:
                 tools_version_log = common.get_android_tools_version_log()
-                common.write_running_status_json(status_output)
             try:
 
                 # For the first build of a particular app, we need to set up