diff --git a/turbo_hipster/lib/common.py b/turbo_hipster/lib/common.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85cfbbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/turbo_hipster/lib/common.py
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Copyright 2013 Rackspace Australia
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+
+def task_step(fn):
+    """Decorator for the next step in a task."""
+    def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
+        args[0]._do_next_step()
+        result = fn(*args, **kwargs)
+        return result
+    return wrapper
diff --git a/turbo_hipster/lib/models.py b/turbo_hipster/lib/models.py
index 8e8cd48..687a1f6 100644
--- a/turbo_hipster/lib/models.py
+++ b/turbo_hipster/lib/models.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import json
 import logging
 import os
 
+from turbo_hipster.lib import common
 from turbo_hipster.lib import utils
 
 
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ class Task(object):
             self.cancelled = True
             # TODO: Work out how to kill current step
 
+    @common.task_step
     def _grab_patchset(self, job_args, job_log_file_path):
         """ Checkout the reference into config['git_working_dir'] """
 
diff --git a/turbo_hipster/task_plugins/gate_real_db_upgrade/task.py b/turbo_hipster/task_plugins/gate_real_db_upgrade/task.py
index fd59df8..4192494 100644
--- a/turbo_hipster/task_plugins/gate_real_db_upgrade/task.py
+++ b/turbo_hipster/task_plugins/gate_real_db_upgrade/task.py
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@ import logging
 import os
 import re
 
-from turbo_hipster.lib import utils
+from turbo_hipster.lib import common
 from turbo_hipster.lib import models
+from turbo_hipster.lib import utils
+
 
 import turbo_hipster.task_plugins.gate_real_db_upgrade.handle_results\
     as handle_results
@@ -63,28 +65,23 @@ class Runner(models.Task):
                 self._send_work_data()
 
                 # Step 1: Figure out which datasets to run
-                self._do_next_step()
                 self.job_datasets = self._get_job_datasets()
 
                 # Step 2: Checkout updates from git!
-                self._do_next_step()
                 self.git_path = self._grab_patchset(
                     self.job_arguments,
                     self.job_datasets[0]['job_log_file_path'])
 
                 # Step 3: Run migrations on datasets
-                self._do_next_step()
                 if self._execute_migrations() > 0:
                     self.success = False
                     self.messages.append('Return code from test script was '
                                          'non-zero')
 
                 # Step 4: Analyse logs for errors
-                self._do_next_step()
                 self._check_all_dataset_logs_for_errors()
 
                 # Step 5: handle the results (and upload etc)
-                self._do_next_step()
                 self._handle_results()
 
                 # Finally, send updated work data and completed packets
@@ -100,6 +97,7 @@ class Runner(models.Task):
                 if not self.cancelled:
                     self.job.sendWorkException(str(e).encode('utf-8'))
 
+    @common.task_step
     def _handle_results(self):
         """ pass over the results to handle_results.py for post-processing """
         self.log.debug("Process the resulting files (upload/push)")
@@ -110,6 +108,7 @@ class Runner(models.Task):
         self.log.debug("Index URL found at %s" % index_url)
         self.work_data['url'] = index_url
 
+    @common.task_step
     def _check_all_dataset_logs_for_errors(self):
         self.log.debug('Check logs for errors')
         self.success = True
@@ -157,6 +156,7 @@ class Runner(models.Task):
 
         return self.datasets
 
+    @common.task_step
     def _get_job_datasets(self):
         """ Take the applicable datasets for this job and set them up in
         self.job_datasets """
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@ class Runner(models.Task):
             return command
         return False
 
+    @common.task_step
     def _execute_migrations(self):
         """ Execute the migration on each dataset in datasets """