diff --git a/src/server/distrend.c b/src/server/distrend.c
--- a/src/server/distrend.c
+++ b/src/server/distrend.c
@@ -189,6 +189,32 @@ void mortition(struct distrenjob *head, 
   }
 }
 
+/** scans the frames of a job to initialize a job after server */
+/* returns 1 if the job is completely done and there are no missing frames */
+/* returns 0 if a missing frame is found */
+int restoreJobState(struct distrenjob *job)
+{
+  short int isJobDone;
+  int counter;
+  char *path_and_number;
+  struct stat buffer;
+
+  isJobDone = 1;
+  for(counter = 0; counter < job->total_frames; counter++)
+    {
+      _distren_asprintf(&path_and_number, "stor/job%d/out/%d.%s", job->jobnum, job->frameset[counter].num, job->output_format);
+      if(stat(path_and_number, &buffer) == 0)
+        {
+          job->frameset[counter].status = FRAMESETSTATUS_ASSIGNED;
+          job->completed_frames++;
+        }
+      else
+        isJobDone = 0;
+    }
+
+  return isJobDone;
+}
+
 /** creates a structure from starting data, then calls another function to actually add that struct to the queue */
 void prepare_distrenjob(struct distrenjob *head, int type, char *name, char *submitter, char *email, int priority, int start_frame, int end_frame)
 {