diff --git a/src/server/slavefuncs.c b/src/server/slavefuncs.c
--- a/src/server/slavefuncs.c
+++ b/src/server/slavefuncs.c
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ return 1; // Success
 
 
 /** Executor function for Blender operations */
-void exec_blender(struct distrenjob* distrenjob, char *input, char *output, int frame, int threads)
+void exec_blender(struct distrenjob* distrenjob, char *input, char *output, int frame)
 {
   int ret;
   char *frame_str;
@@ -439,12 +439,21 @@ void exec_blender(struct distrenjob* dis
   	    }
   	execio_close(testrem);
   /* end execio code */
+
   	if(ret == 1){
   		fprintf(stderr,"Error starting Blender. Check your install.\n");
   	}
   	else{
   		fprintf(stderr,"Blender at least started nicely, we don't know if it rendered anything though.\n");
   	}
+  	// Consider placing the following in the exec_blender() function
+  	while(busy){
+  	  tell_the_server(DISTREN_REQUEST_PROGRESS);
+  	    fprintf(stderr, "Rendering frame %d in job %d...",framenum,jobnum);
+  	    sleep(5); // or not... this should be more event-driven, but should still give a heartbeat to the server
+  	}
+
+
 }
 
 void xmlinit()