diff --git a/garlic/stages/control.nix b/garlic/stages/control.nix
index 51baed5..347be08 100644
--- a/garlic/stages/control.nix
+++ b/garlic/stages/control.nix
@@ -19,11 +19,13 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     cat > $out <<EOF
     #!/bin/sh
     for n in \$(seq 1 ${toString loops}); do
+      echo "running \$n of ${toString loops}" > status
       mkdir "\$n"
       cd "\$n"
       ${stageProgram nextStage}
       cd ..
     done
+    echo "completed" > status
     EOF
     chmod +x $out
   '';