diff --git a/rida.py b/rida.py
index 8ddd79a6..866d217a 100755
--- a/rida.py
+++ b/rida.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ def submit_build():
 
     def failure(message, code):
         # TODO, we should make some note of why it failed in a log...
-        module.state = rida.database.BUILD_STATES["failed"]
+        module.transition(rida.database.BUILD_STATES["failed"])
         db.session.add(module)
         db.session.commit()
         return message, code
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ def submit_build():
         build = rida.database.ComponentBuild(module_id=module.id, package=pkgname, format="rpms")
         db.session.add(build)
     module.modulemd = mmd.dumps()
-    module.state = rida.database.BUILD_STATES["wait"]
+    module.transition(rida.database.BUILD_STATES["wait"])
     db.session.add(module)
     db.session.commit()
     # Publish to whatever bus we're configured to connect to.
diff --git a/rida/database.py b/rida/database.py
index 8504bad7..ff63e3ec 100644
--- a/rida/database.py
+++ b/rida/database.py
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ from sqlalchemy.orm import (
 )
 from sqlalchemy.ext.declarative import declarative_base
 
+import logging
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 # Just like koji.BUILD_STATES, except our own codes for modules.
 BUILD_STATES = {
@@ -143,6 +146,12 @@ class ModuleBuild(Base):
             raise ValueError("%r is not a module message." % msg['topic'])
         return session.query(cls).filter(cls.id==msg['msg']['id']).one()
 
+    def transition(self, state):
+        """ Record that a build has transitioned state. """
+        old_state = self.state
+        self.state = state
+        log.debug("%r, state %r->%r" % (old_state, self.state))
+
     def json(self):
         return {
             'id': self.id,
diff --git a/rida/scheduler/handlers/modules.py b/rida/scheduler/handlers/modules.py
index 219d9b60..7c02bd73 100644
--- a/rida/scheduler/handlers/modules.py
+++ b/rida/scheduler/handlers/modules.py
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ def init(config, session, msg):
     # TODO submit build from srpm to koji
     # TODO: buildroot.add_artifact(build_with_dist_tags)
     # TODO: buildroot.ready(artifact=$artifact)
-    build.state = "wait"  # Wait for the buildroot to be ready.
-    log.debug("Done with init")
+    build.transition(state="build")  # Wait for the buildroot to be ready.
+    session.commit()
 
 
 def build(config, session, msg):
@@ -80,4 +80,5 @@ def build(config, session, msg):
         component_build.task = builder.build(artifact_name, scmurl)
         component_build.state = koji.BUILD_STATES['BUILDING']
 
-    build.state = "build"  # Now wait for all of those to finish.
+    build.transition(state="build")  # Now wait for all of those to finish.
+    session.commit()