diff --git a/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin.pm b/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin.pm
index 75ce45fc..2d1ead95 100644
--- a/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Plugin.pm
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ use Dancer ':syntax';
 use Dancer::Plugin;
 use Dancer::Factory::Hook;
 
-use App::Netdisco::Util::Permission qw/check_acl_no check_acl_only/;
 use Scope::Guard;
-use Try::Tiny;
+use aliased 'App::Netdisco::Worker::Status';
+use App::Netdisco::Util::Permission qw/check_acl_no check_acl_only/;
 
 # track the phases seen so we can recall them in order
 set( '_nd2worker_hooks' => [] );
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ register 'register_worker' => sub {
   $workerconf->{primary} = $workerconf->{primary};
 
   my $worker = sub {
-    my $job = shift or return false;
+    my $job = shift or return Status->error('missing job param');
 
     my $no   = (exists $workerconf->{no}   ? $workerconf->{no}   : undef);
     my $only = (exists $workerconf->{only} ? $workerconf->{only} : undef);
@@ -51,18 +51,11 @@ register 'register_worker' => sub {
     }
 
     # back up and restore device_auth
-    return false unless scalar @newuserconf;
     my $guard = guard { set(device_auth => \@userconf) };
     set(device_auth => \@newuserconf);
 
     # run worker
-    my $happy = false;
-    try {
-      $code->($job, $workerconf);
-      $happy = true;
-    }
-    catch { debug $_ };
-    return $happy;
+    return $code->($job, $workerconf);
   };
 
   my $primary = ($workerconf->{primary} ? '_primary' : '');
diff --git a/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Runner.pm b/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Runner.pm
index 73589aef..ce9b967f 100644
--- a/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Runner.pm
+++ b/lib/App/Netdisco/Worker/Runner.pm
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ sub run {
   die 'bad job to run()' unless ref $job eq 'App::Netdisco::Backend::Job';
 
   my $action = $job->action;
-  my @phase_hooks = @{ (setting('_nd2worker_hooks') || []) };
+  my @phase_hooks = grep { m/^nd2worker_${action}_/ }
+                         @{ (setting('_nd2worker_hooks') || []) };
 
   # run 00init primary
   my $status = _run_first("nd2worker_${action}_00init_primary", $job);
@@ -26,12 +27,10 @@ sub run {
   _run_all("nd2worker_${action}_00init", $job);
 
   # run primary
-  _run_first($_.'_primary', $job)
-    for (grep { m/^nd2worker_${action}_/ } @phase_hooks);
+  _run_first($_.'_primary', $job) for (@phase_hooks);
 
   # run each worker
-  _run_all($_, $job)
-    for (grep { m/^nd2worker_${action}_/ } @phase_hooks);
+  _run_all($_, $job) for (@phase_hooks);
 
   return true;
 }
@@ -45,8 +44,16 @@ sub _run_first {
     or return Status->error("no such hook: $hook");
 
   foreach my $worker (@{ $store->get_hooks_for($hook) }) {
-    my $status = $worker->($job);
-    return $status if $status->ok;
+    my $retval = false;
+    try {
+      $retval = $worker->($job);
+    }
+    catch {
+      $retval = Status->error($_);
+    };
+
+    $retval ||= Status->done('no status supplied');
+    return $retval if $retval->ok;
   }
 
   return Status->error('no worker was successful');