diff --git a/debug-job-echo.sh b/debug-job-echo.sh
index c1ef866b..80dfc3b8 100755
--- a/debug-job-echo.sh
+++ b/debug-job-echo.sh
@@ -7,13 +7,14 @@ curl -X 'POST' \
   -d '{
   "metadata": {
     "project": "Debugging Flamenco",
-    "user.name": "コードモンキー"
+    "user.name": "dr. Sybren",
+    "duration": "long"
   },
-  "name": "Talk & Sleep",
-  "priority": 50,
+  "name": "Talk & Sleep longer",
+  "priority": 3,
   "settings": {
-    "sleep_duration_seconds": 2,
-    "message": "{blender}"
+    "sleep_duration_seconds": 20,
+    "message": "Blender is {blender}"
   },
   "type": "echo-sleep-test"
 }'
diff --git a/internal/manager/api_impl/api_impl.go b/internal/manager/api_impl/api_impl.go
index fba6ca71..3d6f72d9 100644
--- a/internal/manager/api_impl/api_impl.go
+++ b/internal/manager/api_impl/api_impl.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"git.blender.org/flamenco/internal/manager/job_compilers"
@@ -29,6 +30,11 @@ type Flamenco struct {
 	config       ConfigService
 	stateMachine TaskStateMachine
 	shaman       Shaman
+
+	// The task scheduler can be locked to prevent multiple Workers from getting
+	// the same task. It is also used for certain other queries, like
+	// `MayWorkerRun` to prevent similar race conditions.
+	taskSchedulerMutex sync.Mutex
 }
 
 var _ api.ServerInterface = (*Flamenco)(nil)
diff --git a/internal/manager/api_impl/workers.go b/internal/manager/api_impl/workers.go
index 6ef3925c..340390d8 100644
--- a/internal/manager/api_impl/workers.go
+++ b/internal/manager/api_impl/workers.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package api_impl
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"strings"
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/bcrypt"
 
 	"git.blender.org/flamenco/internal/manager/persistence"
+	"git.blender.org/flamenco/internal/manager/task_state_machine"
 	"git.blender.org/flamenco/pkg/api"
 )
 
@@ -249,6 +251,9 @@ func (f *Flamenco) ScheduleTask(e echo.Context) error {
 	worker := requestWorkerOrPanic(e)
 	logger.Debug().Msg("worker requesting task")
 
+	f.taskSchedulerMutex.Lock()
+	defer f.taskSchedulerMutex.Unlock()
+
 	// Check that this worker is actually allowed to do work.
 	requiredStatusToGetTask := api.WorkerStatusAwake
 	if worker.Status != api.WorkerStatusAwake {
@@ -307,3 +312,58 @@ func (f *Flamenco) ScheduleTask(e echo.Context) error {
 	customisedTask := replaceTaskVariables(f.config, apiTask, *worker)
 	return e.JSON(http.StatusOK, customisedTask)
 }
+
+func (f *Flamenco) MayWorkerRun(e echo.Context, taskID string) error {
+	logger := requestLogger(e)
+	worker := requestWorkerOrPanic(e)
+
+	if _, err := uuid.Parse(taskID); err != nil {
+		logger.Debug().Msg("invalid task ID received")
+		return sendAPIError(e, http.StatusBadRequest, "task ID not valid")
+	}
+	logger = logger.With().Str("task", taskID).Logger()
+
+	// Lock the task scheduler so that tasks don't get reassigned while we perform our checks.
+	f.taskSchedulerMutex.Lock()
+	defer f.taskSchedulerMutex.Unlock()
+
+	// Fetch the task, to see if this worker is allowed to run it.
+	ctx := e.Request().Context()
+	dbTask, err := f.persist.FetchTask(ctx, taskID)
+	if err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, persistence.ErrTaskNotFound) {
+			mkr := api.MayKeepRunning{Reason: "Task not found"}
+			return e.JSON(http.StatusOK, mkr)
+		}
+		logger.Error().Err(err).Msg("MayWorkerRun: cannot fetch task")
+		return sendAPIError(e, http.StatusInternalServerError, "error fetching task")
+	}
+	if dbTask == nil {
+		panic("task could not be fetched, but database gave no error either")
+	}
+
+	mkr := mayWorkerRun(worker, dbTask)
+
+	if mkr.MayKeepRunning {
+		// TODO: record that this worker "touched" this task, for timeout calculations.
+	}
+
+	return e.JSON(http.StatusOK, mkr)
+}
+
+// mayWorkerRun checks the worker and the task, to see if this worker may keep running this task.
+func mayWorkerRun(worker *persistence.Worker, dbTask *persistence.Task) api.MayKeepRunning {
+	if worker.StatusRequested != "" {
+		return api.MayKeepRunning{
+			Reason:                "worker status change requested",
+			StatusChangeRequested: true,
+		}
+	}
+	if dbTask.WorkerID == nil || *dbTask.WorkerID != worker.ID {
+		return api.MayKeepRunning{Reason: "task not assigned to this worker"}
+	}
+	if !task_state_machine.IsRunnableTaskStatus(dbTask.Status) {
+		return api.MayKeepRunning{Reason: fmt.Sprintf("task is in non-runnable status %q", dbTask.Status)}
+	}
+	return api.MayKeepRunning{MayKeepRunning: true}
+}
diff --git a/internal/manager/api_impl/workers_test.go b/internal/manager/api_impl/workers_test.go
index b512e92d..7d2edba0 100644
--- a/internal/manager/api_impl/workers_test.go
+++ b/internal/manager/api_impl/workers_test.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/golang/mock/gomock"
+	"github.com/labstack/echo/v4"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 
 	"git.blender.org/flamenco/internal/manager/persistence"
@@ -139,3 +140,80 @@ func TestWorkerSignoffTaskRequeue(t *testing.T) {
 	resp := getRecordedResponse(echo)
 	assert.Equal(t, http.StatusNoContent, resp.StatusCode)
 }
+
+func TestMayWorkerRun(t *testing.T) {
+	mockCtrl := gomock.NewController(t)
+	defer mockCtrl.Finish()
+
+	mf := newMockedFlamenco(mockCtrl)
+	worker := testWorker()
+
+	prepareRequest := func() echo.Context {
+		echo := mf.prepareMockedRequest(nil)
+		requestWorkerStore(echo, &worker)
+		return echo
+	}
+
+	job := persistence.Job{
+		UUID: "583a7d59-887a-4c6c-b3e4-a753018f71b0",
+	}
+
+	task := persistence.Task{
+		UUID:   "4107c7aa-e86d-4244-858b-6c4fce2af503",
+		Job:    &job,
+		Status: api.TaskStatusActive,
+	}
+
+	mf.persistence.EXPECT().FetchTask(gomock.Any(), task.UUID).Return(&task, nil).AnyTimes()
+
+	// Test: unhappy, task unassigned
+	{
+		echo := prepareRequest()
+		err := mf.flamenco.MayWorkerRun(echo, task.UUID)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assertResponseJSON(t, echo, http.StatusOK, api.MayKeepRunning{
+			MayKeepRunning: false,
+			Reason:         "task not assigned to this worker",
+		})
+	}
+
+	// Test: happy, task assigned to this worker.
+	{
+		echo := prepareRequest()
+		task.WorkerID = &worker.ID
+		err := mf.flamenco.MayWorkerRun(echo, task.UUID)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assertResponseJSON(t, echo, http.StatusOK, api.MayKeepRunning{
+			MayKeepRunning: true,
+		})
+	}
+
+	// Test: unhappy, assigned but cancelled.
+	{
+		echo := prepareRequest()
+		task.WorkerID = &worker.ID
+		task.Status = api.TaskStatusCanceled
+		err := mf.flamenco.MayWorkerRun(echo, task.UUID)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assertResponseJSON(t, echo, http.StatusOK, api.MayKeepRunning{
+			MayKeepRunning: false,
+			Reason:         "task is in non-runnable status \"canceled\"",
+		})
+	}
+
+	// Test: unhappy, assigned and runnable but worker should go to bed.
+	{
+		worker.StatusRequested = api.WorkerStatusAsleep
+		echo := prepareRequest()
+		task.WorkerID = &worker.ID
+		task.Status = api.TaskStatusActive
+		err := mf.flamenco.MayWorkerRun(echo, task.UUID)
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+		assertResponseJSON(t, echo, http.StatusOK, api.MayKeepRunning{
+			MayKeepRunning:        false,
+			Reason:                "worker status change requested",
+			StatusChangeRequested: true,
+		})
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine.go b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine.go
index d985b180..69f23753 100644
--- a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine.go
+++ b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_state_machine.go
@@ -54,16 +54,6 @@ type ChangeBroadcaster interface {
 // ChangeBroadcaster should be a subset of webupdates.BiDirComms
 var _ ChangeBroadcaster = (*webupdates.BiDirComms)(nil)
 
-var (
-	// Task statuses that always get requeued when the job is requeued.
-	nonCompletedStatuses = []api.TaskStatus{
-		api.TaskStatusCanceled,
-		api.TaskStatusFailed,
-		api.TaskStatusPaused,
-		api.TaskStatusSoftFailed,
-	}
-)
-
 func NewStateMachine(persist PersistenceService, broadcaster ChangeBroadcaster) *StateMachine {
 	return &StateMachine{
 		persist:     persist,
diff --git a/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_statuses.go b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_statuses.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..73bf2753
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/manager/task_state_machine/task_statuses.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package task_state_machine
+
+import "git.blender.org/flamenco/pkg/api"
+
+var (
+	// Task statuses that always get requeued when the job is requeued.
+	nonCompletedStatuses = []api.TaskStatus{
+		api.TaskStatusCanceled,
+		api.TaskStatusFailed,
+		api.TaskStatusPaused,
+		api.TaskStatusSoftFailed,
+	}
+
+	// Workers are allowed to keep running tasks when they are in this status.
+	// 'queued', 'claimed-by-manager', and 'soft-failed' aren't considered runnable,
+	// as those statuses indicate the task wasn't assigned to a Worker by the scheduler.
+	runnableStatuses = map[api.TaskStatus]bool{
+		api.TaskStatusActive: true,
+	}
+)
+
+// IsRunnableTaskStatus returns whether the given status is considered "runnable".
+// In other words, workers are allowed to keep running such tasks.
+func IsRunnableTaskStatus(status api.TaskStatus) bool {
+	return runnableStatuses[status]
+}
diff --git a/internal/worker/state_asleep.go b/internal/worker/state_asleep.go
index feaf0970..f569c6e4 100644
--- a/internal/worker/state_asleep.go
+++ b/internal/worker/state_asleep.go
@@ -35,10 +35,7 @@ func (w *Worker) runStateAsleep(ctx context.Context) {
 			logger.Debug().Msg("asleep state interrupted by shutdown")
 			return
 		case <-time.After(durationSleepCheck):
-			newStatus := w.queryManagerForStateChange(ctx)
-			if newStatus != nil {
-				logger.Debug().Str("newStatus", string(*newStatus)).Msg("asleep state interrupted by state change")
-				w.changeState(ctx, *newStatus)
+			if w.changeStateIfRequested(ctx) {
 				return
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/internal/worker/state_awake.go b/internal/worker/state_awake.go
index 99efdc94..0db625bc 100644
--- a/internal/worker/state_awake.go
+++ b/internal/worker/state_awake.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"net/http"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
@@ -18,8 +19,26 @@ const (
 	durationNoTask       = 2 * time.Second  // ... if there is no task now.
 	durationFetchFailed  = 10 * time.Second // ... if fetching failed somehow.
 	durationTaskComplete = 2 * time.Second  // ... when a task was completed.
+
+	mayKeepRunningPeriod = 1 * time.Second
 )
 
+// Implement error interface for `api.MayKeepRunning` to indicate a task run was
+// aborted due to the Manager saying "NO".
+type taskRunAborted api.MayKeepRunning
+
+func (tra taskRunAborted) Error() string {
+	switch {
+	case tra.MayKeepRunning:
+		return "task could have been kept running"
+	case tra.StatusChangeRequested:
+		return "worker status change requested"
+	case tra.Reason == "":
+		return "manager said NO"
+	}
+	return tra.Reason
+}
+
 func (w *Worker) gotoStateAwake(ctx context.Context) {
 	w.stateMutex.Lock()
 	w.state = api.WorkerStatusAwake
@@ -55,9 +74,15 @@ func (w *Worker) runStateAwake(ctx context.Context) {
 
 		// The task runner's listener will be responsible for sending results back
 		// to the Manager. This code only needs to fetch a task and run it.
-		err := w.taskRunner.Run(ctx, *task)
+		err := w.runTask(ctx, *task)
 		if err != nil {
-			if errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
+			var abortError taskRunAborted
+			if errors.As(err, &abortError) {
+				log.Warn().
+					Str("task", task.Uuid).
+					Str("reason", err.Error()).
+					Msg("task aborted by request of Manager")
+			} else if errors.Is(err, context.Canceled) {
 				log.Warn().Interface("task", *task).Msg("task aborted due to context being closed")
 			} else {
 				log.Warn().Err(err).Interface("task", *task).Msg("error executing task")
@@ -128,3 +153,53 @@ func (w *Worker) fetchTask(ctx context.Context) *api.AssignedTask {
 
 	}
 }
+
+// runTask runs the given task.
+func (w *Worker) runTask(ctx context.Context, task api.AssignedTask) error {
+	// Create a sub-context to manage the life-span of both the running of the
+	// task and the loop to check whether we're still allowed to run it.
+	taskCtx, taskCancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	defer taskCancel()
+
+	var taskRunnerErr, abortReason error
+
+	// Run the actual task in a separate goroutine.
+	wg := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	wg.Add(1)
+	go func() {
+		defer wg.Done()
+		defer taskCancel()
+		taskRunnerErr = w.taskRunner.Run(taskCtx, task)
+	}()
+
+	// Do a periodic check to see if we're actually allowed to run this task.
+checkloop:
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-taskCtx.Done():
+			// The task is done, no more need to check.
+			break checkloop
+		case <-time.After(mayKeepRunningPeriod):
+			// Time to do another check.
+			break
+		}
+
+		mkr := w.mayIKeepRunning(taskCtx, task.Uuid)
+		if mkr.MayKeepRunning {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		abortReason = taskRunAborted(mkr)
+		taskCancel()
+		break checkloop
+	}
+
+	// Wait for the task runner to either complete or abort.
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	if abortReason != nil {
+		return abortReason
+	}
+
+	return taskRunnerErr
+}
diff --git a/internal/worker/statemachine.go b/internal/worker/statemachine.go
index 6416c780..da4676b0 100644
--- a/internal/worker/statemachine.go
+++ b/internal/worker/statemachine.go
@@ -36,6 +36,24 @@ func (w *Worker) changeState(ctx context.Context, newState api.WorkerStatus) {
 	starter(ctx)
 }
 
+// changeStateIfRequested asks the Manager whether a status change is required
+// or not, and if so, goes to that state.
+// Returns `true` when the status was changed, so that the caller knows to stop
+// whatever it's doing.
+func (w *Worker) changeStateIfRequested(ctx context.Context) bool {
+	newStatus := w.queryManagerForStateChange(ctx)
+	if newStatus == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	log.Info().
+		Str("currentStatus", string(w.state)).
+		Str("newStatus", string(*newStatus)).
+		Msg("Manager requested state change")
+	w.changeState(ctx, *newStatus)
+	return true
+}
+
 // Confirm that we're now in a certain state.
 //
 // This ACK can be given without a request from the server, for example to support
diff --git a/internal/worker/statemonitor.go b/internal/worker/statemonitor.go
index c4ae94a7..fc3632dd 100644
--- a/internal/worker/statemonitor.go
+++ b/internal/worker/statemonitor.go
@@ -37,3 +37,38 @@ func (w *Worker) queryManagerForStateChange(ctx context.Context) *api.WorkerStat
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// mayIKeepRunning asks the Manager whether we can keep running a certain task.
+// Any error communicating with the Manager is logged but otherwise ignored.
+func (w *Worker) mayIKeepRunning(ctx context.Context, taskID string) api.MayKeepRunning {
+	resp, err := w.client.MayWorkerRunWithResponse(ctx, taskID)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warn().
+			Err(err).
+			Str("task", taskID).
+			Msg("error asking Manager may-I-keep-running task")
+		return api.MayKeepRunning{MayKeepRunning: true}
+	}
+
+	switch {
+	case resp.JSON200 != nil:
+		mkr := *resp.JSON200
+		logCtx := log.With().
+			Str("task", taskID).
+			Bool("mayKeepRunning", mkr.MayKeepRunning).
+			Bool("statusChangeRequested", mkr.StatusChangeRequested)
+		if mkr.Reason != "" {
+			logCtx = logCtx.Str("reason", mkr.Reason)
+		}
+		logger := logCtx.Logger()
+		logger.Debug().Msg("may-i-keep-running response")
+		return mkr
+	default:
+		log.Warn().
+			Str("task", taskID).
+			Int("code", resp.StatusCode()).
+			Str("error", string(resp.Body)).
+			Msg("unable to check may-i-keep-running for unknown reason")
+		return api.MayKeepRunning{MayKeepRunning: true}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/web/app/src/main.js b/web/app/src/main.js
index 1cd18e55..069e0ee5 100644
--- a/web/app/src/main.js
+++ b/web/app/src/main.js
@@ -18,3 +18,7 @@ const pinia = createPinia()
 app.use(pinia)
 app.use(router)
 app.mount('#app')
+
+// For debugging.
+import { useJobs } from '@/stores/jobs';
+window.jobs = useJobs();
diff --git a/web/app/src/views/JobsView.vue b/web/app/src/views/JobsView.vue
index 1f1f778b..6b05c261 100644
--- a/web/app/src/views/JobsView.vue
+++ b/web/app/src/views/JobsView.vue
@@ -46,6 +46,18 @@ export default {
   }),
   mounted() {
     window.jobsView = this;
+
+    this.jobs.$subscribe((mutation, state) => {
+      console.log("Pinia mutation:", mutation)
+      console.log("Pinia state   :", state)
+      // // import { MutationType } from 'pinia'
+      // mutation.type // 'direct' | 'patch object' | 'patch function'
+      // // same as cartStore.$id
+      // mutation.storeId // 'cart'
+      // // only available with mutation.type === 'patch object'
+      // mutation.payload // patch object passed to cartStore.$patch()
+    })
+
     this._fetchJob(this.jobID);
     this._fetchTask(this.taskID);
   },