diff --git a/files/classes/converter.php b/files/classes/converter.php
index 7923908ca3c85..32793d3485e0c 100644
--- a/files/classes/converter.php
+++ b/files/classes/converter.php
@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ public function poll_conversion(conversion $conversion) {
                 // Unable to fetch the converter instance.
                 // Reset the status back to PENDING so that it may be picked up again.
                 $conversion->set('status', conversion::STATUS_PENDING);
-                $conversion->update();
             }
+            $conversion->update();
         }
 
         // Refresh the status.
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ public function poll_conversion(conversion $conversion) {
             if (!$currentconverter) {
                 // No more converters available.
                 $conversion->set('status', conversion::STATUS_FAILED);
+                $conversion->update();
                 return $this;
             }
 
diff --git a/files/converter/unoconv/classes/converter.php b/files/converter/unoconv/classes/converter.php
index a8679e293ad04..bbcedf0e73b30 100644
--- a/files/converter/unoconv/classes/converter.php
+++ b/files/converter/unoconv/classes/converter.php
@@ -105,10 +105,6 @@ public function start_document_conversion(\core_files\conversion $conversion) {
             return $this;
         }
 
-        // Update the status to IN_PROGRESS.
-        $conversion->set('status', \core_files\conversion::STATUS_IN_PROGRESS);
-        $conversion->update();
-
         // Copy the file to the tmp dir.
         $uniqdir = make_unique_writable_directory(make_temp_directory('core_file/conversions'));
         \core_shutdown_manager::register_function('remove_dir', array($uniqdir));
diff --git a/files/tests/converter_test.php b/files/tests/converter_test.php
index 6f182c6777db3..950d5932df054 100644
--- a/files/tests/converter_test.php
+++ b/files/tests/converter_test.php
@@ -417,6 +417,7 @@ public function test_poll_conversion_in_progress() {
         $conversion->set_sourcefile($file);
         $conversion->set('targetformat', 'target');
         $conversion->set('status', conversion::STATUS_IN_PROGRESS);
+        $conversion->create();
 
         $converterinstance = $this->get_mocked_converter([
                 'poll_conversion_status',
@@ -484,6 +485,7 @@ public function test_poll_conversion_none_supported() {
             'sourcefileid' => $file->get_id(),
             'targetformat' => 'target',
         ]);
+        $conversion->create();
 
         $converter->poll_conversion($conversion);