diff --git a/Assistant/DaemonStatus.hs b/Assistant/DaemonStatus.hs
index 3c0bfba429..13828d3eee 100644
--- a/Assistant/DaemonStatus.hs
+++ b/Assistant/DaemonStatus.hs
@@ -236,9 +236,14 @@ updateAlertMap dstatus a = notifyAlert dstatus `after` modifyDaemonStatus_ dstat
  - The alert is left visible afterwards, as filler.
  - Old filler is pruned, to prevent the map growing too large. -}
 alertWhile :: DaemonStatusHandle -> Alert -> IO Bool -> IO Bool
-alertWhile dstatus alert a = do
+alertWhile dstatus alert a = alertWhile' dstatus alert $ do
+	r <- a
+	return $ (r, r)
+
+alertWhile' :: DaemonStatusHandle -> Alert -> IO (Bool, a) -> IO a
+alertWhile' dstatus alert a = do
 	let alert' = alert { alertClass = Activity }
 	i <- addAlert dstatus alert'
-	r <- bracket_ noop noop a
-	updateAlertMap dstatus $ convertToFiller i r
+	(ok, r) <- bracket_ noop noop a
+	updateAlertMap dstatus $ convertToFiller i ok
 	return r
diff --git a/Assistant/Threads/Watcher.hs b/Assistant/Threads/Watcher.hs
index bfeec7630c..51dc572636 100644
--- a/Assistant/Threads/Watcher.hs
+++ b/Assistant/Threads/Watcher.hs
@@ -72,11 +72,11 @@ watchThread st dstatus transferqueue changechan = do
 			}
 
 {- Initial scartup scan. The action should return once the scan is complete. -}
-startupScan :: ThreadState -> DaemonStatusHandle -> IO a -> IO ()
+startupScan :: ThreadState -> DaemonStatusHandle -> IO a -> IO a
 startupScan st dstatus scanner = do
 	runThreadState st $ showAction "scanning"
-	void $ alertWhile dstatus startupScanAlert $ do
-		void $ scanner
+	r <- alertWhile' dstatus startupScanAlert $ do
+		r <- scanner
 
 		-- Notice any files that were deleted before
 		-- watching was started.
@@ -85,10 +85,13 @@ startupScan st dstatus scanner = do
 			showAction "started"
 		
 		modifyDaemonStatus_ dstatus $ \s -> s { scanComplete = True }
-		return True
+
+		return (True, r)
 	
 	void $ addAlert dstatus runningAlert
 
+	return r
+
 ignored :: FilePath -> Bool
 ignored = ig . takeFileName
 	where