diff --git a/tailbone/views/batch/core.py b/tailbone/views/batch/core.py
index d178d60a..299f0a10 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/batch/core.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/batch/core.py
@@ -988,13 +988,14 @@ class BatchMasterView(MasterView):
         except Exception as error:
             log.warning("%s of '%s' batch failed: %s", handler_action, self.handler.batch_key, batch_uuid, exc_info=True)
 
-            # TODO: write error info to socket
-
-            # if progress:
-            #     progress.session.load()
-            #     progress.session['error'] = True
-            #     progress.session['error_msg'] = "Batch population failed: {} - {}".format(error.__class__.__name__, error)
-            #     progress.session.save()
+            # TODO: write minimal error info to socket
+            if progress:
+                progress.session.load()
+                progress.session['error'] = True
+                progress.session['error_msg'] = (
+                    "{} of '{}' batch failed (see logs for more info)").format(
+                        handler_action, self.handler.batch_key)
+                progress.session.save()
 
             return