diff --git a/src/hydra-queue-runner/build-remote.cc b/src/hydra-queue-runner/build-remote.cc
index 48970c3d..0d299cc2 100644
--- a/src/hydra-queue-runner/build-remote.cc
+++ b/src/hydra-queue-runner/build-remote.cc
@@ -179,9 +179,11 @@ void State::buildRemote(std::shared_ptr<StoreAPI> store,
 
     /* Copy the input closure. */
     if (machine->sshName != "localhost") {
-        printMsg(lvlDebug, format("sending closure of ‘%1%’ to ‘%2%’") % step->drvPath % machine->sshName);
-        MaintainCount mc(nrStepsCopyingTo);
+        auto mc1 = std::make_shared<MaintainCount>(nrStepsWaiting);
         std::lock_guard<std::mutex> sendLock(machine->state->sendLock);
+        mc1.reset();
+        MaintainCount mc2(nrStepsCopyingTo);
+        printMsg(lvlDebug, format("sending closure of ‘%1%’ to ‘%2%’") % step->drvPath % machine->sshName);
         copyClosureTo(store, from, to, inputs, bytesSent);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/hydra-queue-runner/hydra-queue-runner.cc b/src/hydra-queue-runner/hydra-queue-runner.cc
index a07ec55f..44d488ef 100644
--- a/src/hydra-queue-runner/hydra-queue-runner.cc
+++ b/src/hydra-queue-runner/hydra-queue-runner.cc
@@ -1283,6 +1283,7 @@ void State::dumpStatus(Connection & conn, bool log)
         root.attr("nrStepsBuilding", nrStepsBuilding);
         root.attr("nrStepsCopyingTo", nrStepsCopyingTo);
         root.attr("nrStepsCopyingFrom", nrStepsCopyingFrom);
+        root.attr("nrStepsWaiting", nrStepsWaiting);
         root.attr("bytesSent"); out << bytesSent;
         root.attr("bytesReceived"); out << bytesReceived;
         root.attr("nrBuildsRead", nrBuildsRead);
diff --git a/src/hydra-queue-runner/state.hh b/src/hydra-queue-runner/state.hh
index b439a6b8..33103c13 100644
--- a/src/hydra-queue-runner/state.hh
+++ b/src/hydra-queue-runner/state.hh
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ private:
     counter nrStepsBuilding{0};
     counter nrStepsCopyingTo{0};
     counter nrStepsCopyingFrom{0};
+    counter nrStepsWaiting{0};
     counter nrRetries{0};
     counter maxNrRetries{0};
     counter totalStepTime{0}; // total time for steps, including closure copying
diff --git a/src/script/hydra-send-stats b/src/script/hydra-send-stats
index 9ef2dce1..a96a1939 100755
--- a/src/script/hydra-send-stats
+++ b/src/script/hydra-send-stats
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ sub sendQueueRunnerStats {
     gauge("hydra.queue.steps.building", $json->{nrStepsBuilding});
     gauge("hydra.queue.steps.copying_to", $json->{nrStepsCopyingTo});
     gauge("hydra.queue.steps.copying_from", $json->{nrStepsCopyingFrom});
+    gauge("hydra.queue.steps.waiting", $json->{nrStepsWaiting});
     gauge("hydra.queue.steps.runnable", $json->{nrRunnableSteps});
     gauge("hydra.queue.steps.unfinished", $json->{nrUnfinishedSteps});
     gauge("hydra.queue.steps.finished", $json->{nrStepsDone});