diff --git a/breadbox/breadbox/compute/dataset_uploads_tasks.py b/breadbox/breadbox/compute/dataset_uploads_tasks.py
index 1b5414ae4..3c109abf0 100644
--- a/breadbox/breadbox/compute/dataset_uploads_tasks.py
+++ b/breadbox/breadbox/compute/dataset_uploads_tasks.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 from .celery import app, LogErrorsTask
 import celery
 from ..config import get_settings
+from ..utils.progress_tracker import ProgressTracker
 
 
 @app.task(base=LogErrorsTask, bind=True)
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ def run_dataset_upload(
         else:
             params: DatasetParams = TableDatasetParams(**dataset_params)
 
-        upload_dataset_response = dataset_upload(db, params, user)
+        upload_dataset_response = dataset_upload(db, params, user, ProgressTracker())
 
         # because celery is going to want to serialize the response,
         # convert it to a json dict before returning it
@@ -55,8 +56,12 @@ def run_dataset_upload(
 
 
 def dataset_upload(
-    db: SessionWithUser, dataset_params: DatasetParams, user: str,
+    db: SessionWithUser,
+    dataset_params: DatasetParams,
+    user: str,
+    progress: ProgressTracker,
 ):
+    progress.update_message("started processing of uploaded file")
     settings = get_settings()
 
     # NOTE: We make this check in the dataset_crud.add_dataset function too, because we
@@ -80,6 +85,8 @@ def dataset_upload(
         settings.compute_results_location,
     )
 
+    progress.update_message("reassembled uploaded file")
+
     dataset_id = str(uuid4())
 
     unknown_ids = []
@@ -92,6 +99,8 @@ def dataset_upload(
         )
         sample_type = _get_dimension_type(db, dataset_params.sample_type, "sample")
 
+        progress.update_message("starting validation")
+
         df_wrapper = read_and_validate_matrix_df(
             file_path,
             dataset_params.value_type,
@@ -154,11 +163,14 @@ def dataset_upload(
             dataset_params.version,
             dataset_params.description,
         )
+
+        progress.update_message("saving final version of dataset")
         save_dataset_file(
             dataset_id,
             df_wrapper,
             dataset_params.value_type,
             settings.filestore_location,
+            progress,
         )
 
     else:
diff --git a/breadbox/breadbox/io/data_validation.py b/breadbox/breadbox/io/data_validation.py
index 904f74617..05645654a 100644
--- a/breadbox/breadbox/io/data_validation.py
+++ b/breadbox/breadbox/io/data_validation.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 from ..crud.dimension_types import get_dimension_type
 import pyarrow
 
+from ..utils.progress_tracker import ProgressTracker
 
 pd.set_option("mode.use_inf_as_na", True)
 
@@ -469,7 +470,9 @@ def validate_and_upload_dataset_files(
     )
 
     # TODO: Move save function to api layer. Need to make sure the db save is successful first
-    save_dataset_file(dataset_id, data_dfw, value_type, filestore_location)
+    save_dataset_file(
+        dataset_id, data_dfw, value_type, filestore_location, ProgressTracker()
+    )
 
     return dataframe_validated_dimensions
 
diff --git a/breadbox/breadbox/io/filestore_crud.py b/breadbox/breadbox/io/filestore_crud.py
index d32b7d1e4..68f20afe8 100644
--- a/breadbox/breadbox/io/filestore_crud.py
+++ b/breadbox/breadbox/io/filestore_crud.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 import pandas as pd
 
+from ..utils.progress_tracker import ProgressTracker
 from ..schemas.dataframe_wrapper import DataFrameWrapper
 from ..models.dataset import Dataset, MatrixDataset, ValueType
 from .hdf5_utils import write_hdf5_file, read_hdf5_file
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@ def save_dataset_file(
     df_wrapper: DataFrameWrapper,
     value_type: ValueType,
     filestore_location: str,
+    progress: ProgressTracker,
 ):
     base_path = os.path.join(filestore_location, dataset_id)
     os.makedirs(base_path)
@@ -27,7 +29,10 @@ def save_dataset_file(
         dtype = "float"
 
     write_hdf5_file(
-        get_file_location(dataset_id, filestore_location, DATA_FILE), df_wrapper, dtype
+        get_file_location(dataset_id, filestore_location, DATA_FILE),
+        df_wrapper,
+        dtype,
+        progress,
     )
 
 
diff --git a/breadbox/breadbox/io/hdf5_utils.py b/breadbox/breadbox/io/hdf5_utils.py
index d963160f1..cb3161b05 100644
--- a/breadbox/breadbox/io/hdf5_utils.py
+++ b/breadbox/breadbox/io/hdf5_utils.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from typing import List, Optional, Literal
 
+from breadbox.utils.progress_tracker import ProgressTracker
 from breadbox.schemas.custom_http_exception import FileValidationError
 from breadbox.schemas.dataframe_wrapper import ParquetDataFrameWrapper
 import h5py
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@ def write_hdf5_file(
     path: str,
     df_wrapper: DataFrameWrapper,
     dtype: Literal["float", "str"],
+    progress: ProgressTracker,
     batch_size: int = 5000,  # Adjust batch size as needed
 ):
     f = h5py.File(path, mode="w")
@@ -79,7 +81,11 @@ def write_hdf5_file(
                 dtype=h5py.string_dtype() if dtype == "str" else np.float64,
             )
 
+            progress.update_message("transforming columns")
+            progress.update_process_max_value(len(cols))
             for i in range(0, len(cols), batch_size):
+                progress.update_progress(i)
+
                 # Find the correct column slice to write
                 end_col = i + batch_size
 
@@ -102,8 +108,11 @@ def write_hdf5_file(
                         f"Failed to update {i}:{end_col} of hdf5 file {path} with {values}"
                     ) from e
 
+        progress.update_process_max_value(None)
+        progress.update_message("Creating indexes in database")
         create_index_dataset(f, "features", pd.Index(df_wrapper.get_column_names()))
         create_index_dataset(f, "samples", pd.Index(df_wrapper.get_index_names()))
+        progress.update_message("Complete")
     finally:
         f.close()
 
diff --git a/breadbox/breadbox/utils/progress_tracker.py b/breadbox/breadbox/utils/progress_tracker.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..afa31c2fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/breadbox/breadbox/utils/progress_tracker.py
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+from typing import List, Optional
+import time
+
+from celery import Task
+
+
+class ProgressTracker:
+    message: str
+    progress_value: float
+    progress_max_value: Optional[float]
+
+    prev_emitted_message: str
+    prev_emitted_timestamp: float
+
+    task: Optional[Task]
+
+    def __init__(self, *, task=None, delay_between_updates=5):
+        self.message = "Started"
+        self.progress_value = 0.0
+        self.progress_max_value = None
+
+        self.prev_emitted_message = ""
+        self.prev_emitted_timestamp = time.time()
+        self.delay_between_updates = delay_between_updates
+        self.task = task
+
+    def update_message(self, message: str):
+        self.message = message
+        self._emit_update(force=True)
+
+    def update_progress(self, value: float):
+        self.progress_value = value
+        self._emit_update()
+
+    def update_process_max_value(self, value):
+        self.progress_value = 0
+        self.progress_max_value = value
+        self._emit_update(force=True)
+
+    def _emit_update(self, force=True):
+        message = self.message
+        if self.progress_max_value is not None and self.progress_value is not None:
+            message = f"{message} ({ int(self.progress_value/self.progress_max_value*100) }% complete)"
+        if self.prev_emitted_message != message:
+            if force or (
+                (time.time() - self.prev_emitted_timestamp) > self.delay_between_updates
+            ):
+                print(message)
+
+                update_state = {"message": message}
+
+                if self.task is not None:
+                    if not self.task.request.called_directly:
+                        self.task.update_state(
+                            state="PROGRESS", meta=update_state,
+                        )
+
+                self.last_update = time.time()
+                self.prev_message = message
diff --git a/breadbox/tests/api/test_dataset_uploads.py b/breadbox/tests/api/test_dataset_uploads.py
index b0395f7ed..8d7248217 100644
--- a/breadbox/tests/api/test_dataset_uploads.py
+++ b/breadbox/tests/api/test_dataset_uploads.py
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ def test_dataset_uploads_task(
             client, tabular_data_file_bad_list_strings
         )
 
-        def mock_failed_task_result(db, params, user):
+        def mock_failed_task_result(db, params, user, progress):
             return {"result": "Column 'attr1' failed validator"}
 
         monkeypatch.setattr(
diff --git a/breadbox/tests/compute/test_dataset_uploads.py b/breadbox/tests/compute/test_dataset_uploads.py
index 59f5885e6..d88ca6d9d 100644
--- a/breadbox/tests/compute/test_dataset_uploads.py
+++ b/breadbox/tests/compute/test_dataset_uploads.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
     AnnotationType,
 )
 from breadbox.schemas.custom_http_exception import FileValidationError
-from breadbox.compute.dataset_uploads_tasks import dataset_upload
+from breadbox.compute.dataset_uploads_tasks import dataset_upload, ProgressTracker
 
 from tests import factories
 
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ def test_matrix_dataset_uploads(
         **_default_params
     )
     user = settings.admin_users[0]
-    matrix_dataset_w_simple_metadata = dataset_upload(minimal_db, matrix_params, user)
+    matrix_dataset_w_simple_metadata = dataset_upload(
+        minimal_db, matrix_params, user, ProgressTracker()
+    )
     assert matrix_dataset_w_simple_metadata.datasetId
     dataset_id = matrix_dataset_w_simple_metadata.datasetId
 
@@ -99,7 +101,10 @@ def test_matrix_dataset_uploads(
         **_default_params
     )
     matrix_only_sample_type = dataset_upload(
-        minimal_db, matrix_params_only_sample_type, settings.admin_users[0]
+        minimal_db,
+        matrix_params_only_sample_type,
+        settings.admin_users[0],
+        ProgressTracker(),
     )
     assert matrix_only_sample_type.datasetId
     dataset_id = matrix_only_sample_type.datasetId
@@ -174,7 +179,9 @@ def test_tabular_uploads(
         **_default_params
     )
     user = settings.admin_users[0]
-    tabular_dataset = dataset_upload(minimal_db, tabular_params, user)
+    tabular_dataset = dataset_upload(
+        minimal_db, tabular_params, user, ProgressTracker()
+    )
     assert tabular_dataset.datasetId
     tabular_dataset_id = tabular_dataset.datasetId
     dataset = minimal_db.query(Dataset).filter(Dataset.id == tabular_dataset_id).one()
@@ -261,7 +268,9 @@ def test_tabular_bad_list_str_col(minimal_db, client, settings, private_group):
             },
             **_default_params
         )
-        dataset_upload(minimal_db, bad_list_str_params, settings.admin_users[0])
+        dataset_upload(
+            minimal_db, bad_list_str_params, settings.admin_users[0], ProgressTracker()
+        )
 
 
 def test_tabular_dup_ids_failure(client, private_group, minimal_db, settings):
@@ -299,4 +308,6 @@ def test_tabular_dup_ids_failure(client, private_group, minimal_db, settings):
             },
             **_default_params
         )
-        dataset_upload(minimal_db, repeated_ids_params, settings.admin_users[0])
+        dataset_upload(
+            minimal_db, repeated_ids_params, settings.admin_users[0], ProgressTracker()
+        )
diff --git a/breadbox/tests/conftest.py b/breadbox/tests/conftest.py
index 1f273c91d..08308288e 100644
--- a/breadbox/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/breadbox/tests/conftest.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from fastapi.exceptions import HTTPException
 
 from breadbox.api.dependencies import get_db_with_user, get_user
+from breadbox.utils.progress_tracker import ProgressTracker
 from breadbox.config import Settings, get_settings
 from breadbox.db.base import Base
 from breadbox.db.session import SessionWithUser, SessionLocalWithUser
@@ -248,7 +249,9 @@ def mock_run_dataset_upload_task(dataset_params, user):
         else:
             params = TableDatasetParams(**dataset_params)
         minimal_db.reset_user(user)
-        return dataset_uploads_tasks.dataset_upload(minimal_db, params, user)
+        return dataset_uploads_tasks.dataset_upload(
+            minimal_db, params, user, ProgressTracker()
+        )
 
     def mock_return_task(result):
         from celery.result import EagerResult
diff --git a/breadbox/tests/io/test_hdf5_utils.py b/breadbox/tests/io/test_hdf5_utils.py
index c667292e8..99223d0f6 100644
--- a/breadbox/tests/io/test_hdf5_utils.py
+++ b/breadbox/tests/io/test_hdf5_utils.py
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 import pytest
 import h5py
 
+from breadbox.utils.progress_tracker import ProgressTracker
+
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def test_dataframe(row_length: int = 500, col_length: int = 11000):
@@ -61,7 +63,11 @@ def test_write_parquet_to_hdf5(tmpdir, test_dataframe, test_parquet_file):
 
     # override batch size to force multiple batches
     write_hdf5_file(
-        path=str(output_h5), df_wrapper=wrapper, dtype="float", batch_size=1000
+        path=str(output_h5),
+        df_wrapper=wrapper,
+        dtype="float",
+        batch_size=1000,
+        progress=ProgressTracker(),
     )
 
     # Verify output
@@ -102,7 +108,11 @@ def test_write_parquet_nulls_to_hdf5(tmpdir):
 
     # override batch size to force multiple batches
     write_hdf5_file(
-        path=str(output_h5), df_wrapper=wrapper, dtype="float", batch_size=1000
+        path=str(output_h5),
+        df_wrapper=wrapper,
+        dtype="float",
+        batch_size=1000,
+        progress=ProgressTracker(),
     )
 
     # Verify output