diff --git a/bin/cros_au_test_harness.py b/bin/cros_au_test_harness.py
index b85fbb7ddb..b9578a28eb 100755
--- a/bin/cros_au_test_harness.py
+++ b/bin/cros_au_test_harness.py
@@ -701,11 +701,11 @@ class ParallelJob(threading.Thread):
     try:
       self._output = self._target(*self._args)
     finally:
-      # From threading.py to avoid a refcycle.
-      del self._target, self._args
       # Our own clean up.
       self._Cleanup()
       self._completed = True
+      # From threading.py to avoid a refcycle.
+      del self._target, self._args
 
   def GetOutput(self):
     """Returns the output of the method run."""
@@ -714,6 +714,7 @@ class ParallelJob(threading.Thread):
 
   def _Cleanup(self):
     """Releases semaphores for a waiting caller."""
+    Info('Completed job %s' % self)
     self._starting_semaphore.release()
     self._ending_semaphore.release()
 
@@ -763,13 +764,15 @@ def _GenerateUpdateId(target, src):
     return target
 
 
-def _RunParallelJobs(number_of_sumultaneous_jobs, jobs, jobs_args):
+def _RunParallelJobs(number_of_sumultaneous_jobs, jobs, jobs_args, print_status):
+
   """Runs set number of specified jobs in parallel.
 
   Args:
     number_of_simultaneous_jobs:  Max number of threads to be run in parallel.
     jobs:  Array of methods to run.
     jobs_args:  Array of args associated with method calls.
+    print_status: True if you'd like this to print out .'s as it runs jobs.
   Returns:
     Returns an array of results corresponding to each thread.
   """
@@ -787,6 +790,10 @@ def _RunParallelJobs(number_of_sumultaneous_jobs, jobs, jobs_args):
                          args=args)
     threads.append(thread)
 
+  # Cache sudo access.
+  RunCommand(['sudo', 'echo', 'Starting test harness'],
+             print_cmd=False, redirect_stdout=True, redirect_stderr=True)
+
   # We use a semaphore to ensure we don't run more jobs that required.
   # After each thread finishes, it releases (increments semaphore).
   # Acquire blocks of num jobs reached and continues when a thread finishes.
@@ -796,8 +803,12 @@ def _RunParallelJobs(number_of_sumultaneous_jobs, jobs, jobs_args):
     next_thread.start()
 
   # Wait on the rest of the threads to finish.
+  Info('Waiting for threads to complete.')
   for thread in threads:
-    join_semaphore.acquire(blocking=True)
+    while not join_semaphore.acquire(blocking=False):
+      time.sleep(5)
+      if print_status:
+        print >> sys.stderr, '.',
 
   return [thread.GetOutput() for thread in threads]
 
@@ -820,6 +831,8 @@ def _PregenerateUpdates(parser, options):
     options: options from parsed parser.
   Returns:
     Dictionary of Update Identifiers->Relative cache locations.
+  Raises:
+    UpdateException if we fail to generate an update.
   """
   def _GenerateVMUpdate(target, src):
     """Generates an update using the devserver."""
@@ -827,15 +840,16 @@ def _PregenerateUpdates(parser, options):
     if src:
       src = ReinterpretPathForChroot(src)
 
-    return RunCommand(['sudo',
-                       './start_devserver',
-                       '--pregenerate_update',
-                       '--exit',
-                       '--image=%s' % target,
-                       '--src_image=%s' % src,
-                       '--for_vm',
-                       ], redirect_stdout=True, enter_chroot=True,
-                       print_cmd=False)
+    return RunCommandCaptureOutput(['sudo',
+                                    './start_devserver',
+                                    '--pregenerate_update',
+                                    '--exit',
+                                    '--image=%s' % target,
+                                    '--src_image=%s' % src,
+                                    '--for_vm',
+                                   ], combine_stdout_stderr=True,
+                                   enter_chroot=True,
+                                   print_cmd=False)
 
   # Get the list of deltas by mocking out update method in test class.
   test_suite = _PrepareTestSuite(parser, options, GenerateVirtualAUDeltasTest)
@@ -853,23 +867,30 @@ def _PregenerateUpdates(parser, options):
       jobs.append(_GenerateVMUpdate)
       args.append((target, src))
 
-  raw_results = _RunParallelJobs(options.jobs, jobs, args)
+  raw_results = _RunParallelJobs(options.jobs, jobs, args, print_status=True)
   results = []
 
-  # Parse the output.
+  # Looking for this line in the output.
   key_line_re = re.compile('^PREGENERATED_UPDATE=([\w/.]+)')
   for result in raw_results:
-    for line in result.splitlines():
-      match = key_line_re.search(line)
-      if match:
-        # Convert blah/blah/update.gz -> update/blah/blah.
-        path_to_update_gz = match.group(1).rstrip()
-        (path_to_update_dir, _, _) = path_to_update_gz.rpartition('/update.gz')
-        results.append('/'.join(['update', path_to_update_dir]))
-        break
+    (return_code, output, _) = result
+    if return_code != 0:
+      Warning(output)
+      raise UpdateException(return_code, 'Failed to generate all updates.')
+    else:
+      for line in output.splitlines():
+        match = key_line_re.search(line)
+        if match:
+          # Convert blah/blah/update.gz -> update/blah/blah.
+          path_to_update_gz = match.group(1).rstrip()
+          (path_to_update_dir, _, _) = path_to_update_gz.rpartition(
+              '/update.gz')
+          results.append('/'.join(['update', path_to_update_dir]))
+          break
 
-  assert len(raw_results) == len(results), \
-         'Insufficient number cache directories returned.'
+  # Make sure all generation of updates returned cached locations.
+  if len(raw_results) != len(results):
+    raise UpdateException(1, 'Insufficient number cache directories returned.')
 
   # Build the dictionary from our id's and returned cache paths.
   cache_dictionary = {}
@@ -890,7 +911,7 @@ def _RunTestsInParallel(parser, options, test_class):
     threads.append(unittest.TextTestRunner().run)
     args.append(test_case)
 
-  results = _RunParallelJobs(options.jobs, threads, args)
+  results = _RunParallelJobs(options.jobs, threads, args, print_status=False)
   if not (test_result.wasSuccessful() for test_result in results):
     Die('Test harness was not successful')