diff --git a/backend/handlers.py b/backend/handlers.py
index 7de918b..be726bb 100644
--- a/backend/handlers.py
+++ b/backend/handlers.py
@@ -407,8 +407,13 @@ def post(self):
       'team =',self.request.POST['team']).filter(
       'email !=', self.request.POST['reply_to'])
 
-    # if only sending to new members, filter out those that have already received emails
+    # yes this is executing another query, and it's ok because
+    # this will be done so infrequently
+    # FIXME: lookup from cache.Get.. or TeamTotal once those are sorted out
+    total_pledges = model.Pledge.all().filter(
+      'team =',self.request.POST['team']).count()
 
+    # if only sending to new members, filter out those that have already received emails
     if self.request.POST['new_members'] == 'True':
       pledges = pledges.filter('thank_you_sent_at =', None)
 
@@ -426,7 +431,9 @@ def post(self):
       pledge.put()
 
     logging.info('THANKING: %d PLEDGERS!!' % i)
-    self.response.write(i)
+    response_data = {'num_emailed': i, 'total_pledges': total_pledges}
+    self.response.content_type = 'application/json'
+    self.response.write(json.dumps(response_data))
 
   options = util.EnableCors
 
diff --git a/unittests/test_e2e.py b/unittests/test_e2e.py
index ecfd62f..1620cf7 100644
--- a/unittests/test_e2e.py
+++ b/unittests/test_e2e.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import unittest
 import logging
 import datetime
+import json
 
 from google.appengine.api import mail_stub
 from google.appengine.ext import db
@@ -373,7 +374,9 @@ def testThankTeam(self):
     # 1 email sent is the created pledge
     self.assertEquals(len(messages), 1)
     # post response should be zero sent thank you emails
-    self.assertEquals(resp.text, '0')
+    resp_data = json.loads(resp.text)
+    self.assertEquals(resp_data['num_emailed'], 0)
+    self.assertEquals(resp_data['total_pledges'], 1)
 
     # this is the happy path
     post_data['reply_to'] = 'another@email.com'
@@ -384,14 +387,18 @@ def testThankTeam(self):
     self.assertEquals(messages[1].reply_to, post_data["reply_to"])
     self.assertEquals(messages[1].subject, post_data["subject"])
     self.assertEquals(type(model.Pledge.all()[0].thank_you_sent_at), datetime.datetime)
-    self.assertEquals(resp.text, '1')
+    resp_data = json.loads(resp.text)
+    self.assertEquals(resp_data['num_emailed'], 1)
+    self.assertEquals(resp_data['total_pledges'], 1)
 
     # make sure it isn't sent a message again when new_member is set to true
     post_data['new_members'] = True
     resp = self.app.post('/r/thank', post_data)
     messages = self.mail_stub.get_sent_messages(to=self.pledge["email"])
     self.assertEquals(len(messages), 2)
-    self.assertEquals(resp.text, '0')
+    resp_data = json.loads(resp.text)
+    self.assertEquals(resp_data['num_emailed'], 0)
+    self.assertEquals(resp_data['total_pledges'], 1)
 
   def testUserInfoNotFound(self):
     resp = self.app.get('/user-info/nouserhere', status=404)