diff --git a/lib/plines/job_batch.rb b/lib/plines/job_batch.rb
index 7148f5e..1266440 100644
--- a/lib/plines/job_batch.rb
+++ b/lib/plines/job_batch.rb
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def complete_job(qless_job)
     end
 
     def complete?
-      _complete?(pending_job_jids.length, completed_job_jids.length)
+      !!completed_at
     end
 
     def resolve_external_dependency(dep_name)
@@ -319,10 +319,6 @@ def update_external_dependency(dep_name, meth, jids)
       end
     end
 
-    def _complete?(pending_size, complete_size)
-      pending_size == 0 && complete_size > 0
-    end
-
     def time_from(meta_entry)
       date_string = meta[meta_entry]
       Time.iso8601(date_string) if date_string
diff --git a/spec/unit/plines/job_batch_spec.rb b/spec/unit/plines/job_batch_spec.rb
index 9c5a7c7..a2732af 100644
--- a/spec/unit/plines/job_batch_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/plines/job_batch_spec.rb
@@ -501,23 +501,16 @@ def create_batch_with_job
     end
 
     describe "#complete?" do
-      it 'returns false when there are no pending or completed jobs' do
+      it 'returns true if the job batch has a completed_at timestamp' do
         batch = JobBatch.create(qless, pipeline_module, "foo", {})
-        expect(batch).not_to be_complete
+        batch.meta['completed_at'] = Time.now.getutc.iso8601
+        expect(batch).to be_complete
       end
 
-      it 'returns false when there are pending jobs and completed jobs' do
+      it 'returns false if it lacks a completed_at timestamp' do
         batch = JobBatch.create(qless, pipeline_module, "foo", {})
-        batch.pending_job_jids << "a"
-        batch.completed_job_jids << "b"
         expect(batch).not_to be_complete
       end
-
-      it 'returns true when there are only completed jobs' do
-        batch = JobBatch.create(qless, pipeline_module, "foo", {})
-        batch.completed_job_jids << "b"
-        expect(batch).to be_complete
-      end
     end
 
     describe "#pending_qless_jobs" do
@@ -742,7 +735,7 @@ def update_dependency(batch, name)
       end
 
       it 'returns true for a complete job batch' do
-        batch.completed_job_jids << "a"
+        batch.meta['completed_at'] = Time.now.getutc.iso8601
         expect(batch.in_terminal_state?).to be_true
       end