diff --git a/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/CompleteStageHandler.kt b/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/CompleteStageHandler.kt
index d773619498..b46e5bc8de 100644
--- a/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/CompleteStageHandler.kt
+++ b/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/CompleteStageHandler.kt
@@ -179,9 +179,17 @@ class CompleteStageHandler(
         } ?: id
       }
 
+    // If startTime was not set, then assume this was instantaneous.
+    // In practice 0 startTimes can happen if there is
+    // an exception in StartStageHandler or guard causing skipping.
+    // Without a startTime, we cannot record a meaningful time,
+    // and assuming a start of 0 makes the values ridiculously large.
+    val endTime = stage.endTime ?: clock.millis()
+    val startTime = stage.startTime ?: endTime
+
     PercentileTimer
       .get(registry, id)
-      .record((stage.endTime ?: clock.millis()) - (stage.startTime ?: 0), TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)
+      .record(endTime - startTime, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)
   }
 
   override val messageType = CompleteStage::class.java
diff --git a/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/StartStageHandler.kt b/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/StartStageHandler.kt
index 54f741b887..64f46d6e64 100644
--- a/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/StartStageHandler.kt
+++ b/orca-queue/src/main/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/StartStageHandler.kt
@@ -88,12 +88,14 @@ class StartStageHandler(
           queue.push(SkipStage(stage))
         } else {
           try {
+            // Set the startTime in case we throw an exception.
+            stage.startTime = clock.millis()
+            repository.storeStage(stage)
+
             stage.withAuth {
               stage.plan()
             }
-
             stage.status = RUNNING
-            stage.startTime = clock.millis()
             repository.storeStage(stage)
 
             stage.start()
diff --git a/orca-queue/src/test/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/StartStageHandlerTest.kt b/orca-queue/src/test/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/StartStageHandlerTest.kt
index 97fe4ffeb0..84a7622bd8 100644
--- a/orca-queue/src/test/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/StartStageHandlerTest.kt
+++ b/orca-queue/src/test/kotlin/com/netflix/spinnaker/orca/q/handler/StartStageHandlerTest.kt
@@ -172,14 +172,14 @@ object StartStageHandlerTest : SubjectSpek<StartStageHandler>({
       }
 
       it("updates the stage status") {
-        verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+        verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
           assertThat(it.status).isEqualTo(RUNNING)
           assertThat(it.startTime).isEqualTo(clock.millis())
         })
       }
 
       it("attaches tasks to the stage") {
-        verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+        verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
           assertThat(it.tasks.size).isEqualTo(1)
           it.tasks.first().apply {
             assertThat(id).isEqualTo("1")
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ object StartStageHandlerTest : SubjectSpek<StartStageHandler>({
         }
 
         it("updates the stage status") {
-          verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+          verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
             assertThat(it.status).isEqualTo(RUNNING)
             assertThat(it.startTime).isEqualTo(clock.millis())
           })
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ object StartStageHandlerTest : SubjectSpek<StartStageHandler>({
         }
 
         it("updates the stage status") {
-          verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+          verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
             assertThat(it.status).isEqualTo(RUNNING)
             assertThat(it.startTime).isEqualTo(clock.millis())
           })
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ object StartStageHandlerTest : SubjectSpek<StartStageHandler>({
       afterGroup(::resetMocks)
 
       it("attaches tasks to the stage") {
-        verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+        verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
           assertThat(it.tasks.size).isEqualTo(3)
           it.tasks[0].apply {
             assertThat(id).isEqualTo("1")
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ object StartStageHandlerTest : SubjectSpek<StartStageHandler>({
       }
 
       it("starts the stage") {
-        verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+        verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
           assertThat(it.type).isEqualTo("bar")
           assertThat(it.status).isEqualTo(RUNNING)
           assertThat(it.startTime).isEqualTo(clock.millis())
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ object StartStageHandlerTest : SubjectSpek<StartStageHandler>({
       }
 
       it("attaches a task to the stage") {
-        verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+        verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
           assertThat(it.tasks.size).isEqualTo(1)
           it.tasks.first().apply {
             assertThat(id).isEqualTo("1")
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ object StartStageHandlerTest : SubjectSpek<StartStageHandler>({
           }
 
           it("attaches the exception to the stage context") {
-            verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+            verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
               assertThat(it.context["exception"]).isEqualTo(exceptionDetails)
             })
           }
@@ -761,13 +761,13 @@ object StartStageHandlerTest : SubjectSpek<StartStageHandler>({
           }
 
           it("attaches the exception to the stage context") {
-            verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+            verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
               assertThat(it.context["exception"]).isEqualTo(exceptionDetails)
             })
           }
 
           it("attaches flag to the stage context to indicate that before stage planning failed") {
-            verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+            verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
               assertThat(it.context["beforeStagePlanningFailed"]).isEqualTo(true)
             })
           }
@@ -797,13 +797,13 @@ object StartStageHandlerTest : SubjectSpek<StartStageHandler>({
           }
 
           it("attaches the exception to the stage context") {
-            verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+            verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
               assertThat(it.context["exception"]).isEqualTo(exceptionDetails)
             })
           }
 
           it("attaches flag to the stage context to indicate that before stage planning failed") {
-            verify(repository).storeStage(check {
+            verify(repository, times(2)).storeStage(check {
               assertThat(it.context["beforeStagePlanningFailed"]).isEqualTo(true)
             })
           }