diff --git a/config.py.in b/config.py.in
index 31dccd2..eb87a4f 100644
--- a/config.py.in
+++ b/config.py.in
@@ -84,5 +84,6 @@ sqlalchemy = {
     'echo':          True,
     'echo_pool':     True,
     'pool_recycle':  3600,
-    'encoding':      'utf-8'
+    'encoding':      'utf-8',
+    'isolation_level': 'SERIALIZABLE', # required for correct job reporting
 }
diff --git a/paddles/tests/controllers/test_jobs_race.py b/paddles/tests/controllers/test_jobs_race.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..614a405
--- /dev/null
+++ b/paddles/tests/controllers/test_jobs_race.py
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+try:
+    from queue import Queue
+except:
+    from Queue import Queue
+
+from datetime import datetime
+import threading
+import requests
+import json
+import pytest
+import time
+import random
+
+base_uri = 'http://localhost:8080'
+
+
+class TestJobsControllerRace(object):
+    def setup_class(cls):
+        try:
+            assert requests.get(base_uri + '/runs/').ok
+        except Exception:
+            pytest.skip("Cannot find paddles server; skipping")
+
+    def setup_method(self, meth):
+        self.run = 'test-jobs-' + datetime.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%f')
+        resp = requests.post(base_uri + '/runs/',
+                             data=json.dumps(dict(name=self.run)),
+                             headers={'content-type': 'application/json'})
+        resp.raise_for_status()
+
+    def teardown_method(self, meth):
+        resp = requests.delete(base_uri + '/runs/' + self.run + '/')
+        resp.raise_for_status()
+
+    def test_job_create_threaded(self):
+
+        def job_update(job_id, status):
+            job_data = dict(job_id=job_id, status=status, run=self.run, name=str(job_id))
+            headers = {'content-type': 'application/json'}
+            run_uri = base_uri + '/runs/' + self.run + '/jobs/'
+
+            attempts = 5
+            while attempts > 0:
+                response = requests.post(
+                    run_uri,
+                    data=json.dumps(job_data),
+                    headers=headers,
+                )
+                print(job_data, response.status_code, response.text)
+                try:
+                    resp_json = response.json()
+                except ValueError:
+                    resp_json = dict()
+
+                if resp_json:
+                    msg = resp_json.get('message', '')
+                else:
+                    msg = response.text
+
+                if msg and msg.endswith('already exists'):
+                    response = requests.put(
+                        run_uri + str(job_id) + '/',
+                        data=json.dumps(job_data),
+                        headers=headers,
+                    )
+                if response.ok:
+                    break
+                print(f'Raced updating job {job_id} status, retries left: {attempts}')
+                attempts -= 1
+                time.sleep(random.uniform(0, 1))
+            response.raise_for_status()
+
+            queue.put(dict(text=response.text,
+                           status_int=response.status_code))
+
+        jobs = []
+        queue = Queue()
+        job_ids = list(range(1, 10))
+        for job_id in job_ids:
+            for status in ['queued', 'queued', 'running', 'running']:
+                jobs.append(threading.Thread(target=job_update, args=(job_id, status)))
+        for job in jobs:
+            job.start()
+        for job in jobs:
+            job.join()
+        results = []
+        while not queue.empty():
+            results.append(queue.get())
+        statuses = [result['status_int'] for result in results]
+        assert statuses.count(200) == len(statuses)
+
+        # check for duplicate rows by looking at status in at the run
+        # and job level - this can be different when there are
+        # duplicate rows created due to a race
+        resp = requests.get(base_uri + '/runs/' + self.run + '/jobs/')
+        assert resp.status_code == 200
+        for job in resp.json():
+            job_id = job['job_id']
+            job_status_in_run = job['status']
+            job_resp = requests.get(base_uri + '/runs/' + self.run + '/jobs/' + str(job_id) + '/')
+            assert job_resp.status_code == 200
+            assert job_resp.json()['status'] == job_status_in_run
+        assert len(resp.json()) == len(job_ids)