diff --git a/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs b/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs
index 109d315d67a4..284db005c86c 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/bin/compute_ctl.rs
@@ -402,8 +402,7 @@ fn start_postgres(
 ) -> Result<(Option<PostgresHandle>, StartPostgresResult)> {
     // We got all we need, update the state.
     let mut state = compute.state.lock().unwrap();
-    state.status = ComputeStatus::Init;
-    compute.state_changed.notify_all();
+    state.set_status(ComputeStatus::Init, &compute.state_changed);
 
     info!(
         "running compute with features: {:?}",
diff --git a/compute_tools/src/compute.rs b/compute_tools/src/compute.rs
index ba7b4f37df0f..3e558a7d3ca0 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/compute.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/compute.rs
@@ -109,6 +109,18 @@ impl ComputeState {
             metrics: ComputeMetrics::default(),
         }
     }
+
+    pub fn set_status(&mut self, status: ComputeStatus, state_changed: &Condvar) {
+        let prev = self.status;
+        info!("Changing compute status from {} to {}", prev, status);
+        self.status = status;
+        state_changed.notify_all();
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_failed_status(&mut self, err: anyhow::Error, state_changed: &Condvar) {
+        self.error = Some(format!("{err:?}"));
+        self.set_status(ComputeStatus::Failed, state_changed);
+    }
 }
 
 impl Default for ComputeState {
@@ -303,15 +315,12 @@ impl ComputeNode {
 
     pub fn set_status(&self, status: ComputeStatus) {
         let mut state = self.state.lock().unwrap();
-        state.status = status;
-        self.state_changed.notify_all();
+        state.set_status(status, &self.state_changed);
     }
 
     pub fn set_failed_status(&self, err: anyhow::Error) {
         let mut state = self.state.lock().unwrap();
-        state.error = Some(format!("{err:?}"));
-        state.status = ComputeStatus::Failed;
-        self.state_changed.notify_all();
+        state.set_failed_status(err, &self.state_changed);
     }
 
     pub fn get_status(&self) -> ComputeStatus {
diff --git a/compute_tools/src/configurator.rs b/compute_tools/src/configurator.rs
index 7bd0e4938df8..a2043529a192 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/configurator.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/configurator.rs
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ fn configurator_main_loop(compute: &Arc<ComputeNode>) {
         // Re-check the status after waking up
         if state.status == ComputeStatus::ConfigurationPending {
             info!("got configuration request");
-            state.status = ComputeStatus::Configuration;
-            compute.state_changed.notify_all();
+            state.set_status(ComputeStatus::Configuration, &compute.state_changed);
             drop(state);
 
             let mut new_status = ComputeStatus::Failed;
diff --git a/compute_tools/src/http/api.rs b/compute_tools/src/http/api.rs
index 43d29402bcfd..fade3bbe6d85 100644
--- a/compute_tools/src/http/api.rs
+++ b/compute_tools/src/http/api.rs
@@ -288,8 +288,7 @@ async fn handle_configure_request(
                 return Err((msg, StatusCode::PRECONDITION_FAILED));
             }
             state.pspec = Some(parsed_spec);
-            state.status = ComputeStatus::ConfigurationPending;
-            compute.state_changed.notify_all();
+            state.set_status(ComputeStatus::ConfigurationPending, &compute.state_changed);
             drop(state);
             info!("set new spec and notified waiters");
         }
@@ -362,15 +361,15 @@ async fn handle_terminate_request(compute: &Arc<ComputeNode>) -> Result<(), (Str
         }
         if state.status != ComputeStatus::Empty && state.status != ComputeStatus::Running {
             let msg = format!(
-                "invalid compute status for termination request: {:?}",
-                state.status.clone()
+                "invalid compute status for termination request: {}",
+                state.status
             );
             return Err((msg, StatusCode::PRECONDITION_FAILED));
         }
-        state.status = ComputeStatus::TerminationPending;
-        compute.state_changed.notify_all();
+        state.set_status(ComputeStatus::TerminationPending, &compute.state_changed);
         drop(state);
     }
+
     forward_termination_signal();
     info!("sent signal and notified waiters");
 
@@ -384,7 +383,8 @@ async fn handle_terminate_request(compute: &Arc<ComputeNode>) -> Result<(), (Str
         while state.status != ComputeStatus::Terminated {
             state = c.state_changed.wait(state).unwrap();
             info!(
-                "waiting for compute to become Terminated, current status: {:?}",
+                "waiting for compute to become {}, current status: {:?}",
+                ComputeStatus::Terminated,
                 state.status
             );
         }
diff --git a/libs/compute_api/src/responses.rs b/libs/compute_api/src/responses.rs
index d05d625b0ad1..3f055b914a39 100644
--- a/libs/compute_api/src/responses.rs
+++ b/libs/compute_api/src/responses.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 //! Structs representing the JSON formats used in the compute_ctl's HTTP API.
 
+use std::fmt::Display;
+
 use chrono::{DateTime, Utc};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize, Serializer};
 
@@ -58,6 +60,21 @@ pub enum ComputeStatus {
     Terminated,
 }
 
+impl Display for ComputeStatus {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            ComputeStatus::Empty => f.write_str("empty"),
+            ComputeStatus::ConfigurationPending => f.write_str("configuration-pending"),
+            ComputeStatus::Init => f.write_str("init"),
+            ComputeStatus::Running => f.write_str("running"),
+            ComputeStatus::Configuration => f.write_str("configuration"),
+            ComputeStatus::Failed => f.write_str("failed"),
+            ComputeStatus::TerminationPending => f.write_str("termination-pending"),
+            ComputeStatus::Terminated => f.write_str("terminated"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 fn rfc3339_serialize<S>(x: &Option<DateTime<Utc>>, s: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
 where
     S: Serializer,