diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Core/Publishing/ScheduledPublisher.cs b/src/Umbraco.Core/Publishing/ScheduledPublisher.cs
index 45492423ab..94df1b88f1 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Core/Publishing/ScheduledPublisher.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Core/Publishing/ScheduledPublisher.cs
@@ -17,8 +17,15 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Publishing
             _contentService = contentService;
         }
 
-        public void CheckPendingAndProcess()
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Processes scheduled operations
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// Returns the number of items successfully completed
+        /// </returns>
+        public int CheckPendingAndProcess()
         {
+            var counter = 0;
             foreach (var d in _contentService.GetContentForRelease())
             {
                 try
@@ -32,10 +39,14 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Publishing
                             LogHelper.Error<ScheduledPublisher>("Could not published the document (" + d.Id + ") based on it's scheduled release, status result: " + result.Result.StatusType, result.Exception);
                         }
                         else
-                        {                            
+                        {
                             LogHelper.Warn<ScheduledPublisher>("Could not published the document (" + d.Id + ") based on it's scheduled release. Status result: " + result.Result.StatusType);
                         }
                     }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        counter++;
+                    }
                 }
                 catch (Exception ee)
                 {
@@ -48,7 +59,11 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Publishing
                 try
                 {
                     d.ExpireDate = null;
-                    _contentService.UnPublish(d, (int)d.GetWriterProfile().Id);
+                    var result = _contentService.UnPublish(d, (int)d.GetWriterProfile().Id);
+                    if (result)
+                    {
+                        counter++;
+                    }
                 }
                 catch (Exception ee)
                 {
@@ -56,6 +71,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Core.Publishing
                     throw;
                 }
             }
+
+            return counter;
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/ScheduledPublishing.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/ScheduledPublishing.cs
index 0f7e3f0183..6649c3c474 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/ScheduledPublishing.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/Scheduling/ScheduledPublishing.cs
@@ -49,20 +49,32 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.Scheduling
                 return false; // do NOT repeat, going down
             }
 
-            using (DisposableTimer.DebugDuration<ScheduledPublishing>(() => "Scheduled publishing executing", () => "Scheduled publishing complete"))
+            string umbracoAppUrl;
+            try
             {
-                string umbracoAppUrl = null;
-
-                try
+                umbracoAppUrl = _appContext == null || _appContext.UmbracoApplicationUrl.IsNullOrWhiteSpace()
+                        ? null
+                        : _appContext.UmbracoApplicationUrl;
+                if (umbracoAppUrl.IsNullOrWhiteSpace())
                 {
-                    umbracoAppUrl = _appContext.UmbracoApplicationUrl;
-                    if (umbracoAppUrl.IsNullOrWhiteSpace())
-                    {
-                        LogHelper.Warn<ScheduledPublishing>("No url for service (yet), skip.");
-                        return true; // repeat
-                    }
+                    LogHelper.Warn<ScheduledPublishing>("No url for service (yet), skip.");
+                    return true; // repeat
+                }
+            }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+                LogHelper.Error<ScheduledPublishing>("Could not acquire application url", e);
+                return true; // repeat
+            }
 
-                    var url = umbracoAppUrl + "/RestServices/ScheduledPublish/Index";
+            var url = umbracoAppUrl + "/RestServices/ScheduledPublish/Index";
+
+            using (DisposableTimer.DebugDuration<ScheduledPublishing>(
+                () => string.Format("Scheduled publishing executing @ {0}", url), 
+                () => "Scheduled publishing complete"))
+            {                
+                try
+                {   
                     using (var wc = new HttpClient())
                     {
                         var request = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Post, url)
diff --git a/src/Umbraco.Web/WebServices/ScheduledPublishController.cs b/src/Umbraco.Web/WebServices/ScheduledPublishController.cs
index 0ab76738dc..fcf07126fb 100644
--- a/src/Umbraco.Web/WebServices/ScheduledPublishController.cs
+++ b/src/Umbraco.Web/WebServices/ScheduledPublishController.cs
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.WebServices
         public JsonResult Index()
         {
             if (_isPublishingRunning)
+            {
+                Logger.Debug<ScheduledPublishController>(() => "Scheduled publishing is currently executing this request will exit");
                 return null;
+            }
+                
             _isPublishingRunning = true;
 
             try
@@ -28,7 +32,8 @@ namespace Umbraco.Web.WebServices
                 if (content.Instance.isInitializing == false)
                 {
                     var publisher = new ScheduledPublisher(Services.ContentService);
-                    publisher.CheckPendingAndProcess();
+                    var count = publisher.CheckPendingAndProcess();
+                    Logger.Debug<ScheduledPublishController>(() => string.Format("The scheduler processed {0} items", count));
                 }
 
                 return Json(new