diff --git a/ipsframework/services.py b/ipsframework/services.py
index 81f80d21..525f7805 100644
--- a/ipsframework/services.py
+++ b/ipsframework/services.py
@@ -2748,7 +2748,8 @@ def send_ensemble_instance_to_portal(ensemble_name: str, data_path: Path) -> Non
         try:
             # Note that we *always* use Dask to run the ensemble tasks
             num_submitted = self.submit_tasks(
-                task_pool_name,  # block=True,
+                task_pool_name,
+                    block=True,
                 use_dask=True,
                 dask_nodes=num_nodes,
                 dask_ppw=cores_per_instance,
@@ -3005,7 +3006,7 @@ def _process_dask_event(self, event):
 
     def submit_dask_tasks(
         self,
-        block=True,
+        block= True,
         dask_nodes=1,
         dask_ppw=None,
         use_shifter=False,
@@ -3248,6 +3249,7 @@ def _make_worker_args(num_workers: int, num_threads: int, use_shifter: bool, shi
                                                    hwthreads=hwthreads))
 
         try:
+            # FIXME this is deprecated, but be mindful of blithely deleting
             file_id = str(self.services._portal_runid) if self.services._portal_runid > 0 else self.services._fallback_portal_runid
             self.worker_event_logfile = services.sim_name + '_' + file_id + '_' + self.name + '_{}.json'
             self.services.debug(f'Worker event log file: {self.worker_event_logfile}')
@@ -3277,6 +3279,23 @@ def _make_worker_args(num_workers: int, num_threads: int, use_shifter: bool, shi
             )
         self.active_tasks = self.queued_tasks
         self.queued_tasks = {}
+
+        if block:
+            self.services.debug(f'submit_dask_tasks: blocking tasks to await '
+                                f'results')
+            # Await all the futures to finish, thereby blocking until they
+            # are all done.
+            result = self.dask_client.gather(self.futures, direct=True)
+            self.services.debug(f'submit_dask_tasks: have {len(result)} '
+                                f'results, block released')
+            # TODO check actual result values for problems
+
+            # Set this to empty list so that get_dask_finished_tasks_status
+            # doesn't try to gather() needlessly again.
+            self.futures = []
+        else:
+            self.services.debug(f'submit_dask_tasks: not blocking tasks')
+
         return len(self.futures)
 
     def submit_tasks(
@@ -3451,20 +3470,27 @@ def get_dask_finished_tasks_status(self):
 
             return {}
 
-        self.services.debug('get_dask_finished_tasks_status: before gather()')
-        result = self.dask_client.gather(self.futures)
-        self.services.debug('get_dask_finished_tasks_status: after gather()')
-
-        # If we don't have a result, then there were no tasks to gather.
-        if result is None:
-            self.services.warning('No futures available in call to finished ')
-            self._shutdown_dask()
-            return {}
+        elif len(self.futures) > 0:
+            # submit_dask_tasks was called with block = False, so we we
+            # await here for the futures.
+            # FIXME This may not be an ideal location for this
+            self.services.debug('get_dask_finished_tasks_status: before gather()')
+            result = self.dask_client.gather(self.futures, direct=True)
+            self.services.debug('get_dask_finished_tasks_status: after gather()')
+            # If we don't have a result, then there were no tasks to gather.
+            if result is None:
+                self.services.warning(
+                    'No futures available in call to finished ')
+                self._shutdown_dask()
+                return {}
+            else:
+                self.services.debug(
+                    f'get_dask_finished_tasks_status: have {len(result)} futures')
         else:
-            self.services.debug(f'get_dask_finished_tasks_status: have {len(result)} futures')
+            # This is ok if submit_dask_tasks.block = True, but we echo this
+            # anyway in debug mode as a reality check.
+            self.services.debug('get_dask_finished_tasks_status: have no futures')
 
-        worker_names = [''.join(c for c in worker['name'] if c.isalnum()) for worker in self.dask_client.scheduler_info()['workers'].values()]
-        self.services.debug(f'get_dask_finished_tasks_status: worker_names: {worker_names!s}')
 
         # NOTE: You may get an exception stack trace from Dask, this is currently not believed to cause an issue.
         # We no longer need Dask running, so shut it down.
@@ -3472,6 +3498,8 @@ def get_dask_finished_tasks_status(self):
         self._shutdown_dask()
         self.services.debug(f'get_dask_finished_tasks_status: after _shutdown_dask()')
 
+        # TODO These probably should be migrated to _shutdown_dask() since
+        #  these are part of that housekeeping.
         self.finished_tasks = {}
         self.active_tasks = {}
         self.services.wait_task(self.dask_workers_tid)