diff --git a/qiita_db/processing_job.py b/qiita_db/processing_job.py
index c31bbbb35..4b7a885fb 100644
--- a/qiita_db/processing_job.py
+++ b/qiita_db/processing_job.py
@@ -595,6 +595,8 @@ def complete(self, success, artifacts_data=None, error=None):
                         self._complete_artifact_definition(a_data)
                     else:
                         self._complete_artifact_transformation(artifacts_data)
+                else:
+                    self._set_status('success')
             else:
                 if self.command.software.type == 'artifact definition':
                     job_params = self.parameters.values
diff --git a/qiita_db/test/test_processing_job.py b/qiita_db/test/test_processing_job.py
index d53e1764b..9ff4626ae 100644
--- a/qiita_db/test/test_processing_job.py
+++ b/qiita_db/test/test_processing_job.py
@@ -394,6 +394,16 @@ def test_complete_artifact_transformation(self):
         # Implicitly tested by "test_complete"
         pass
 
+    def test_complete_no_artifact_data(self):
+        job = qdb.processing_job.ProcessingJob.create(
+            qdb.user.User('test@foo.bar'),
+            qdb.software.Parameters.load(
+                qdb.software.Command(5),
+                values_dict={"input_data": 1}))
+        job._set_status('running')
+        job.complete(True)
+        self.assertEqual(job.status, 'success')
+
     def test_complete_type(self):
         fd, fp = mkstemp(suffix="_table.biom")
         self._clean_up_files.append(fp)
@@ -448,7 +458,13 @@ def test_complete_success(self):
         alljobs = set(self._get_all_job_ids())
 
         job.complete(True, artifacts_data=artifacts_data)
-        self.assertTrue(job.status, 'success')
+        # When completing the previous job, it creates a new job that needs
+        # to validate the BIOM table that is being added as new artifact.
+        # Hence, this job is still in running state until the validation job
+        # is completed. Note that this is tested by making sure that the status
+        # of this job is running, and that we have one more job than before
+        # (see assertEqual with len of all jobs)
+        self.assertEqual(job.status, 'running')
 
         obsjobs = set(self._get_all_job_ids())