diff --git a/script/deployment/deploy-to-staging.js b/script/deployment/deploy-to-staging.js
index 91e11352ea..209f072715 100644
--- a/script/deployment/deploy-to-staging.js
+++ b/script/deployment/deploy-to-staging.js
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ export default async function deployToStaging({
       // A new Build is created as a by-product of creating an AppSetup.
       // Poll until there is a Build object attached to the AppSetup.
       let setupAcceptableErrorCount = 0
-      while (!build || !build.id) {
+      while (!appSetup || appSetup.status === 'pending' || !build || !build.id) {
         await sleep(SLEEP_INTERVAL)
         try {
           appSetup = await heroku.get(`/app-setups/${appSetup.id}`)
@@ -240,6 +240,14 @@ export default async function deployToStaging({
           throw new Error(`Failed to get AppSetup status. Error: ${error}`)
         }
 
+        if (appSetup && appSetup.status === 'failed') {
+          throw new Error(
+            `Failed to setup app after ${Math.round(
+              (Date.now() - appSetupStartTime) / 1000
+            )} seconds. See Heroku logs for more information:\n${logUrl}`
+          )
+        }
+
         console.log(
           `AppSetup status: ${appSetup.status} (after ${Math.round(
             (Date.now() - appSetupStartTime) / 1000
@@ -304,6 +312,15 @@ export default async function deployToStaging({
         }
         throw new Error(`Failed to get build status. Error: ${error}`)
       }
+
+      if (build && build.status === 'failed') {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Failed to build after ${Math.round(
+            (Date.now() - buildStartTime) / 1000
+          )} seconds. See Heroku logs for more information:\n${logUrl}`
+        )
+      }
+
       console.log(
         `Heroku build status: ${(build || {}).status} (after ${Math.round(
           (Date.now() - buildStartTime) / 1000
@@ -311,14 +328,6 @@ export default async function deployToStaging({
       )
     }
 
-    if (build.status !== 'succeeded') {
-      throw new Error(
-        `Failed to build after ${Math.round(
-          (Date.now() - buildStartTime) / 1000
-        )} seconds. See Heroku logs for more information:\n${logUrl}`
-      )
-    }
-
     console.log(
       `Finished Heroku build after ${Math.round((Date.now() - buildStartTime) / 1000)} seconds.`,
       build
@@ -356,6 +365,14 @@ export default async function deployToStaging({
         throw new Error(`Failed to get release status. Error: ${error}`)
       }
 
+      if (release && release.status === 'failed') {
+        throw new Error(
+          `Failed to release after ${Math.round(
+            (Date.now() - releaseStartTime) / 1000
+          )} seconds. See Heroku logs for more information:\n${logUrl}`
+        )
+      }
+
       console.log(
         `Release status: ${(release || {}).status} (after ${Math.round(
           (Date.now() - releaseStartTime) / 1000
@@ -363,14 +380,6 @@ export default async function deployToStaging({
       )
     }
 
-    if (release.status !== 'succeeded') {
-      throw new Error(
-        `Failed to release after ${Math.round(
-          (Date.now() - releaseStartTime) / 1000
-        )} seconds. See Heroku logs for more information:\n${logUrl}`
-      )
-    }
-
     console.log(
       `Finished Heroku release after ${Math.round(
         (Date.now() - releaseStartTime) / 1000