diff --git a/scripts/base/init-bare.zeek b/scripts/base/init-bare.zeek
index a71963f1fd..a45c5904f1 100644
--- a/scripts/base/init-bare.zeek
+++ b/scripts/base/init-bare.zeek
@@ -6246,7 +6246,10 @@ export {
 		## Generic disconnection failure.
 		DISCONNECTION_FAILED,
 		## Generic initialization failure.
-		INITIALIZATION_FAILED
+		INITIALIZATION_FAILED,
+		## Returned from async operations when the backend is waiting
+		## for a result.
+		IN_PROGRESS,
 	} &redef;
 
 	## Returned as the result of the various storage operations.
diff --git a/src/storage/Manager.cc b/src/storage/Manager.cc
index 6f991af5c2..0e1bf86ca4 100644
--- a/src/storage/Manager.cc
+++ b/src/storage/Manager.cc
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ zeek::expected<BackendPtr, std::string> Manager::Instantiate(const Tag& type) {
 OperationResult Manager::OpenBackend(BackendPtr backend, RecordValPtr options, TypePtr key_type, TypePtr val_type,
                                      OpenResultCallback* cb) {
     auto res = backend->Open(std::move(options), std::move(key_type), std::move(val_type), cb);
-    if ( res.code != ReturnCode::SUCCESS ) {
+    if ( res.code != ReturnCode::SUCCESS && res.code != ReturnCode::IN_PROGRESS ) {
         res.err_str = util::fmt("Failed to open backend %s: %s", backend->Tag(), res.err_str.c_str());
         return res;
     }
diff --git a/src/storage/ReturnCode.cc b/src/storage/ReturnCode.cc
index 50d13554ce..22a3e8a2e6 100644
--- a/src/storage/ReturnCode.cc
+++ b/src/storage/ReturnCode.cc
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ EnumValPtr ReturnCode::KEY_EXISTS;
 EnumValPtr ReturnCode::CONNECTION_FAILED;
 EnumValPtr ReturnCode::DISCONNECTION_FAILED;
 EnumValPtr ReturnCode::INITIALIZATION_FAILED;
+EnumValPtr ReturnCode::IN_PROGRESS;
 
 void ReturnCode::Initialize() {
     static const auto& return_code_type = zeek::id::find_type<zeek::EnumType>("Storage::ReturnCode");
@@ -57,6 +58,9 @@ void ReturnCode::Initialize() {
 
     tmp = return_code_type->Lookup("Storage::INITIALIZATION_FAILED");
     INITIALIZATION_FAILED = return_code_type->GetEnumVal(tmp);
+
+    tmp = return_code_type->Lookup("Storage::IN_PROGRESS");
+    IN_PROGRESS = return_code_type->GetEnumVal(tmp);
 }
 
 void ReturnCode::Cleanup() {
@@ -72,6 +76,7 @@ void ReturnCode::Cleanup() {
     CONNECTION_FAILED.reset();
     DISCONNECTION_FAILED.reset();
     INITIALIZATION_FAILED.reset();
+    IN_PROGRESS.reset();
 }
 
 } // namespace zeek::storage
diff --git a/src/storage/ReturnCode.h b/src/storage/ReturnCode.h
index 826408c9df..8b110641f0 100644
--- a/src/storage/ReturnCode.h
+++ b/src/storage/ReturnCode.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ public:
     static EnumValPtr CONNECTION_FAILED;
     static EnumValPtr DISCONNECTION_FAILED;
     static EnumValPtr INITIALIZATION_FAILED;
+    static EnumValPtr IN_PROGRESS;
 };
 
 } // namespace storage
diff --git a/src/storage/backend/redis/Redis.cc b/src/storage/backend/redis/Redis.cc
index 7d1eb0a854..5ec512b3f7 100644
--- a/src/storage/backend/redis/Redis.cc
+++ b/src/storage/backend/redis/Redis.cc
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ OperationResult Redis::DoOpen(RecordValPtr options, OpenResultCallback* cb) {
     async_ctx->ev.addWrite = redisAddWrite;
     async_ctx->ev.delWrite = redisDelWrite;
 
-    return {ReturnCode::SUCCESS};
+    return {ReturnCode::IN_PROGRESS};
 }
 
 /**
@@ -247,8 +247,6 @@ OperationResult Redis::DoClose(OperationResultCallback* cb) {
         // TODO: handle response
     }
 
-    CompleteCallback(cb, {ReturnCode::SUCCESS});
-
     redisAsyncFree(async_ctx);
     async_ctx = nullptr;
 
@@ -306,7 +304,7 @@ OperationResult Redis::DoPut(ValPtr key, ValPtr value, bool overwrite, double ex
         ++active_ops;
     }
 
-    return {ReturnCode::SUCCESS};
+    return {ReturnCode::IN_PROGRESS};
 }
 
 /**
@@ -329,7 +327,7 @@ OperationResult Redis::DoGet(ValPtr key, OperationResultCallback* cb) {
 
     // There isn't a result to return here. That happens in HandleGetResult for
     // async operations.
-    return {ReturnCode::SUCCESS};
+    return {ReturnCode::IN_PROGRESS};
 }
 
 /**
@@ -350,7 +348,7 @@ OperationResult Redis::DoErase(ValPtr key, OperationResultCallback* cb) {
 
     ++active_ops;
 
-    return {ReturnCode::SUCCESS};
+    return {ReturnCode::IN_PROGRESS};
 }
 
 void Redis::DoExpire() {
diff --git a/src/storage/storage.bif b/src/storage/storage.bif
index 393a21fe0c..82d85e6afb 100644
--- a/src/storage/storage.bif
+++ b/src/storage/storage.bif
@@ -54,9 +54,12 @@ static zeek::expected<storage::detail::BackendHandleVal*, OperationResult> cast_
 
 static void handle_async_result(const IntrusivePtr<Backend>& backend, ResultCallback* cb,
                                 const OperationResult& op_result) {
-	if ( ! backend->SupportsAsync() ) {
-		// If the backend doesn't support async, we blocked in order to get here already. Handle the
-		// callback manually.
+	if ( op_result.code != ReturnCode::IN_PROGRESS || ! backend->SupportsAsync() ) {
+		// We need to complete the callback early if:
+		// 1. The operation didn't start up successfully. For async operations, this means
+		// it didn't report back IN_PROGRESS.
+		// 2. The backend doesn't support async. This means we already blocked in order
+		// to get here already.
 		cb->Complete(op_result);
 		delete cb;
 	}