diff --git a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/datafeed/DatafeedJob.java b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/datafeed/DatafeedJob.java
index 8d42ab955a1..da2c028134c 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/datafeed/DatafeedJob.java
+++ b/plugin/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/ml/datafeed/DatafeedJob.java
@@ -81,19 +81,25 @@ class DatafeedJob {
 
         String msg = Messages.getMessage(Messages.JOB_AUDIT_DATAFEED_STARTED_FROM_TO,
                 DateFieldMapper.DEFAULT_DATE_TIME_FORMATTER.printer().print(lookbackStartTimeMs),
-                DateFieldMapper.DEFAULT_DATE_TIME_FORMATTER.printer().print(lookbackEnd));
+                endTime == null ? "real-time" : DateFieldMapper.DEFAULT_DATE_TIME_FORMATTER.printer().print(lookbackEnd));
         auditor.info(jobId, msg);
 
         FlushJobAction.Request request = new FlushJobAction.Request(jobId);
         request.setCalcInterim(true);
         run(lookbackStartTimeMs, lookbackEnd, request);
-        auditor.info(jobId, Messages.getMessage(Messages.JOB_AUDIT_DATAFEED_LOOKBACK_COMPLETED));
-        LOGGER.info("[{}] Lookback has finished", jobId);
-        if (isLookbackOnly) {
-            return null;
+
+        if (isRunning()) {
+            auditor.info(jobId, Messages.getMessage(Messages.JOB_AUDIT_DATAFEED_LOOKBACK_COMPLETED));
+            LOGGER.info("[{}] Lookback has finished", jobId);
+            if (isLookbackOnly) {
+                return null;
+            } else {
+                auditor.info(jobId, Messages.getMessage(Messages.JOB_AUDIT_DATAFEED_CONTINUED_REALTIME));
+                return nextRealtimeTimestamp();
+            }
         } else {
-            auditor.info(jobId, Messages.getMessage(Messages.JOB_AUDIT_DATAFEED_CONTINUED_REALTIME));
-            return nextRealtimeTimestamp();
+            LOGGER.debug("Lookback finished after being stopped");
+            return null;
         }
     }