diff --git a/cypress/e2e/vault.cy.js b/cypress/e2e/vault.cy.js
--- a/cypress/e2e/vault.cy.js
+++ b/cypress/e2e/vault.cy.js
@@ -118,6 +118,44 @@
 
   });
 
+  it('should report pending cooking task when already submitted', function() {
+    // Browse a directory
+    cy.visit(this.directoryUrl);
+
+    // Stub responses when requesting the vault API to simulate
+    // an internal server error
+    cy.intercept(this.vaultDirectoryUrl, {
+      body: this.genVaultDirCookingResponse('pending', 'Processing...')
+    }).as('checkVaultCookingTask');
+
+    cy.intercept('POST', this.vaultDirectoryUrl, {
+      body: this.genVaultDirCookingResponse('pending', 'Processing...')
+    }).as('createVaultCookingTask');
+
+    cy.contains('button', 'Download')
+      .click();
+
+    // Create a vault cooking task through the GUI
+    cy.get('.modal-dialog')
+      .contains('button:visible', 'Ok')
+      .click();
+
+    cy.wait('@createVaultCookingTask');
+
+    // Check success alert is displayed
+    cy.get('.alert-success')
+      .should('be.visible')
+      .should('contain', 'Archive cooking request successfully submitted.');
+
+    // Go to Downloads page
+    cy.visit(this.Urls.vault());
+
+    cy.wait('@checkVaultCookingTask').then(() => {
+      testStatus(this.directory, progressbarColors['pending'], 'Processing...', 'pending');
+    });
+
+  });
+
   it('should report an error when vault service is experiencing issues', function() {
     // Browse a directory
     cy.visit(this.directoryUrl);
diff --git a/swh/web/vault/assets/vault-create-tasks.js b/swh/web/vault/assets/vault-create-tasks.js
--- a/swh/web/vault/assets/vault-create-tasks.js
+++ b/swh/web/vault/assets/vault-create-tasks.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
   const data = await response.json();
 
   // object needs to be cooked
-  if (data.exception === 'NotFoundExc' || data.status === 'failed') {
+  if (data.exception === 'NotFoundExc' || data.status === 'failed' || data.status === 'pending') {
     // if last cooking has failed, remove previous task info from localStorage
     // in order to force the recooking of the object
     swh.vault.removeCookingTaskInfo([swhid]);
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
     const vaultModalId = `#vault-fetch-${objectType}-modal`;
     $(vaultModalId).modal('show');
     $('body').on('keyup', vaultModalId, vaultModalHandleEnterKey);
-  } else {
+  } else if (!response.ok) {
     const cookingServiceDownAlert =
           $(htmlAlert('danger',
                       'Archive cooking service is currently experiencing issues.<br/>' +