diff --git a/ietf/bin/iana-changes-updates b/ietf/bin/iana-changes-updates
index c0f2a1b6f..67361f90f 100755
--- a/ietf/bin/iana-changes-updates
+++ b/ietf/bin/iana-changes-updates
@@ -55,11 +55,13 @@ while t < end:
     # requests if necessary
 
     text = fetch_changes_json(settings.IANA_SYNC_CHANGES_URL, t, min(end, t + MAX_INTERVAL_ACCEPTED_BY_IANA))
+    syslog.syslog("Retrieved the JSON: %s" % text)
+
     changes = parse_changes_json(text)
     added_events, warnings = update_history_with_changes(changes, send_email=options.send_email)
 
     for e in added_events:
-        syslog.syslog("Added event for %s %s: %s" % (e.doc_id, e.time, e.desc))
+        syslog.syslog("Added event for %s %s: %s (parsed json: %s)" % (e.doc_id, e.time, e.desc, e.json))
 
     for w in warnings:
         syslog.syslog("WARNING: %s" % w)
diff --git a/ietf/sync/iana.py b/ietf/sync/iana.py
index 2284a30ad..2d280210f 100644
--- a/ietf/sync/iana.py
+++ b/ietf/sync/iana.py
@@ -169,6 +169,11 @@ def update_history_with_changes(changes, send_email=True):
             state = states[kind][c["state"]]
             state_type = "draft-iana-%s" % kind
 
+            if state.slug in ("need-rev", "changed"):
+                # the Datatracker is the ultimate source of these
+                # states, so skip them
+                continue
+
             e = StateDocEvent.objects.filter(type="changed_state", time=timestamp,
                                              state_type=state_type, state=state)
             if not e:
@@ -185,6 +190,8 @@ def update_history_with_changes(changes, send_email=True):
                 e = add_state_change_event(doc, system, prev_state, state, timestamp)
 
                 if e:
+                    # for logging purposes
+                    e.json = c
                     added_events.append(e)
 
                 if not StateDocEvent.objects.filter(doc=doc, time__gt=timestamp, state_type=state_type):
diff --git a/ietf/sync/tests.py b/ietf/sync/tests.py
index 385315414..1b066dc8c 100644
--- a/ietf/sync/tests.py
+++ b/ietf/sync/tests.py
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ class IANASyncTestCase(django.test.TestCase):
                         "state": "IANA Not OK",
                         "type": "iana_review",
                     },
+                    {
+                        "time": "2011-10-09 12:00:02",
+                        "doc": draft.name,
+                        "state": "IANA - Review Needed", # this should be skipped
+                        "type": "iana_review",
+                    },
                     {
                         "time": "2011-10-09 12:00:00",
                         "doc": draft.name,
diff --git a/ietf/sync/views.py b/ietf/sync/views.py
index 917216590..d038c0440 100644
--- a/ietf/sync/views.py
+++ b/ietf/sync/views.py
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ def notify(request, org, notification):
             out, _ = p.communicate()
             return (p.returncode, out)
 
+        import syslog
+        syslog.syslog("Running sync script from notify view POST")
+
         if notification == "protocols":
             failed, out = runscript("iana-protocols-updates")