diff --git a/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/ExternalRessourceService.java b/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/ExternalRessourceService.java
index aaed6e73..1d314e1c 100644
--- a/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/ExternalRessourceService.java
+++ b/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/ExternalRessourceService.java
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ public class ExternalRessourceService {
     @Autowired
     private RestTemplateService restTemplateService;
 
+    @Autowired
+    private GratificationService gratificationService;
+
     private static final Logger LOGGER = LoggerFactory.getLogger(ExternalRessourceService.class);
 
     private static final String ERROR_NO_CONNECTION = "No connection to backend - please adjust the url to the SonarQube server";
@@ -94,6 +97,7 @@ public List<StandardTask> generateStandardTasksFromSonarQubeIssuesForWorld(final
             standardTasks = sonarQubeIssues.stream().map(sonarQubeIssue -> toTask(sonarQubeIssue, world))
                     .collect(Collectors.toList());
         }
+        LOGGER.info("Mapping done.");
         return standardTasks;
     }
 
@@ -106,18 +110,22 @@ private StandardTask toTask(final SonarQubeIssue sonarQubeIssue, final World wor
     }
 
     private StandardTask loadTask(final SonarQubeIssue sonarQubeIssue, final World world, final Long gold,
-            final Long xp, final Integer debt, final SonarQuestStatus status) {
-        StandardTask sonarQubeTask = standardTaskRepository.findByKey(sonarQubeIssue.getKey());
-        if (sonarQubeTask == null) {
+            final Long xp, final Integer debt, final SonarQuestStatus newStatus) {
+        StandardTask savedTask = standardTaskRepository.findByKey(sonarQubeIssue.getKey());
+        if (savedTask == null) {
             // new issue from SonarQube: Create new task
-            sonarQubeTask = new StandardTask(sonarQubeIssue.getMessage(), status, gold, xp, null, world,
+            savedTask = new StandardTask(sonarQubeIssue.getMessage(), newStatus, gold, xp, null, world,
                     sonarQubeIssue.getKey(), sonarQubeIssue.getComponent(), sonarQubeIssue.getSeverity(),
                     sonarQubeIssue.getType(), debt, sonarQubeIssue.getKey());
-        } else {
-            // issue already in SonarQuest database: update the task
-            sonarQubeTask.setStatus(status);
         }
-        return sonarQubeTask;
+        else {
+            final SonarQuestStatus lastStatus = savedTask.getStatus();
+            if (newStatus == SonarQuestStatus.SOLVED && lastStatus == SonarQuestStatus.OPEN) {
+                gratificationService.rewardUserForSolvingTask(savedTask);
+            }
+            savedTask.setStatus(newStatus);
+        }
+        return savedTask;
     }
 
     public List<SonarQubeProject> getSonarQubeProjects() {
diff --git a/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/GratificationService.java b/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/GratificationService.java
index 2596e647..2442b7d2 100644
--- a/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/GratificationService.java
+++ b/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/GratificationService.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 import com.viadee.sonarquest.entities.Task;
 import com.viadee.sonarquest.entities.User;
 import com.viadee.sonarquest.interfaces.UserGratification;
+import com.viadee.sonarquest.repositories.StandardTaskRepository;
 
 @Service
 public class GratificationService implements UserGratification {
@@ -34,11 +35,15 @@ public class GratificationService implements UserGratification {
     @Autowired
     private LevelService levelService;
 
+    @Autowired
+    private StandardTaskRepository taskRepo;
+
     private static final Logger LOGGER = LoggerFactory.getLogger(GratificationService.class);
 
     @Override
     @Transactional
     public synchronized void rewardUserForSolvingTask(final Task task) {
+        LOGGER.debug("Task ID {} has changed the status from OPEN to SOLVED, rewarding users...", task.getId());
         final Participation participation = task.getParticipation();
         if (participation != null) {
             final User user = participation.getUser();
@@ -49,6 +54,8 @@ public synchronized void rewardUserForSolvingTask(final Task task) {
             addSkillReward(user);
             user.setLevel(levelService.getLevelByUserXp(user.getXp()));
             userService.save(user);
+        } else {
+            LOGGER.info("No SQUser participations found for task {}, so no rewards are paid out", task.getKey());
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/StandardTaskService.java b/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/StandardTaskService.java
index 9c321bb0..9000e7e8 100644
--- a/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/StandardTaskService.java
+++ b/sonarQuest-backend/src/main/java/com/viadee/sonarquest/services/StandardTaskService.java
@@ -23,9 +23,6 @@ public class StandardTaskService {
     @Autowired
     private ExternalRessourceService externalRessourceService;
 
-    @Autowired
-    private GratificationService gratificationService;
-
     @Autowired
     private StandardTaskRepository standardTaskRepository;
 
@@ -38,6 +35,9 @@ public class StandardTaskService {
     @Autowired
     private WorldRepository worldRepository;
 
+    @Autowired
+    private GratificationService gratificationService;
+
     @Autowired
     private NamedParameterJdbcTemplate template;
 
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ public void updateStandardTasks(final World world) {
         adventureService.updateAdventures();
     }
 
+    @Transactional
     public StandardTask updateStandardTask(final StandardTask task) {
         final SonarQuestStatus oldStatus = getLastState(task);
         final SonarQuestStatus newStatus = task.getStatus();
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ public void setExternalRessourceService(final ExternalRessourceService externalR
         this.externalRessourceService = externalRessourceService;
     }
 
+    @Transactional
     public void save(final StandardTask standardTask) {
         final World world = worldRepository.findByProject(standardTask.getWorld().getProject());
         final StandardTask st = new StandardTask(