diff --git a/awx/main/scheduler/task_manager.py b/awx/main/scheduler/task_manager.py
index 115838c66c..9de7d93774 100644
--- a/awx/main/scheduler/task_manager.py
+++ b/awx/main/scheduler/task_manager.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ from awx.main.models import (
 )
 from awx.main.scheduler.dag_workflow import WorkflowDAG
 from awx.main.utils.pglock import advisory_lock
-from awx.main.utils import get_type_for_model, task_manager_bulk_reschedule, schedule_task_manager
+from awx.main.utils import get_type_for_model, task_manager_bulk_reschedule, schedule_task_manager, create_partition
 from awx.main.signals import disable_activity_stream
 from awx.main.scheduler.dependency_graph import DependencyGraph
 from awx.main.utils import decrypt_field
@@ -252,6 +252,16 @@ class TaskManager:
         }
         dependencies = [{'type': get_type_for_model(type(t)), 'id': t.id} for t in dependent_tasks]
 
+        controller_node = None
+        if task.supports_isolation() and rampart_group.controller_id:
+            try:
+                controller_node = rampart_group.choose_online_controller_node()
+            except IndexError:
+                logger.debug("No controllers available in group {} to run {}".format(rampart_group.name, task.log_format))
+                return
+
+        # Before task leaves pending state, ensure that job_event partitions exist
+        create_partition()
         task.status = 'waiting'
 
         (start_status, opts) = task.pre_start()
diff --git a/awx/main/utils/common.py b/awx/main/utils/common.py
index 3343abd31e..4dcd207dc6 100644
--- a/awx/main/utils/common.py
+++ b/awx/main/utils/common.py
@@ -1026,16 +1026,21 @@ def deepmerge(a, b):
         return b
 
 
-def create_partition(start, end=None, partition_label=None):
+def create_partition(start=None, end=None, partition_label=None):
     """Creates new partition tables for events.
-    If not specified, end is set to the end of the current hour."""
+    - start defaults to beginning of current hour
+    - end defaults to end of current hour
+    - partition_label defaults to YYYYMMDD_HH"""
+
+    if not start:
+        start = now().replace(microsecond=0, second=0, minute=0)
     if not end:
         end = start.replace(microsecond=0, second=0, minute=0) + timedelta(hours=1)
     start_timestamp = str(start)
     end_timestamp = str(end)
 
     if not partition_label:
-        partition_label = start.strftime('%Y_%m_%d_%H')
+        partition_label = start.strftime('%Y%m%d_%H')
 
     with connection.cursor() as cursor:
         # Only partitioning main_jobevent on first pass