diff --git a/includes/batch.inc b/includes/batch.inc
index c489f9301ec6db1a267d1424f611d13f67fc5641..22692f0ad59908c37107ac13fbf1ab0aa401c89a 100644
--- a/includes/batch.inc
+++ b/includes/batch.inc
@@ -179,8 +179,10 @@ function _batch_process() {
       include_once($current_set['file']);
     }
 
-    $finished = TRUE;
     $task_message = '';
+    // We assume a single pass operation and set the completion level
+    // to 1 by default.
+    $finished = 1;
     if ((list($function, $args) = reset($current_set['operations'])) && function_exists($function)) {
       // Build the 'context' array, execute the function call,
       // and retrieve the user message.
@@ -189,9 +191,9 @@ function _batch_process() {
       call_user_func_array($function, array_merge($args, array(&$batch_context)));
     }
 
-    if ($finished == TRUE) {
+    if ($finished == 1) {
       // Make sure this step isn't counted double when computing $current.
-      $finished = FALSE;
+      $finished = 0;
       // Remove the operation and clear the sandbox.
       array_shift($current_set['operations']);
       $current_set['sandbox'] = array();