diff --git a/changelogs/unreleased/6012-sseago b/changelogs/unreleased/6012-sseago
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fb6544aab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/unreleased/6012-sseago
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+distinguish between New and InProgress operations
diff --git a/pkg/backup/backup_test.go b/pkg/backup/backup_test.go
index d41f9506d..8fa92b4ae 100644
--- a/pkg/backup/backup_test.go
+++ b/pkg/backup/backup_test.go
@@ -2478,7 +2478,7 @@ func TestBackupWithAsyncOperations(t *testing.T) {
 						OperationID: "pod-1-1",
 					},
 					Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-						Phase: "InProgress",
+						Phase: "New",
 					},
 				},
 			},
@@ -2507,7 +2507,7 @@ func TestBackupWithAsyncOperations(t *testing.T) {
 						OperationID: "pod-2-1",
 					},
 					Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-						Phase: "InProgress",
+						Phase: "New",
 					},
 				},
 			},
diff --git a/pkg/backup/item_backupper.go b/pkg/backup/item_backupper.go
index fd22ea02c..528afc905 100644
--- a/pkg/backup/item_backupper.go
+++ b/pkg/backup/item_backupper.go
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ func (ib *itemBackupper) executeActions(
 					OperationID:        operationID,
 				},
 				Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-					Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress,
+					Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew,
 					Created: &now,
 				},
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/controller/backup_operations_controller.go b/pkg/controller/backup_operations_controller.go
index 50beb095c..96ba1c312 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/backup_operations_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/backup_operations_controller.go
@@ -286,7 +286,8 @@ func getBackupItemOperationProgress(
 	var completedCount, failedCount int
 
 	for _, operation := range operationsList {
-		if operation.Status.Phase == itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress {
+		if operation.Status.Phase == itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew ||
+			operation.Status.Phase == itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress {
 			bia, err := pluginManager.GetBackupItemActionV2(operation.Spec.BackupItemAction)
 			if err != nil {
 				operation.Status.Phase = itemoperation.OperationPhaseFailed
@@ -322,12 +323,14 @@ func getBackupItemOperationProgress(
 				changes = true
 			}
 			started := metav1.NewTime(operationProgress.Started)
-			if operation.Status.Started == nil || *(operation.Status.Started) != started {
+			if operation.Status.Started == nil && !operationProgress.Started.IsZero() ||
+				operation.Status.Started != nil && *(operation.Status.Started) != started {
 				operation.Status.Started = &started
 				changes = true
 			}
 			updated := metav1.NewTime(operationProgress.Updated)
-			if operation.Status.Updated == nil || *(operation.Status.Updated) != updated {
+			if operation.Status.Updated == nil && !operationProgress.Updated.IsZero() ||
+				operation.Status.Updated != nil && *(operation.Status.Updated) != updated {
 				operation.Status.Updated = &updated
 				changes = true
 			}
@@ -356,6 +359,11 @@ func getBackupItemOperationProgress(
 				failedCount++
 				continue
 			}
+			if operation.Status.Phase == itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew &&
+				operation.Status.Started != nil {
+				operation.Status.Phase = itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress
+				changes = true
+			}
 			// if we reach this point, the operation is still running
 			inProgressOperations = true
 		} else if operation.Status.Phase == itemoperation.OperationPhaseCompleted {
diff --git a/pkg/controller/backup_operations_controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/backup_operations_controller_test.go
index d7a7d9831..417294a7c 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/backup_operations_controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/backup_operations_controller_test.go
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func TestBackupOperationsReconcile(t *testing.T) {
 						OperationID: "operation-11",
 					},
 					Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress,
+						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew,
 						Created: &metav1Now,
 					},
 				},
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func TestBackupOperationsReconcile(t *testing.T) {
 						OperationID: "operation-12",
 					},
 					Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress,
+						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew,
 						Created: &metav1Now,
 					},
 				},
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ func TestBackupOperationsReconcile(t *testing.T) {
 						OperationID: "operation-13",
 					},
 					Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress,
+						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew,
 						Created: &metav1Now,
 					},
 				},
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ func TestBackupOperationsReconcile(t *testing.T) {
 						OperationID: "operation-14",
 					},
 					Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress,
+						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew,
 						Created: &metav1Now,
 					},
 				},
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ func TestBackupOperationsReconcile(t *testing.T) {
 						OperationID: "operation-15",
 					},
 					Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress,
+						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew,
 						Created: &metav1Now,
 					},
 				},
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ func TestBackupOperationsReconcile(t *testing.T) {
 						OperationID: "operation-16",
 					},
 					Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress,
+						Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew,
 						Created: &metav1Now,
 					},
 				},
diff --git a/pkg/controller/restore_operations_controller.go b/pkg/controller/restore_operations_controller.go
index 15e6a25b8..fe51286ac 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/restore_operations_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/restore_operations_controller.go
@@ -270,7 +270,8 @@ func getRestoreItemOperationProgress(
 	var completedCount, failedCount int
 
 	for _, operation := range operationsList {
-		if operation.Status.Phase == itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress {
+		if operation.Status.Phase == itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew ||
+			operation.Status.Phase == itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress {
 			ria, err := pluginManager.GetRestoreItemActionV2(operation.Spec.RestoreItemAction)
 			if err != nil {
 				operation.Status.Phase = itemoperation.OperationPhaseFailed
@@ -306,12 +307,14 @@ func getRestoreItemOperationProgress(
 				changes = true
 			}
 			started := metav1.NewTime(operationProgress.Started)
-			if operation.Status.Started == nil || *(operation.Status.Started) != started {
+			if operation.Status.Started == nil && !operationProgress.Started.IsZero() ||
+				operation.Status.Started != nil && *(operation.Status.Started) != started {
 				operation.Status.Started = &started
 				changes = true
 			}
 			updated := metav1.NewTime(operationProgress.Updated)
-			if operation.Status.Updated == nil || *(operation.Status.Updated) != updated {
+			if operation.Status.Updated == nil && !operationProgress.Updated.IsZero() ||
+				operation.Status.Updated != nil && *(operation.Status.Updated) != updated {
 				operation.Status.Updated = &updated
 				changes = true
 			}
@@ -340,6 +343,11 @@ func getRestoreItemOperationProgress(
 				failedCount++
 				continue
 			}
+			if operation.Status.Phase == itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew &&
+				operation.Status.Started != nil {
+				operation.Status.Phase = itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress
+				changes = true
+			}
 			// if we reach this point, the operation is still running
 			inProgressOperations = true
 		} else if operation.Status.Phase == itemoperation.OperationPhaseCompleted {
diff --git a/pkg/itemoperation/shared.go b/pkg/itemoperation/shared.go
index b9c81ce0b..0fc2db428 100644
--- a/pkg/itemoperation/shared.go
+++ b/pkg/itemoperation/shared.go
@@ -86,7 +86,11 @@ func (in *OperationStatus) DeepCopyInto(out *OperationStatus) {
 }
 
 const (
-	// OperationPhaseNew means the item operation has been created and started
+	// OperationPhaseNew means the item operation has been created but not started
+	// by the plugin
+	OperationPhaseNew OperationPhase = "New"
+
+	// OperationPhaseInProgress means the item operation has been created and started
 	// by the plugin
 	OperationPhaseInProgress OperationPhase = "InProgress"
 
diff --git a/pkg/restore/restore.go b/pkg/restore/restore.go
index 35e7fea8a..84368348b 100644
--- a/pkg/restore/restore.go
+++ b/pkg/restore/restore.go
@@ -1221,7 +1221,7 @@ func (ctx *restoreContext) restoreItem(obj *unstructured.Unstructured, groupReso
 					OperationID:        executeOutput.OperationID,
 				},
 				Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-					Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseInProgress,
+					Phase:   itemoperation.OperationPhaseNew,
 					Created: &now,
 				},
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/restore/restore_test.go b/pkg/restore/restore_test.go
index 946ba3bfc..2b8957c3f 100644
--- a/pkg/restore/restore_test.go
+++ b/pkg/restore/restore_test.go
@@ -1707,7 +1707,7 @@ func TestRestoreWithAsyncOperations(t *testing.T) {
 						OperationID: "pod-1-1",
 					},
 					Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-						Phase: "InProgress",
+						Phase: "New",
 					},
 				},
 			},
@@ -1732,7 +1732,7 @@ func TestRestoreWithAsyncOperations(t *testing.T) {
 						OperationID: "pod-2-1",
 					},
 					Status: itemoperation.OperationStatus{
-						Phase: "InProgress",
+						Phase: "New",
 					},
 				},
 			},