diff --git a/command/monitor.go b/command/monitor.go
index e3e715c75..0db947e22 100644
--- a/command/monitor.go
+++ b/command/monitor.go
@@ -131,21 +131,23 @@ func (m *monitor) update(update *evalState) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Check if the status changed
-	if existing.status != update.status {
+	// Check if the status changed. We skip any transitions to pending status.
+	if existing.status != "" &&
+		update.status != structs.AllocClientStatusPending &&
+		existing.status != update.status {
 		m.ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("Evaluation status changed: %q -> %q",
 			existing.status, update.status))
 	}
 
 	// Check if the wait time is different
 	if existing.wait == 0 && update.wait != 0 {
-		m.ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("Waiting %s before running eval",
+		m.ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("Evaluation delay is %s",
 			update.wait))
 	}
 
-	// Check if the node changed
+	// Check if the evaluation was triggered by a node
 	if existing.node == "" && update.node != "" {
-		m.ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("Evaluation was assigned node ID %q",
+		m.ui.Output(fmt.Sprintf("Evaluation triggered by node %q",
 			update.node))
 	}
 }
diff --git a/command/monitor_test.go b/command/monitor_test.go
index 562d1a0a4..ef8fc253e 100644
--- a/command/monitor_test.go
+++ b/command/monitor_test.go
@@ -24,15 +24,17 @@ func TestMonitor_Update_Eval(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Logs were output
 	out := ui.OutputWriter.String()
-	if !strings.Contains(out, "pending") {
-		t.Fatalf("missing status\n\n%s", out)
-	}
 	if !strings.Contains(out, "node1") {
 		t.Fatalf("missing node\n\n%s", out)
 	}
 	if !strings.Contains(out, "10s") {
 		t.Fatalf("missing eval wait\n\n%s", out)
 	}
+
+	// Transition to pending should not be logged
+	if strings.Contains(out, structs.EvalStatusPending) {
+		t.Fatalf("should skip status\n\n%s", out)
+	}
 	ui.OutputWriter.Reset()
 
 	// No logs sent if no update