diff --git a/dotbot/dispatcher.py b/dotbot/dispatcher.py
index 10e4293..2d3b25f 100644
--- a/dotbot/dispatcher.py
+++ b/dotbot/dispatcher.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import os
 from .plugin import Plugin
 from .messenger import Messenger
 from .context import Context
+from .util import test_success
 
 class Dispatcher(object):
     def __init__(self, base_directory, only=None, skip=None):
@@ -21,29 +22,43 @@ class Dispatcher(object):
     def dispatch(self, tasks):
         success = True
         for task in tasks:
-            for action in task:
+            actions = task
+            name = task.get('task', None)
+            if name is not None:
+                test = task.get('if', None)
+                if test is not None and not test_success(test, cwd=self._context.base_directory(), log=self._log):
+                    self._log.info('Skipping task %s' % name)
+                    actions = []
+                else:
+                    actions = task.get('actions', [])
+                    if not actions:
+                        self._log.info('Task %s has no actions' % name)
+                    else:
+                        self._log.info('Starting task %s' % name)
+            for action in actions:
                 if self._only is not None and action not in self._only \
                         or self._skip is not None and action in self._skip:
                     self._log.info('Skipping action %s' % action)
                     continue
                 handled = False
                 if action == 'defaults':
-                    self._context.set_defaults(task[action]) # replace, not update
+                    self._context.set_defaults(actions[action]) # replace, not update
                     handled = True
                     # keep going, let other plugins handle this if they want
                 for plugin in self._plugins:
                     if plugin.can_handle(action):
                         try:
-                            success &= plugin.handle(action, task[action])
+                            success &= plugin.handle(action, actions[action])
                             handled = True
                         except Exception as err:
                             self._log.error(
                                 'An error was encountered while executing action %s' %
                                 action)
-                            self._log.debug(err)
                 if not handled:
                     success = False
                     self._log.error('Action %s not handled' % action)
+            if name and actions:
+                self._log.info('Task %s completed' % name)
         return success
 
     def _load_plugins(self):
diff --git a/dotbot/plugins/link.py b/dotbot/plugins/link.py
index 6f2b562..1c5beb8 100644
--- a/dotbot/plugins/link.py
+++ b/dotbot/plugins/link.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class Link(dotbot.Plugin):
                 path = self._default_source(destination, source.get('path'))
             else:
                 path = self._default_source(destination, source)
-            if test is not None and not self._test_success(test):
+            if test is not None and not dotbot.util.test_success(test, cwd=self._context.base_directory(), log=self._log):
                 self._log.lowinfo('Skipping %s' % destination)
                 continue
             path = os.path.expandvars(os.path.expanduser(path))
@@ -105,12 +105,6 @@ class Link(dotbot.Plugin):
             self._log.error('Some links were not successfully set up')
         return success
 
-    def _test_success(self, command):
-        ret = dotbot.util.shell_command(command, cwd=self._context.base_directory())
-        if ret != 0:
-            self._log.debug('Test \'%s\' returned false' % command)
-        return ret == 0
-
     def _default_source(self, destination, source):
         if source is None:
             basename = os.path.basename(destination)
diff --git a/dotbot/util/__init__.py b/dotbot/util/__init__.py
index 0c5a8f5..2a33abe 100644
--- a/dotbot/util/__init__.py
+++ b/dotbot/util/__init__.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-from .common import shell_command
+from .common import shell_command, test_success
diff --git a/dotbot/util/common.py b/dotbot/util/common.py
index d1e2000..9c871ca 100644
--- a/dotbot/util/common.py
+++ b/dotbot/util/common.py
@@ -32,3 +32,9 @@ def shell_command(command, cwd=None, enable_stdin=False, enable_stdout=False, en
             stderr=stderr,
             cwd=cwd
         )
+
+def test_success(command, cwd=None, log=None):
+    ret = shell_command(command, cwd=cwd)
+    if ret != 0 and log != None:
+        log.debug('Test \'%s\' returned false' % command)
+    return ret == 0