diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/admin.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/admin.py
index 5ddcd85ea4cf667ec4564f3733b8d746a06036d6..a7d63806e75dc3ef4f00ea3a38ae4c7a17c418d9 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/admin.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor_task/admin.py
@@ -5,8 +5,6 @@ This will mostly involve searching by course_id or task_id and manually failing
 a task.
 
 """
-
-
 from config_models.admin import ConfigurationModelAdmin
 from django.contrib import admin
 
@@ -14,9 +12,21 @@ from .config.models import GradeReportSetting
 from .models import InstructorTask
 
 
+def mark_tasks_as_failed(modeladmin, request, queryset):
+    queryset.update(
+        task_state='FAILURE',
+        task_output='{}',
+        task_key='dummy_task_key',
+    )
+
+mark_tasks_as_failed.short_description = "Mark Tasks as Failed"
+
+
 class InstructorTaskAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
+    actions = [mark_tasks_as_failed]
     list_display = [
         'task_id',
+        'task_state',
         'task_type',
         'course_id',
         'username',