diff --git a/.circleci/cron.sh b/.circleci/cron.sh
index 2dd09a68d..d33ab8af7 100755
--- a/.circleci/cron.sh
+++ b/.circleci/cron.sh
@@ -4,75 +4,83 @@
 # a non-zero exit code
 set -e
 
-echo "Logging into cloud.gov"
+# Set # of failures to 0
+F=0
+
+function run_production_tasks() {
+	# === PRODUCTION environment ===================================================
+	echo "Running tasks in Production..."
+
+	PROD_TASK="cf run-task touchpoints-production-sidekiq-worker --wait -c" 
+	# Users
+	$PROD_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_one_week_until_inactivation_warning" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$PROD_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_two_weeks_until_inactivation_warning" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$PROD_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:deactivate_inactive_users" || F=$((F+=1))
+
+	# Forms
+	# $PROD_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_daily_notifications" || F=$((F+=1))
+	# $PROD_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_weekly_notifications" || F=$((F+=1))
+	# $PROD_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:check_expiring_forms" || F=$((F+=1))
+	# $PROD_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:archive_forms" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$PROD_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:notify_form_managers_of_inactive_forms" || F=$((F+=1))
+	# $PROD_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:delete_submissions_trash" || F=$((F+=1))
+	echo "Production tasks have completed."
+}
+
+
+function run_staging_tasks() {
+	# === STAGING environment ======================================================
+	echo "Running tasks in Staging..."
+
+	STAGING_TASK="cf run-task touchpoints-staging-sidekiq-worker --wait -c"
+
+	# Users
+	$STAGING_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_one_week_until_inactivation_warning" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$STAGING_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_two_weeks_until_inactivation_warning" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$STAGING_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:deactivate_inactive_users" || F=$((F+=1))
+
+	# Forms
+	$STAGING_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_daily_notifications" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$STAGING_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_weekly_notifications" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$STAGING_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:check_expiring_forms" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$STAGING_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:archive_forms" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$STAGING_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:notify_form_managers_of_inactive_forms" || F=$((F+=1))
+	# $STAGING_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:delete_submissions_trash" || F=$((F+=1))
+
+	echo "Staging tasks have completed."
+}
+
+function run_demo_tasks() {
+	# === DEMO environment =========================================================
+	echo "Running tasks in Demo..."
+	DEMO_TASK="cf run-task touchpoints-demo-sidekiq-worker --wait -c"
+
+	# Users
+	$DEMO_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_one_week_until_inactivation_warning" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$DEMO_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_two_weeks_until_inactivation_warning" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$DEMO_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:deactivate_inactive_users" || F=$((F+=1))
+
+	# Forms
+	$DEMO_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_daily_notifications" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$DEMO_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:send_weekly_notifications" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$DEMO_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:check_expiring_forms" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$DEMO_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:archive_forms" || F=$((F+=1))
+	$DEMO_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:notify_form_managers_of_inactive_forms" || F=$((F+=1))
+	# $DEMO_TASK "rake scheduled_jobs:delete_submissions_trash" || F=$((F+=1))
+
+	echo "Demo tasks have completed."
+}
+
+echo "Logging into cloud.gov non-prod"
 cf login -a $CF_API_ENDPOINT -u $CF_USERNAME -p $CF_PASSWORD -o $CF_ORG -s $CF_SPACE
-
-#
-# === STAGING environment ======================================================
-#
-
-echo "Running tasks in Staging..."
-
-# Users
-cf run-task touchpoints-staging-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_one_week_until_inactivation_warning"
-cf run-task touchpoints-staging-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_two_weeks_until_inactivation_warning"
-cf run-task touchpoints-staging-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:deactivate_inactive_users"
-
-# Forms
-cf run-task touchpoints-staging-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_daily_notifications"
-cf run-task touchpoints-staging-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_weekly_notifications"
-cf run-task touchpoints-staging-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:check_expiring_forms"
-cf run-task touchpoints-staging-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:archive_forms"
-cf run-task touchpoints-staging-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:notify_form_managers_of_inactive_forms"
-# cf run-task touchpoints-staging-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:delete_submissions_trash"
-
-echo "Staging tasks have completed."
-
-#
-# === DEMO environment =========================================================
-#
-
-echo "Running tasks in Demo..."
-
-# Users
-cf run-task touchpoints-demo-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_one_week_until_inactivation_warning"
-cf run-task touchpoints-demo-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_two_weeks_until_inactivation_warning"
-cf run-task touchpoints-demo-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:deactivate_inactive_users"
-
-# Forms
-cf run-task touchpoints-demo-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_daily_notifications"
-cf run-task touchpoints-demo-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_weekly_notifications"
-cf run-task touchpoints-demo-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:check_expiring_forms"
-cf run-task touchpoints-demo-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:archive_forms"
-cf run-task touchpoints-demo-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:notify_form_managers_of_inactive_forms"
-# cf run-task touchpoints-demo-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:delete_submissions_trash"
-
-echo "Demo tasks have completed."
-
+run_staging_tasks
+run_demo_tasks
 cf logout
 
-#
-# === PRODUCTION environment ===================================================
-#
-
-echo "Logging into cloud.gov"
+echo "Logging into cloud.gov production environment"
 cf login -a $CF_API_ENDPOINT -u $CF_PRODUCTION_SPACE_DEPLOYER_USERNAME -p $CF_PRODUCTION_SPACE_DEPLOYER_PASSWORD -o $CF_ORG -s prod
-
-echo "Running tasks in Production..."
-
-# Users
-cf run-task touchpoints-production-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_one_week_until_inactivation_warning"
-cf run-task touchpoints-production-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_two_weeks_until_inactivation_warning"
-cf run-task touchpoints-production-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:deactivate_inactive_users"
-
-# Forms
-# cf run-task touchpoints-production-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_daily_notifications"
-# cf run-task touchpoints-production-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:send_weekly_notifications"
-# cf run-task touchpoints-production-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:check_expiring_forms"
-# cf run-task touchpoints-production-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:archive_forms"
-cf run-task touchpoints-production-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:notify_form_managers_of_inactive_forms"
-# cf run-task touchpoints-production-sidekiq-worker -c "rake scheduled_jobs:delete_submissions_trash"
-
-echo "Production tasks have completed."
-
+run_production_tasks
 cf logout
+
+echo "$0 exiting with failure count: $F"
+exit $F
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/controllers/admin/submissions_controller.rb b/app/controllers/admin/submissions_controller.rb
index efa5c11da..77de70000 100644
--- a/app/controllers/admin/submissions_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/admin/submissions_controller.rb
@@ -186,23 +186,20 @@ def unmark
     def delete
       ensure_form_manager(form: @form)
 
-      if @submission.update(deleted: true, deleted_at: Time.now)
-        Event.log_event(Event.names[:response_deleted], 'Submission', @submission.id, "Submission #{@submission.id} deleted at #{DateTime.now}", current_user.id)
-      else
-        Rails.logger.warn("Failed to delete submission: #{@submission.errors.full_messages.join(', ')}")
-      end
+      Event.log_event(Event.names[:response_deleted], 'Submission', @submission.id, "Submission #{@submission.id} deleted at #{DateTime.now}", current_user.id)
+      @submission.assign_attributes(deleted: true, deleted_at: Time.now)
+      @submission.save(validate: false)
     end
 
     def destroy
       ensure_form_manager(form: @form)
 
-      if @submission.update(deleted: true, deleted_at: Time.now)
-        Event.log_event(Event.names[:response_deleted], 'Submission', @submission.id, "Submission #{@submission.id} deleted at #{DateTime.now}", current_user.id)
-        respond_to do |format|
-          format.js { render :destroy }
-        end
-      else
-        Rails.logger.warn("Failed to delete submission: #{@submission.errors.full_messages.join(', ')}")
+      Event.log_event(Event.names[:response_deleted], 'Submission', @submission.id, "Submission #{@submission.id} deleted at #{DateTime.now}", current_user.id)
+      @submission.assign_attributes(deleted: true, deleted_at: Time.now)
+      @submission.save(validate: false)
+
+      respond_to do |format|
+        format.js { render :destroy }
       end
     end
 
@@ -210,7 +207,8 @@ def undelete
       ensure_form_manager(form: @form)
 
       Event.log_event(Event.names[:response_undeleted], 'Submission', @submission.id, "Submission #{@submission.id} undeleted at #{DateTime.now}", current_user.id)
-      @submission.update(deleted: false, deleted_at: nil)
+      @submission.assign_attributes(deleted: false, deleted_at: nil)
+      @submission.save(validate: false)
     end
 
     def feed
@@ -302,7 +300,8 @@ def bulk_update
         when 'delete'
           submissions.each do |submission|
             Event.log_event(Event.names[:response_deleted], 'Submission', submission.id, "Submission #{submission.id} deleted at #{DateTime.now}", current_user.id)
-            submission.update(deleted: true, deleted_at: Time.now)
+            submission.assign_attributes(deleted: true, deleted_at: Time.now)
+            submission.save(validate: false)
           end
           flash[:notice] = "#{view_context.pluralize(submissions.count, 'Submission')} deleted."
         else
diff --git a/app/models/submission.rb b/app/models/submission.rb
index 22b441cb1..05fee0aed 100644
--- a/app/models/submission.rb
+++ b/app/models/submission.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ class Submission < ApplicationRecord
   belongs_to :form, counter_cache: :response_count
   attr_accessor :fba_directive # for SPAM capture
 
-  validate :validate_custom_form
+  validate :validate_answers, on: :create
   validates :uuid, uniqueness: true
 
   before_create :set_uuid
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class Submission < ApplicationRecord
   end
 
   # Validate each submitted field against its question type
-  def validate_custom_form
+  def validate_answers
     # Isolate questions that were answered
     answered_questions = attributes.select { |_key, value| value.present? }
 
diff --git a/spec/controllers/admin/submissions_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/admin/submissions_controller_spec.rb
index 2cbac1e57..cb529eec6 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/admin/submissions_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/admin/submissions_controller_spec.rb
@@ -9,28 +9,27 @@
   let!(:user_role) { FactoryBot.create(:user_role, user: admin, form:, role: UserRole::Role::FormManager) }
   let!(:questions) {
     FactoryBot.create(:question,
-      form:,
-      question_type: 'text_field',
-      form_section: form.form_sections.first,
-      answer_field: 'answer_02',
-      position: 2,
-      text: 'Two'
+                      form:,
+                      question_type: 'text_field',
+                      form_section: form.form_sections.first,
+                      answer_field: 'answer_02',
+                      position: 2,
+                      text: 'Two',
     )
     FactoryBot.create(:question,
-      form:,
-      question_type: 'text_field',
-      form_section: form.form_sections.first,
-      answer_field: 'answer_03',
-      position: 3,
-      text: 'Three'
+                      form:,
+                      question_type: 'text_field',
+                      form_section: form.form_sections.first,
+                      answer_field: 'answer_03',
+                      position: 3,
+                      text: 'Three',
     )
     FactoryBot.create(:question,
-      form:,
-      question_type: 'text_field',
-      form_section: form.form_sections.first,
-      answer_field: 'answer_04',
-      position: 4,
-      text: 'Four'
+                      :email,
+                      form:,
+                      form_section: form.form_sections.first,
+                      answer_field: 'answer_04',
+                      position: 4,
     )
 
   }
@@ -47,10 +46,11 @@
 
   let(:invalid_attributes) do
     {
+      form_id: form.id,
       answer_01: nil,
       answer_02: 'James',
       answer_03: 'Madison',
-      answer_04: nil,
+      answer_04: 'not_an_email',
     }
   end
 
@@ -99,6 +99,18 @@
       end.to change { Submission.active.count }.by(-1)
     end
 
+    it 'deletes the requested submission even if it has invalid answers' do
+      expect { Submission.create! invalid_attributes }.to raise_error(ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid)
+
+      submission = Submission.create! valid_attributes
+      submission.assign_attributes(invalid_attributes)
+      submission.save(validate: false)
+
+      expect do
+        delete :delete, params: { id: submission.to_param, form_id: form.short_uuid }, session: valid_session, format: :js
+      end.to change { Submission.active.count }.by(-1)
+    end
+
     it 'redirects to the submissions list' do
       submission = Submission.create! valid_attributes
       delete :destroy, params: { id: submission.to_param, form_id: form.short_uuid }, session: valid_session, format: :js
diff --git a/spec/features/admin/submissions_spec.rb b/spec/features/admin/submissions_spec.rb
index 213e38916..844c7e9f9 100644
--- a/spec/features/admin/submissions_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/admin/submissions_spec.rb
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@
                 visit admin_form_submission_path(form, submission)
               end
 
-              it 'try to update a submission that has had its question validations changed' do
+              it 'can update status of a submission that has had its question validations changed' do
                 click_on("Acknowledge")
-                expect(page).to have_content("Response could not be updated.")
+                expect(page).to have_content("Response was successfully updated.")
               end
             end
           end