diff --git a/packages/models-library/src/models_library/projects_state.py b/packages/models-library/src/models_library/projects_state.py
index 757704e14d33..f9d9bf269839 100644
--- a/packages/models-library/src/models_library/projects_state.py
+++ b/packages/models-library/src/models_library/projects_state.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from enum import Enum, unique
 from typing import Any, ClassVar
 
-from pydantic import BaseModel, Extra, Field, validator
+from pydantic import BaseModel, Extra, Field, root_validator, validator
 
 from .projects_access import Owner
 
@@ -57,10 +57,10 @@ class ProjectStatus(str, Enum):
 
 class ProjectLocked(BaseModel):
     value: bool = Field(..., description="True if the project is locked")
+    status: ProjectStatus = Field(..., description="The status of the project")
     owner: Owner | None = Field(
         default=None, description="If locked, the user that owns the lock"
     )
-    status: ProjectStatus = Field(..., description="The status of the project")
 
     class Config:
         extra = Extra.forbid
@@ -80,14 +80,6 @@ class Config:
             ]
         }
 
-    @validator("owner", pre=True, always=True)
-    @classmethod
-    def check_not_null(cls, v, values):
-        if values["value"] is True and v is None:
-            msg = "value cannot be None when project is locked"
-            raise ValueError(msg)
-        return v
-
     @validator("status", always=True)
     @classmethod
     def check_status_compatible(cls, v, values):
@@ -99,6 +91,23 @@ def check_status_compatible(cls, v, values):
             raise ValueError(msg)
         return v
 
+    @root_validator(pre=True)
+    @classmethod
+    def check_owner_compatible(cls, values):
+        if (
+            values["value"] is True
+            and values.get("owner") is None
+            and values["status"]
+            in [
+                status.value
+                for status in ProjectStatus
+                if status != ProjectStatus.MAINTAINING
+            ]
+        ):
+            msg = "Owner must be specified when the project is not in the 'MAINTAINING' status."
+            raise ValueError(msg)
+        return values
+
 
 class ProjectRunningState(BaseModel):
     value: RunningState = Field(
diff --git a/packages/models-library/tests/test_projects_state.py b/packages/models-library/tests/test_projects_state.py
index 2895d71f3a1b..3f102de0436a 100644
--- a/packages/models-library/tests/test_projects_state.py
+++ b/packages/models-library/tests/test_projects_state.py
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ def test_project_locked_with_missing_owner_raises():
     ProjectLocked.parse_obj({"value": False, "status": ProjectStatus.OPENED})
 
 
+def test_project_locked_with_missing_owner_ok_during_maintaining():
+    ProjectLocked.parse_obj({"value": True, "status": ProjectStatus.MAINTAINING})
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "lock, status",
     [
diff --git a/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/background_tasks.py b/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/background_tasks.py
index e6a9ee6ee15c..8ac475a4742a 100644
--- a/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/background_tasks.py
+++ b/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/background_tasks.py
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ async def removal_policy_task(app: FastAPI) -> None:
     efs_project_ids: list[
         ProjectID
     ] = await efs_manager.list_projects_across_whole_efs()
+    _logger.info(
+        "Number of projects that are currently in the EFS file system: %s",
+        len(efs_project_ids),
+    )
 
     projects_repo = ProjectsRepo(app.state.engine)
     for project_id in efs_project_ids:
diff --git a/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/background_tasks_setup.py b/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/background_tasks_setup.py
index 81920ab23103..5874de42b0ce 100644
--- a/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/background_tasks_setup.py
+++ b/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/background_tasks_setup.py
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@
 
 _logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-_SEC = 1000  # in ms
-_MIN = 60 * _SEC  # in ms
-_HOUR = 60 * _MIN  # in ms
+_SEC = 1  # in s
+_MIN = 60 * _SEC  # in s
+_HOUR = 60 * _MIN  # in s
 
 
 class EfsGuardianBackgroundTask(TypedDict):
diff --git a/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/process_messages_setup.py b/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/process_messages_setup.py
index d879d1891577..deb151fbda5d 100644
--- a/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/process_messages_setup.py
+++ b/services/efs-guardian/src/simcore_service_efs_guardian/services/process_messages_setup.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ async def _subscribe_to_rabbitmq(app) -> str:
 def _on_app_startup(app: FastAPI) -> Callable[[], Awaitable[None]]:
     async def _startup() -> None:
         with log_context(
-            _logger, logging.INFO, msg="setup resource tracker"
+            _logger, logging.INFO, msg="setup efs guardian process messages"
         ), log_catch(_logger, reraise=False):
             app_settings: ApplicationSettings = app.state.settings
             app.state.efs_guardian_rabbitmq_consumer = None