diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 0d65d76f41..e56707a96c 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -35,10 +35,11 @@ before_install:
   - google-chrome-stable --version
 
 install:
-  # Start up DSpace 7 using the entities database dump
+  # Start up a test DSpace 7 REST backend using the entities database dump
   - docker-compose -f ./docker/docker-compose-travis.yml up -d
   # Use the dspace-cli image to populate the assetstore. Triggers a discovery and oai update
   - docker-compose -f ./docker/cli.yml -f ./docker/cli.assetstore.yml run --rm dspace-cli
+  # Install all local dependencies (retry if initially fails)
   - travis_retry yarn install
 
 before_script:
@@ -49,9 +50,14 @@ before_script:
   #- curl http://localhost:8080/server/
 
 script:
+  # build app and run all tests
   - yarn run ci
-  - cat coverage/dspace-angular-cli/lcov.info | ./node_modules/coveralls/bin/coveralls.js
 
 after_script:
   # Shutdown docker after everything runs
   - docker-compose -f ./docker/docker-compose-travis.yml down
+
+# After a successful build and test (see 'script'), send code coverage reports to coveralls.io
+# These code coverage reports are generated by the coveralls node module in our package.json
+after_success:
+  - cat coverage/dspace-angular-cli/lcov.info | ./node_modules/coveralls/bin/coveralls.js