A system and method for using a dead letter queue to regulate host computing systems performing transformation or migration operations. The system and method including reading a message from a queue, the message including one or more references to a set of data objects, with the set of data objects including one or more data objects selected for a transformation operation according to a transformation scheme. The system and method further including performing a mitigation action upon determination that the message is one of a number of unsuccessfully processed messages in the queue that are associated with the computer system, when the number of unsuccessfully processed messages exceed a threshold.