ifchange.go | 4 +++-
 main.go     | 2 ++

diff --git a/ifchange.go b/ifchange.go
index 1ad18baa0b768967745461efd01fc1d9d17055b5477c203ee296ae15df38f767..a1148ac4aeb929335491498d1cfe4e1842fd7c9573ee1479c4285d4bf04f89a7 100644
--- a/ifchange.go
+++ b/ifchange.go
@@ -180,7 +180,9 @@ }
 
 func ifchange(tgts []string, forced, traced bool) (bool, error) {
 	jsInit()
-	defer jsAcquire("ifchange exiting")
+	if !IsTopRedo {
+		defer jsAcquire("ifchange exiting")
+	}
 	defer Jobs.Wait()
 	seen := buildDependants(tgts)
 	oodTgtsClear()
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 862d2dde6b147366d11bc3b44b747ea8be3f18ea40123b1f90e0d7aa6e7681f6..c5d044ca08a5af683cdda1da3ee9a7e85b589b84f98771e2cba3f531970e8b6c 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 var (
 	Cwd       string
 	BuildUUID string
+	IsTopRedo bool // is it the top redo instance
 )
 
 func mustSetenv(key, value string) {
@@ -229,6 +230,7 @@ 	tgts := flag.Args()
 	BuildUUID = os.Getenv(EnvBuildUUID)
 	tgtsWasEmpty := len(tgts) == 0
 	if BuildUUID == "" {
+		IsTopRedo = true
 		raw := new([16]byte)
 		if _, err = io.ReadFull(rand.Reader, raw[:]); err != nil {
 			log.Fatalln(err)