diff --git a/src/builtin_bg.cpp b/src/builtin_bg.cpp
index ca05442fd..64b0ec5c8 100644
--- a/src/builtin_bg.cpp
+++ b/src/builtin_bg.cpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ static int send_to_bg(parser_t &parser, io_streams_t &streams, job_t *j) {
                               j->command_wcstr());
     parser.job_promote(j);
     j->group->set_is_foreground(false);
-    j->continue_job(parser);
+    j->continue_job(parser, false /* not in_foreground */);
     return STATUS_CMD_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/exec.cpp b/src/exec.cpp
index c995594ce..c38a13887 100644
--- a/src/exec.cpp
+++ b/src/exec.cpp
@@ -1004,7 +1004,7 @@ bool exec_job(parser_t &parser, const shared_ptr<job_t> &j, const io_chain_t &bl
         return false;
     }
 
-    j->continue_job(parser);
+    j->continue_job(parser, !j->is_initially_background());
     return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/proc.cpp b/src/proc.cpp
index b24613e98..a44ef90d8 100644
--- a/src/proc.cpp
+++ b/src/proc.cpp
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ maybe_t<pid_t> job_t::get_pgid() const { return group->get_pgid(); }
 
 job_id_t job_t::job_id() const { return group->get_id(); }
 
-void job_t::continue_job(parser_t &parser) {
+void job_t::continue_job(parser_t &parser, bool in_foreground) {
     // Put job first in the job list.
     parser.job_promote(this);
     mut_flags().notified = false;
@@ -984,7 +984,7 @@ void job_t::continue_job(parser_t &parser) {
             }
         }
 
-        if (is_foreground()) {
+        if (in_foreground) {
             // Wait for the status of our own job to change.
             while (!reader_exit_forced() && !is_stopped() && !is_completed()) {
                 process_mark_finished_children(parser, true);
@@ -992,10 +992,10 @@ void job_t::continue_job(parser_t &parser) {
         }
     }
 
-    if (is_foreground() && is_completed()) {
+    if (in_foreground && is_completed()) {
         // Set $status only if we are in the foreground and the last process in the job has
         // finished.
-        auto &p = processes.back();
+        const auto &p = processes.back();
         if (p->status.normal_exited() || p->status.signal_exited()) {
             parser.set_last_statuses(get_statuses());
         }
diff --git a/src/proc.h b/src/proc.h
index 2541d85eb..2700d4610 100644
--- a/src/proc.h
+++ b/src/proc.h
@@ -456,7 +456,9 @@ class job_t {
 
     /// Continues running a job, which may be stopped, or may just have started.
     /// This will send SIGCONT if the job is stopped.
-    void continue_job(parser_t &parser);
+    /// If \p in_foreground is set, then wait for the job to stop or complete;
+    /// otherwise do not wait for the job.
+    void continue_job(parser_t &parser, bool in_foreground = true);
 
     /// Send the specified signal to all processes in this job.
     /// \return true on success, false on failure.