diff --git a/src/parse_execution.cpp b/src/parse_execution.cpp
index 262c31d2a..18e27954b 100644
--- a/src/parse_execution.cpp
+++ b/src/parse_execution.cpp
@@ -1255,6 +1255,7 @@ end_execution_reason_t parse_execution_context_t::run_1_job(tnode_t<g::job> job_
 
     job_t::properties_t props{};
     props.wants_terminal = wants_job_control && !ld.is_event;
+    props.initial_background = job_node_is_background(job_node);
     props.skip_notification =
         ld.is_subshell || ld.is_block || ld.is_event || !parser->is_interactive();
     props.from_event_handler = ld.is_event;
@@ -1263,7 +1264,7 @@ end_execution_reason_t parse_execution_context_t::run_1_job(tnode_t<g::job> job_
     shared_ptr<job_t> job = std::make_shared<job_t>(props);
     job->tmodes = tmodes;
 
-    job->mut_flags().foreground = !job_node_is_background(job_node);
+    job->mut_flags().foreground = !props.initial_background;
 
     // We are about to populate a job. One possible argument to the job is a command substitution
     // which may be interested in the job that's populating it, via '--on-job-exit caller'. Record
diff --git a/src/proc.cpp b/src/proc.cpp
index 9d912b433..0c7e6a132 100644
--- a/src/proc.cpp
+++ b/src/proc.cpp
@@ -270,8 +270,8 @@ void job_tree_t::populate_tree_for_job(job_t *job, const job_tree_ref_t &propose
     //  non-placeholder -> we are running as part of a real pipeline
     // Decide if this job can use the placeholder tree.
     // This is true if it's a simple foreground execution of an internal proc.
-    bool can_use_placeholder =
-        job->is_foreground() && job->processes.size() == 1 && job->processes.front()->is_internal();
+    bool can_use_placeholder = !job->is_initially_background() && job->processes.size() == 1 &&
+                               job->processes.front()->is_internal();
 
     bool needs_new_tree = false;
     if (!proposed) {
diff --git a/src/proc.h b/src/proc.h
index 2c40cac7d..79fe8f3f9 100644
--- a/src/proc.h
+++ b/src/proc.h
@@ -389,6 +389,11 @@ class job_t {
         /// Whether the job wants to own the terminal when in the foreground.
         bool wants_terminal{};
 
+        /// Whether the job had the background ampersand when constructed, e.g. /bin/echo foo &
+        /// Note that a job may move between foreground and background; this just describes what the
+        /// initial state should be.
+        bool initial_background{};
+
         /// Whether this job was created as part of an event handler.
         bool from_event_handler{};
 
@@ -523,6 +528,10 @@ class job_t {
     /// \return if this job should own the terminal when it runs.
     bool should_claim_terminal() const { return properties.wants_terminal && is_foreground(); }
 
+    /// \return whether this job is initially going to run in the background, because & was
+    /// specified.
+    bool is_initially_background() const { return properties.initial_background; }
+
     /// Mark this job as constructed. The job must not have previously been marked as constructed.
     void mark_constructed();