diff --git a/host/libcontainer_backend.go b/host/libcontainer_backend.go
index 49e76fda35..2b6530ef74 100644
--- a/host/libcontainer_backend.go
+++ b/host/libcontainer_backend.go
@@ -742,6 +742,12 @@ func (c *Container) watch(ready chan<- error, buffer host.LogBuffer) error {
 	log := c.l.logger.New("fn", "watch", "job.id", c.job.ID)
 	log.Info("start watching container")
 
+	readyErr := func(err error) {
+		if ready != nil {
+			ready <- err
+		}
+	}
+
 	defer func() {
 		c.container.Destroy()
 		c.l.containersMtx.Lock()
@@ -773,12 +779,10 @@ func (c *Container) watch(ready chan<- error, buffer host.LogBuffer) error {
 			break
 		}
 	}
-	if ready != nil {
-		ready <- err
-	}
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error("error connecting to container", "err", err)
 		c.l.state.SetStatusFailed(c.job.ID, errors.New("failed to connect to container"))
+		readyErr(err)
 		return err
 	}
 	defer c.Client.Close()
@@ -787,6 +791,8 @@ func (c *Container) watch(ready chan<- error, buffer host.LogBuffer) error {
 	c.l.containers[c.job.ID] = c
 	c.l.containersMtx.Unlock()
 
+	readyErr(nil)
+
 	if !c.job.Config.DisableLog && !c.job.Config.TTY {
 		if err := c.followLogs(log, buffer); err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -1194,7 +1200,6 @@ func (l *LibcontainerBackend) UnmarshalState(jobs map[string]*host.ActiveJob, jo
 			container.cleanup()
 			continue
 		}
-		l.containers[j.Job.ID] = container
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/host/state.go b/host/state.go
index 5af7d0a3e6..867e62d535 100644
--- a/host/state.go
+++ b/host/state.go
@@ -92,17 +92,6 @@ func (s *State) Restore(backend Backend, buffers host.LogBuffers) (func(), error
 			return err
 		}
 
-		if err := persistentBucket.ForEach(func(k, v []byte) error {
-			for _, job := range s.jobs {
-				if job.Job.ID == string(v) {
-					resurrect = append(resurrect, job.Job)
-				}
-			}
-			return nil
-		}); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
 		// hand opaque blobs back to backend so it can do its restore
 		backendJobsBlobs := make(map[string][]byte)
 		if err := backendJobsBucket.ForEach(func(k, v []byte) error {
@@ -116,12 +105,27 @@ func (s *State) Restore(backend Backend, buffers host.LogBuffers) (func(), error
 			return err
 		}
 
+		// resurrect any persistent jobs which are not running
+		if err := persistentBucket.ForEach(func(k, v []byte) error {
+			for _, job := range s.jobs {
+				if job.Job.ID == string(v) && !backend.JobExists(job.Job.ID) {
+					resurrect = append(resurrect, job.Job)
+				}
+			}
+			return nil
+		}); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
 		return nil
 	}); err != nil && err != io.EOF {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not restore from host persistence db: %s", err)
 	}
 
 	return func() {
+		if len(resurrect) == 0 {
+			return
+		}
 		var wg sync.WaitGroup
 		wg.Add(len(resurrect))
 		for _, job := range resurrect {