diff --git a/Shell/Parser.cpp b/Shell/Parser.cpp
index 6252f5e232a..464f5ff4653 100644
--- a/Shell/Parser.cpp
+++ b/Shell/Parser.cpp
@@ -228,10 +228,9 @@ RefPtr<AST::Node> Parser::parse_sequence()
         return first;
     }
     case '&': {
-        auto execute_pipe_seq = first->would_execute() ? first.release_nonnull() : static_cast<NonnullRefPtr<AST::Node>>(create<AST::Execute>(first.release_nonnull()));
         consume();
         auto pos_after_seps = save_offset();
-        auto bg = create<AST::Background>(execute_pipe_seq); // Execute Background
+        auto bg = create<AST::Background>(first.release_nonnull()); // Execute Background
         if (auto rest = parse_sequence())
             return create<AST::Sequence>(
                 move(bg),
diff --git a/Shell/Shell.cpp b/Shell/Shell.cpp
index 6ab017e962f..7d73eece360 100644
--- a/Shell/Shell.cpp
+++ b/Shell/Shell.cpp
@@ -1443,7 +1443,16 @@ void Shell::notify_child_event()
                 }
                 found_child = true;
 #ifdef ENSURE_WAITID_ONCE
-                s_waited_for_pids.set(child_pid);
+                // NOTE: This check is here to find bugs about our assumptions about waitpid(),
+                //       it does not hold in general, and it definitely does not hold in the long run.
+                // Reasons that we would call waitpid() more than once:
+                // - PID reuse/wraparound: This will simply fail the assertion, ignored here.
+                // - Non-terminating unblocks:
+                //   - Suspension: (e.g. via ^Z)
+                //   - ?
+                // - ?
+                if (job.exited())
+                    s_waited_for_pids.set(child_pid);
 #endif
             }
             if (job.should_be_disowned())