diff --git a/distrib/distrib.cc b/distrib/distrib.cc
index d2a12c9..e6590d1 100644
--- a/distrib/distrib.cc
+++ b/distrib/distrib.cc
@@ -374,6 +374,16 @@ int distrib::getTask()
             m_next_task++;
         }
         pthread_mutex_unlock(&m_task_mutex);
+        if (task == -1)
+        {
+            pthread_mutex_lock(&m_tasks_in_progress_mutex);
+            std::map<int, int>::const_iterator it = m_tasks_in_progress.begin();
+            if (it != m_tasks_in_progress.end())
+            {
+                task = it->first;
+            }
+            pthread_mutex_unlock(&m_tasks_in_progress_mutex);
+        }
         if (task > -1)
             startTask(task);
     }