diff --git a/docs/wasm-runtime-architecture.md b/docs/wasm-runtime-architecture.md
index 071c2aa..ac4005e 100644
--- a/docs/wasm-runtime-architecture.md
+++ b/docs/wasm-runtime-architecture.md
@@ -358,8 +358,9 @@ header free-functions are `inline`. The wasm backend exposes only declarations
   cold component that exceeds the development epoch window and proves the
   parent request still renders it. The dependency-invalidation gate also holds
   parent and child compile locks across a transitive source edit, proves a
-  warmed request returns the last atomically published result without waiting,
-  and then proves the new dependency result appears after rebuild completion.
+  warmed HTTP request returns the last atomically published result without
+  waiting, while a CLI request waits and returns only the current dependency
+  result after rebuild completion.
 
 - **WebSocket end-to-end**: a headless client performs a raw WS handshake to
   `:HTTP_PORT` with path `/site/tests/websockets.ws.uce` (self-resolving
diff --git a/scripts/test_dependency_invalidation.sh b/scripts/test_dependency_invalidation.sh
index 70c5088..f49fec0 100755
--- a/scripts/test_dependency_invalidation.sh
+++ b/scripts/test_dependency_invalidation.sh
@@ -84,14 +84,24 @@ rebuild_lock_pid=$!
 sleep 0.2
 sed -i 's/dependency-marker-b/dependency-marker-d/' "$source_dir/child.uce"
 started_at=$(date +%s%N)
-assert_marker parent dependency-marker-b
+http_during_lock=$(http_marker)
 elapsed_ms=$(( ($(date +%s%N) - started_at) / 1000000 ))
+if [[ "$http_during_lock" != *"dependency-marker-b"* ]]; then
+	echo "HTTP request did not serve the last complete artifact during rebuild: $http_during_lock" >&2
+	exit 1
+fi
 if (( elapsed_ms >= 2000 )); then
-	echo "request waited ${elapsed_ms}ms for an active transitive rebuild" >&2
+	echo "HTTP request waited ${elapsed_ms}ms for an active transitive rebuild" >&2
+	exit 1
+fi
+started_at=$(date +%s%N)
+assert_marker parent dependency-marker-d
+elapsed_ms=$(( ($(date +%s%N) - started_at) / 1000000 ))
+if (( elapsed_ms < 2000 )); then
+	echo "CLI request returned before the locked rebuild published the current artifact (${elapsed_ms}ms)" >&2
 	exit 1
 fi
 wait "$rebuild_lock_pid"
-assert_marker parent dependency-marker-d
 
 # Warm every configured worker, then replace the artifact while retaining its
 # whole-second mtime. The worker cache must notice the nanosecond/ctime change.
diff --git a/src/lib/compiler.cpp b/src/lib/compiler.cpp
index 441c45c..c7103df 100644
--- a/src/lib/compiler.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/compiler.cpp
@@ -850,7 +850,8 @@ SharedUnit* compiler_get_shared_unit_internal(Request* context, String file_name
 	SharedUnit* su = new SharedUnit();
 	setup_unit_paths(context, su, file_name);
 
-	int fdlock = compiler_open_lock_file(su->wasm_name + ".lock", "shared-unit:" + file_name, !force_recompile);
+	bool can_serve_stale = !force_recompile && compiler_request_can_serve_stale_artifact(context);
+	int fdlock = compiler_open_lock_file(su->wasm_name + ".lock", "shared-unit:" + file_name, can_serve_stale);
 	if(fdlock == -2 && file_exists(su->wasm_name))
 	{
 		auto state = inspect_shared_unit_filesystem(context, su);
diff --git a/src/wasm/backend.cpp b/src/wasm/backend.cpp
index 3bb6c3d..984bc25 100644
--- a/src/wasm/backend.cpp
+++ b/src/wasm/backend.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ static bool wasm_artifact_exists(Request* context, const String& entry_unit)
 	// metadata mismatches, which can leave stale wasm with old imports.
 	bool source_missing = false;
 	if(compiler_unit_needs_recompile(context, entry_unit, &source_missing))
-		return(compiler_request_can_serve_stale_artifact(context) || compiler_unit_compile_in_progress(context, entry_unit));
+		return(compiler_request_can_serve_stale_artifact(context));
 	if(source_missing)
 		return(false);
 	return(true);