diff --git a/mozilla/webtools/tinderbox/globals.pl b/mozilla/webtools/tinderbox/globals.pl
index 2dcd8f8cde3..b44db0a5fb2 100755
--- a/mozilla/webtools/tinderbox/globals.pl
+++ b/mozilla/webtools/tinderbox/globals.pl
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ sub last_status {
     next if $status eq 'building';
     return $status;
   }
-  return '';
+  return 'building';
 }
 
 sub check_password {