diff --git a/morf-core/src/main/java/org/alfasoftware/morf/upgrade/GraphBasedUpgradeNode.java b/morf-core/src/main/java/org/alfasoftware/morf/upgrade/GraphBasedUpgradeNode.java
index 0f6c4adab..6a4f2da1b 100644
--- a/morf-core/src/main/java/org/alfasoftware/morf/upgrade/GraphBasedUpgradeNode.java
+++ b/morf-core/src/main/java/org/alfasoftware/morf/upgrade/GraphBasedUpgradeNode.java
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ public List<String> getUpgradeStatements() {
    *         node should be executed while this one is being processed)
    */
   public boolean requiresExclusiveExecution() {
-    return exclusiveExecution || reads.isEmpty() && modifies.isEmpty();
+    return exclusiveExecution || isRoot();
   }
 
 
diff --git a/morf-core/src/test/java/org/alfasoftware/morf/upgrade/TestGraphBasedUpgradeBuilder.java b/morf-core/src/test/java/org/alfasoftware/morf/upgrade/TestGraphBasedUpgradeBuilder.java
index 9213ce130..7e53bcaab 100644
--- a/morf-core/src/test/java/org/alfasoftware/morf/upgrade/TestGraphBasedUpgradeBuilder.java
+++ b/morf-core/src/test/java/org/alfasoftware/morf/upgrade/TestGraphBasedUpgradeBuilder.java
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ public void testExclusiveNodeFirstThenStandard() {
   public void testExclusiveNodeNotAParent() {
     // given
     when(upgradeTableResolution.getModifiedTables(U1000.class.getName())).thenReturn(Sets.newHashSet("t1"));
-    when(upgradeTableResolution.getModifiedTables(U1000.class.getName())).thenReturn(Sets.newHashSet("t1", "t2"));
+    when(upgradeTableResolution.getModifiedTables(U1001.class.getName())).thenReturn(Sets.newHashSet("t1", "t2"));
     upgradeSteps.addAll(Lists.newArrayList(eu1, u1000, u1001));
 
     // when