4 files changed, 8 insertions, 10 deletions

diff --git a/build2/algorithm.cxx b/build2/algorithm.cxx
index 1b19fe5..a22837f 100644
--- a/build2/algorithm.cxx
+++ b/build2/algorithm.cxx
@@ -449,8 +449,9 @@ namespace build2
   }
 
   target_state
-  noop_action (action, target&)
+  noop_action (action a, target& t)
   {
+    text << "noop action triggered for " << diag_doing (a, t);
     assert (false); // We shouldn't be called, see target::recipe().
     return target_state::unchanged;
   }
diff --git a/build2/bin/target.cxx b/build2/bin/target.cxx
index 6cd5d11..b0ce6d5 100644
--- a/build2/bin/target.cxx
+++ b/build2/bin/target.cxx
@@ -196,8 +196,6 @@ namespace build2
     {
       // Don't clear prerequisite_targets since it is "given" to our
       // members to implement "library meta-information protocol".
-      //
-      raw_state = target_state::unknown;
     }
 
     static target*
diff --git a/build2/target b/build2/target
index 76d7132..be0eff9 100644
--- a/build2/target
+++ b/build2/target
@@ -64,10 +64,9 @@ namespace build2
   // error, then the recipe should throw rather than returning failed.
   //
   // The return value of the recipe is used to update the target state except
-  // if the state is target_state::group (either was was manually set by the
-  // recipe or already that value). Note that in this case the returned by the
-  // recipe value is still used as the resulting target state so it should
-  // match the group's state.
+  // if the state is set to target_state::group by the recipe. Note that in
+  // this case the returned by the recipe value is still used as the resulting
+  // target state so it should match the group's state.
   //
   using recipe_function = target_state (action, target&);
   using recipe = function<recipe_function>;
@@ -198,8 +197,7 @@ namespace build2
         : dir (move (d)), out (move (o)), name (move (n)), ext (e) {}
 
     // Reset the target before matching it to a rule. The default
-    // implementation clears prerequisite_targets and sets the state to
-    // unknown.
+    // implementation clears prerequisite_targets.
     //
     virtual void
     reset (action_type);
diff --git a/build2/target.cxx b/build2/target.cxx
index 4d4fe2a..d64b0be 100644
--- a/build2/target.cxx
+++ b/build2/target.cxx
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ namespace build2
     action = a;
     recipe_ = move (r);
 
+    raw_state = target_state::unknown;
+
     // If this is a noop recipe, then mark the target unchanged so that we
     // don't waste time executing the recipe.
     //
@@ -86,7 +88,6 @@ namespace build2
   reset (action_type)
   {
     prerequisite_targets.clear ();
-    raw_state = target_state::unknown;
   }
 
   group_view target::