diff --git a/src/intel/compiler/brw_lower_scoreboard.cpp b/src/intel/compiler/brw_lower_scoreboard.cpp
index 45f4734d41d..730477177c7 100644
--- a/src/intel/compiler/brw_lower_scoreboard.cpp
+++ b/src/intel/compiler/brw_lower_scoreboard.cpp
@@ -1287,11 +1287,12 @@ namespace {
     * inserting additional SYNC instructions for dependencies that can't be
     * represented directly by annotating existing instructions.
     */
-   void
+   bool
    emit_inst_dependencies(brw_shader *shader,
                           const ordered_address *jps,
                           const dependency_list *deps)
    {
+      bool progress = false;
       const struct intel_device_info *devinfo = shader->devinfo;
       unsigned ip = 0;
 
@@ -1304,6 +1305,9 @@ namespace {
          tgl_swsb swsb = !ordered_mode ? tgl_swsb() :
             ordered_dependency_swsb(deps[ip], jps[ip], exec_all);
 
+         if (deps[ip].size())
+            progress = true;
+
          for (unsigned i = 0; i < deps[ip].size(); i++) {
             const dependency &dep = deps[ip][i];
 
@@ -1357,21 +1361,25 @@ namespace {
          inst->no_dd_check = inst->no_dd_clear = false;
          ip++;
       }
+
+      return progress;
    }
 }
 
 bool
 brw_lower_scoreboard(brw_shader &s)
 {
+   bool progress = false;
+
    if (s.devinfo->ver >= 12) {
       const ordered_address *jps = ordered_inst_addresses(&s);
       const dependency_list *deps0 = gather_inst_dependencies(&s, jps);
       const dependency_list *deps1 = allocate_inst_dependencies(&s, deps0);
-      emit_inst_dependencies(&s, jps, deps1);
+      progress = emit_inst_dependencies(&s, jps, deps1);
       delete[] deps1;
       delete[] deps0;
       delete[] jps;
    }
 
-   return true;
+   return progress;
 }