diff --git a/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/AutoMakeMessageHandler.java b/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/AutoMakeMessageHandler.java
index 7266c39e1cec..447faeed506b 100644
--- a/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/AutoMakeMessageHandler.java
+++ b/java/compiler/impl/src/com/intellij/compiler/server/AutoMakeMessageHandler.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class AutoMakeMessageHandler extends DefaultMessageHandler {
     myBuildStatus = CmdlineRemoteProto.Message.BuilderMessage.BuildEvent.Status.SUCCESS;
     myWolf = WolfTheProblemSolver.getInstance(project);
     myContext = new AutomakeCompileContext(project);
+    myContext.getProgressIndicator().start();
   }
 
   public boolean unprocessedFSChangesDetected() {
diff --git a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/progress/EmptyProgressIndicator.java b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/progress/EmptyProgressIndicator.java
index d011cfe31497..950c9c6b78c0 100644
--- a/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/progress/EmptyProgressIndicator.java
+++ b/platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/progress/EmptyProgressIndicator.java
@@ -21,9 +21,14 @@ import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 
 public class EmptyProgressIndicator implements StandardProgressIndicator {
-  @NotNull private final ModalityState myModalityState;
+  @NotNull
+  private final ModalityState myModalityState;
 
-  private volatile boolean myIsRunning;
+  @NotNull
+  private volatile RunState myRunState = RunState.VIRGIN;
+  private enum RunState {
+    VIRGIN, STARTED, STOPPED
+  }
   private volatile boolean myIsCanceled;
   private volatile int myNonCancelableSectionCount;
 
@@ -37,18 +42,29 @@ public class EmptyProgressIndicator implements StandardProgressIndicator {
 
   @Override
   public void start() {
-    myIsRunning = true;
+    if (myRunState == RunState.STARTED) {
+      throw new IllegalStateException("Indicator already started");
+    }
+    myRunState = RunState.STARTED;
     myIsCanceled = false;
   }
 
   @Override
   public void stop() {
-    myIsRunning = false;
+    switch (myRunState) {
+      case VIRGIN:
+        throw new IllegalStateException("Indicator can't be stopped because it wasn't started");
+      case STARTED:
+        myRunState = RunState.STOPPED;
+        break;
+      case STOPPED:
+        throw new IllegalStateException("Indicator already stopped");
+    }
   }
 
   @Override
   public boolean isRunning() {
-    return myIsRunning;
+    return myRunState == RunState.STARTED;
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/platform/platform-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/openapi/progress/impl/ProgressIndicatorTest.java b/platform/platform-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/openapi/progress/impl/ProgressIndicatorTest.java
index 8b6774f758e6..d69f994de860 100644
--- a/platform/platform-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/openapi/progress/impl/ProgressIndicatorTest.java
+++ b/platform/platform-tests/testSrc/com/intellij/openapi/progress/impl/ProgressIndicatorTest.java
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import com.intellij.codeInsight.daemon.impl.DaemonProgressIndicator;
 import com.intellij.concurrency.JobScheduler;
 import com.intellij.concurrency.SensitiveProgressWrapper;
 import com.intellij.ide.util.DelegatingProgressIndicator;
-import com.intellij.openapi.Disposable;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ModalityState;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ReadAction;
@@ -29,7 +28,6 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.application.impl.LaterInvocator;
 import com.intellij.openapi.diagnostic.DefaultLogger;
 import com.intellij.openapi.progress.*;
 import com.intellij.openapi.progress.util.*;
-import com.intellij.openapi.util.Disposer;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.EmptyRunnable;
 import com.intellij.openapi.wm.ex.ProgressIndicatorEx;
 import com.intellij.testFramework.BombedProgressIndicator;
@@ -865,4 +863,15 @@ public class ProgressIndicatorTest extends LightPlatformTestCase {
     catch (ProcessCanceledException ignored) {
     }
   }
+
+  public void testEmptyIndicatorMustConformToAtLeastSomeSimpleLifecycleConstrains() {
+    ProgressIndicator indicator = new EmptyProgressIndicator();
+    for (int i=0; i<2; i++) {
+      assertThrows(IllegalStateException.class, indicator::stop);
+      indicator.start();
+      assertThrows(IllegalStateException.class, indicator::start);
+      indicator.stop();
+      assertThrows(IllegalStateException.class, indicator::stop);
+    }
+  }
 }