diff --git a/lib/kamal/cli/app/boot.rb b/lib/kamal/cli/app/boot.rb
index 5100e3cc..47f8c21c 100644
--- a/lib/kamal/cli/app/boot.rb
+++ b/lib/kamal/cli/app/boot.rb
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ class Kamal::Cli::App::Boot
     end
 
     def start_new_version
+      wait_at_barrier if queuer?
+
       audit "Booted app version #{version}"
 
       execute *app.tie_cord(role.cord_host_file) if uses_cord?
@@ -41,13 +43,10 @@ class Kamal::Cli::App::Boot
       execute *app.run(hostname: hostname)
       Kamal::Cli::Healthcheck::Poller.wait_for_healthy(pause_after_ready: true) { capture_with_info(*app.status(version: version)) }
 
-      reach_barrier
+      release_barrier if gatekeeper?
     rescue => e
-      if barrier_role? && barrier&.close
-        info "First #{KAMAL.primary_role} container unhealthy, stopping other roles (#{host})"
-        error capture_with_info(*app.logs(version: version))
-        error capture_with_info(*app.container_health_log(version: version))
-      end
+      close_barrier if gatekeeper?
+
       execute *app.stop(version: version), raise_on_non_zero_exit: false
 
       raise
@@ -67,19 +66,13 @@ class Kamal::Cli::App::Boot
       execute *app.clean_up_assets if assets?
     end
 
-    def reach_barrier
-      if barrier
-        if barrier_role?
-          if barrier.open
-            info "First #{KAMAL.primary_role} container healthy, continuing other roles (#{host})"
-          end
-        else
-          wait_for_barrier
-        end
+    def release_barrier
+      if barrier.open
+        info "First #{KAMAL.primary_role} container healthy, continuing other roles (#{host})"
       end
     end
 
-    def wait_for_barrier
+    def wait_at_barrier
       info "Waiting for a healthy #{KAMAL.primary_role} container (#{host})..."
       barrier.wait
       info "First #{KAMAL.primary_role} container is healthy, continuing (#{host})"
@@ -88,6 +81,14 @@ class Kamal::Cli::App::Boot
       raise
     end
 
+    def close_barrier
+      if barrier.close
+        info "First #{KAMAL.primary_role} container unhealthy, stopping other roles (#{host})"
+        error capture_with_info(*app.logs(version: version))
+        error capture_with_info(*app.container_health_log(version: version))
+      end
+    end
+
     def barrier_role?
       role == KAMAL.primary_role
     end
@@ -103,4 +104,12 @@ class Kamal::Cli::App::Boot
     def audit(message)
       execute *auditor.record(message), verbosity: :debug
     end
+
+    def gatekeeper?
+      barrier && barrier_role?
+    end
+
+    def queuer?
+      barrier && !barrier_role?
+    end
 end
diff --git a/test/cli/app_test.rb b/test/cli/app_test.rb
index b5b03e27..f684deb8 100644
--- a/test/cli/app_test.rb
+++ b/test/cli/app_test.rb
@@ -154,10 +154,6 @@ class CliAppTest < CliTestCase
       .with(:docker, :container, :ls, "--all", "--filter", "name=^app-web-latest$", "--quiet", "|", :xargs, :docker, :inspect, "--format", "'{{if .State.Health}}{{.State.Health.Status}}{{else}}{{.State.Status}}{{end}}'")
       .returns("unhealthy").at_least_once # web health check failing
 
-    SSHKit::Backend::Abstract.any_instance.expects(:capture_with_info)
-      .with(:docker, :container, :ls, "--all", "--filter", "name=^app-workers-latest$", "--quiet", "|", :xargs, :docker, :inspect, "--format", "'{{if .State.Health}}{{.State.Health.Status}}{{else}}{{.State.Status}}{{end}}'")
-      .returns("running").at_least_once # workers health check passing
-
     stderred do
       run_command("boot", config: :with_roles, host: nil, allow_execute_error: true).tap do |output|
         assert_match "Waiting for a healthy web container (1.1.1.3)...", output