diff --git a/csaxs_bec/bec_ipython_client/plugins/OMNY_shared/tomo_queue_mixin.py b/csaxs_bec/bec_ipython_client/plugins/OMNY_shared/tomo_queue_mixin.py
index ac8d27a..ac887e0 100644
--- a/csaxs_bec/bec_ipython_client/plugins/OMNY_shared/tomo_queue_mixin.py
+++ b/csaxs_bec/bec_ipython_client/plugins/OMNY_shared/tomo_queue_mixin.py
@@ -872,10 +872,11 @@ class TomoQueueMixin:
 
         Raises:
             TomoQueueError: ``job_index`` is out of range, the job at that
-                index is a command job (not a tomo scan), or some *other*
+                index is a command job (not a tomo scan), or some *earlier*
                 job in the queue is already "incomplete"/"running" (the
                 queue's single-resumable-job invariant -- resolve that one
-                first, or pass its own index).
+                first, or pass its own index). A later job in this state is
+                not a conflict -- it gets reset to "pending" below anyway.
             ValueError: ``projection_number`` is out of range for this
                 job's own tomo scan parameters.
         """
@@ -890,8 +891,8 @@ class TomoQueueMixin:
                 "command job, not a tomo scan -- nothing to reacquire."
             )
 
-        for idx, other in enumerate(jobs):
-            if idx != job_index and other.get("status") in ("incomplete", "running"):
+        for idx, other in enumerate(jobs[:job_index]):
+            if other.get("status") in ("incomplete", "running"):
                 raise TomoQueueError(
                     f"tomo_queue_reacquire: job #{idx} ('{other['label']}') is already "
                     f"'{other['status']}' -- resolve it first (or pass index {idx} "