diff --git a/lib/pipeline/pipeline.js b/lib/pipeline/pipeline.js
index 053ac39e4..069d48409 100644
--- a/lib/pipeline/pipeline.js
+++ b/lib/pipeline/pipeline.js
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class Pipeline {
     this.plugins = options.plugins;
     this.webpackConfigName = options.webpackConfigName;
     this.pipelinePlugins = this.plugins.getPluginsFor('pipeline');
+    this.isFirstBuild = true;
   }
 
   build(abi, contractsJSON, path, callback) {
@@ -28,6 +29,11 @@ class Pipeline {
 
     async.waterfall([
       function createPlaceholderPage(next){
+        if (!self.isFirstBuild) {
+           return self.events.request('embark-building-placeholder', next);
+        }
+        self.isFirstBuild = false;
+        next();
       },
       function buildTheContracts(next) {
         self.buildContracts(next);