diff --git a/build_runner_core/lib/src/asset_graph/graph.dart b/build_runner_core/lib/src/asset_graph/graph.dart
index 946eaf49b..e30fbe4f8 100644
--- a/build_runner_core/lib/src/asset_graph/graph.dart
+++ b/build_runner_core/lib/src/asset_graph/graph.dart
@@ -276,32 +276,6 @@ class AssetGraph {
   Iterable<AssetId> get sources =>
       allNodes.whereType<SourceAssetNode>().map((n) => n.id);
 
-  Future<Map<AssetId, ChangeType>> checkForChanges(
-    List<BuildPhase> buildPhases,
-    String rootPackage,
-    Future Function(AssetId id) delete,
-    AssetReader digestReader,
-  ) async {
-    final result = <AssetId, ChangeType>{};
-    for (final node in allNodes) {
-      print('Check $node');
-      final oldDigest = node.lastKnownDigest;
-      await digestReader.cache.invalidate([node.id]);
-      if (await digestReader.canRead(node.id)) {
-        print('  readable');
-        final newDigest = await digestReader.digest(node.id);
-        print('  $oldDigest -> $newDigest');
-        if (oldDigest != newDigest) {
-          result[node.id] = ChangeType.MODIFY;
-        }
-      } else {
-        print('  not readable');
-        result[node.id] = ChangeType.REMOVE;
-      }
-    }
-    return result;
-  }
-
   /// Updates graph structure, invalidating and deleting any outputs that were
   /// affected.
   ///
@@ -313,7 +287,7 @@ class AssetGraph {
     Future Function(AssetId id) delete,
     AssetReader digestReader,
   ) async {
-    print('Updating graph! ${StackTrace.current}');
+    print('Updating graph! ${StackTrace.current} from $updates');
     var newIds = <AssetId>{};
     var modifyIds = <AssetId>{};
     var removeIds = <AssetId>{};
@@ -429,6 +403,8 @@ class AssetGraph {
       _removeRecursive(id);
     }
 
+    print('Returning: $invalidatedIds');
+
     return invalidatedIds;
   }
 
diff --git a/build_runner_core/lib/src/generate/build_definition.dart b/build_runner_core/lib/src/generate/build_definition.dart
index 8a66f1f4c..1a7a77107 100644
--- a/build_runner_core/lib/src/generate/build_definition.dart
+++ b/build_runner_core/lib/src/generate/build_definition.dart
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ final _logger = Logger('BuildDefinition');
 
 class BuildDefinition {
   final AssetGraph assetGraph;
-  final Map<AssetId, ChangeType>? updates;
+  Map<AssetId, ChangeType>? updates;
   final TargetGraph targetGraph;
 
   final AssetReader reader;
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ class AssetTracker {
     Set<AssetId> internalSources,
     AssetGraph assetGraph,
   ) async {
+    print('compute source updates');
     final allSources =
         <AssetId>{}
           ..addAll(inputSources)
@@ -173,6 +174,7 @@ class AssetTracker {
       if (originalDigest == null) return;
       await _reader.cache.invalidate([id]);
       var currentDigest = await _reader.digest(id);
+      print('$id $originalDigest -> $currentDigest');
       if (currentDigest != originalDigest) {
         updates[id] = ChangeType.MODIFY;
       }
@@ -554,7 +556,8 @@ class _Loader {
       assetGraph,
     );
     updates.addAll(_computeBuilderOptionsUpdates(assetGraph, buildPhases));
-    await assetGraph.updateAndInvalidate(
+    // build_impl also wants to do this, and uses the results
+    /*await assetGraph.updateAndInvalidate(
       _buildPhases,
       updates,
       _options.packageGraph.root.name,
@@ -566,7 +569,7 @@ class _Loader {
         _environment.reader,
         assetGraph,
       ),
-    );
+    );*/
     return updates;
   }
 
diff --git a/build_runner_core/lib/src/generate/build_impl.dart b/build_runner_core/lib/src/generate/build_impl.dart
index ed22f1f77..979c61983 100644
--- a/build_runner_core/lib/src/generate/build_impl.dart
+++ b/build_runner_core/lib/src/generate/build_impl.dart
@@ -96,7 +96,9 @@ class BuildImpl {
       _resourceManager = buildDefinition.resourceManager,
       _environment = buildDefinition.environment,
       _trackPerformance = options.trackPerformance,
-      _logPerformanceDir = options.logPerformanceDir;
+      _logPerformanceDir = options.logPerformanceDir {
+    buildDefinition.updates = null;
+  }
 
   Future<BuildResult> run(
     Map<AssetId, ChangeType> updates, {
@@ -827,7 +829,10 @@ class _SingleBuild {
     final inputs = firstNode.inputs;
 
     void compareResult(bool expectedResult) {
-      final myResult = invalidated == null || invalidated.any(inputs.contains);
+      final reallyInvalidated = invalidated!.difference(
+        unchangedGeneratedNodes,
+      );
+      final myResult = reallyInvalidated.any(inputs.contains);
       print('''
 _buildShouldRun $inputs -> $outputs
 
@@ -982,6 +987,8 @@ invalidated: $invalidated
     return Digest(combinedBytes);
   }
 
+  Set<AssetId> unchangedGeneratedNodes = {};
+
   /// Sets the state for all [outputs] of a build step, by:
   ///
   /// - Setting `needsUpdate` to `false` for each output
@@ -1026,6 +1033,7 @@ invalidated: $invalidated
       // time a node might not be in a valid state.
       _removeOldInputs(node, usedInputs);
       _addNewInputs(node, usedInputs);
+      if (node.lastKnownDigest == digest) unchangedGeneratedNodes.add(node.id);
       node
         ..state = NodeState.upToDate
         ..wasOutput = wasOutput