diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 153e7275..77b9eb6c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ env-riscv-tools.sh
 env-esp-tools.sh
 .bloop/
 .bsp/
+*_TIMESTAMP
diff --git a/common.mk b/common.mk
index 4f632a26..f149d1ae 100644
--- a/common.mk
+++ b/common.mk
@@ -69,9 +69,20 @@ SBT_SOURCES = $(call lookup_srcs,$(SBT_SOURCE_DIRS),sbt) $(base_dir)/build.sbt $
 # Bloop Project Definitions
 #########################################################################################
 $(BLOOP_CONFIG_DIR)/TIMESTAMP: $(SBT_SOURCES)
-	cd $(base_dir) && $(SBT) "project chipyardRoot" "bloopInstall"
+	cd $(base_dir) && $(SBT) ";project chipyardRoot; bloopInstall"
 	touch $@
 
+#########################################################################################
+# SBT Server Setup (needed to rebuild project correctly)
+#########################################################################################
+$(SBT_THIN_CLIENT_TIMESTAMP): $(SBT_SOURCES)
+ifneq (,$(wildcard $(SBT_THIN_CLIENT_TIMESTAMP)))
+	cd $(base_dir) && $(SBT) "reload"
+	touch $@
+else
+	touch $@
+endif
+
 #########################################################################################
 # create list of simulation file inputs
 #########################################################################################
@@ -226,9 +237,10 @@ $(dramsim_lib):
 launch-sbt:
 	cd $(base_dir) && $(SBT)
 
-.PHONY: launch-sbt
+.PHONY: shutdown-sbt
 shutdown-sbt:
-	cd $(base_dir) && $(SBT) shutdown
+	cd $(base_dir) && $(SBT) "shutdown"
+	rm -rf $(SBT_THIN_CLIENT_TIMESTAMP)
 
 #########################################################################################
 # print help text
diff --git a/variables.mk b/variables.mk
index 73918376..731b7e1e 100644
--- a/variables.mk
+++ b/variables.mk
@@ -154,7 +154,12 @@ JAVA_OPTS ?= -Xmx$(JAVA_HEAP_SIZE) -Xss8M -XX:MaxPermSize=256M
 # by default build chisel3/firrtl and other subprojects from source
 override SBT_OPTS += -Dsbt.sourcemode=true -Dsbt.workspace=$(base_dir)/tools
 
+SCALA_BUILDTOOL_DEPS = $(SBT_SOURCES)
+
+SBT_THIN_CLIENT_TIMESTAMP = $(base_dir)/SBT_TIMESTAMP
+
 ifdef ENABLE_SBT_THIN_CLIENT
+override SCALA_BUILDTOOL_DEPS += $(SBT_THIN_CLIENT_TIMESTAMP)
 # enabling speeds up sbt loading
 # however if build.sbt changes are done you need to
 #   "shutdown" the server (shutdown-sbt target) to reload build.sbt changes
@@ -168,8 +173,6 @@ BLOOP_CONFIG_DIR ?= $(base_dir)/.bloop
 # This mirrors the bloop default. Set to a system-unique port in a multi-user environment
 BLOOP_NAILGUN_PORT ?= 8212
 
-SCALA_BUILDTOOL_DEPS = $(SBT_SOURCES)
-
 ifdef ENABLE_BLOOP
 override SCALA_BUILDTOOL_DEPS += $(BLOOP_CONFIG_DIR)/TIMESTAMP
 # Two notes about the bloop invocation: