diff --git a/controller/ovn-controller.c b/controller/ovn-controller.c
index 168167b1a..f21d46fc3 100644
--- a/controller/ovn-controller.c
+++ b/controller/ovn-controller.c
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ update_sb_db(struct ovsdb_idl *ovs_idl, struct ovsdb_idl *ovnsb_idl,
     }
     if (reset_ovnsb_idl_min_index && *reset_ovnsb_idl_min_index) {
         VLOG_INFO("Resetting southbound database cluster state");
-        engine_set_force_recompute(true);
+        engine_set_force_recompute(false);
         ovsdb_idl_reset_min_index(ovnsb_idl);
         *reset_ovnsb_idl_min_index = false;
     }
@@ -4768,7 +4768,7 @@ check_northd_version(struct ovsdb_idl *ovs_idl, struct ovsdb_idl *ovnsb_idl,
      * full recompute.
      */
     if (version_mismatch) {
-        engine_set_force_recompute(true);
+        engine_set_force_recompute(false);
     }
     version_mismatch = false;
     return true;
@@ -5382,7 +5382,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         if (new_ovs_cond_seqno != ovs_cond_seqno) {
             if (!new_ovs_cond_seqno) {
                 VLOG_INFO("OVS IDL reconnected, force recompute.");
-                engine_set_force_recompute(true);
+                engine_set_force_recompute(false);
             }
             ovs_cond_seqno = new_ovs_cond_seqno;
         }
@@ -5399,7 +5399,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         if (new_ovnsb_cond_seqno != ovnsb_cond_seqno) {
             if (!new_ovnsb_cond_seqno) {
                 VLOG_INFO("OVNSB IDL reconnected, force recompute.");
-                engine_set_force_recompute(true);
+                engine_set_force_recompute(false);
             }
             ovnsb_cond_seqno = new_ovnsb_cond_seqno;
         }
@@ -5488,7 +5488,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
                                            br_int_remote.target,
                                            br_int_remote.probe_interval)) {
                 VLOG_INFO("OVS feature set changed, force recompute.");
-                engine_set_force_recompute(true);
+                engine_set_force_recompute(false);
 
                 struct ed_type_lflow_output *lflow_out_data =
                     engine_get_internal_data(&en_lflow_output);
@@ -5510,7 +5510,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
                     VLOG_INFO_RL(&rl, "OVS OpenFlow connection reconnected,"
                                       "force recompute.");
-                    engine_set_force_recompute(true);
+                    engine_set_force_recompute(false);
                 }
 
                 if (chassis && ovs_feature_set_discovered()) {
@@ -5738,7 +5738,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
                     VLOG_DBG("engine did not run, force recompute next time: "
                              "br_int %p, chassis %p", br_int, chassis);
                     engine_set_force_recompute(true);
-                    poll_immediate_wake();
                 } else {
                     VLOG_DBG("engine did not run, and it was not needed"
                              " either: br_int %p, chassis %p",
@@ -5748,9 +5747,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 VLOG_DBG("engine was canceled, force recompute next time: "
                          "br_int %p, chassis %p", br_int, chassis);
                 engine_set_force_recompute(true);
-                poll_immediate_wake();
             } else {
-                engine_set_force_recompute(false);
+                engine_clear_force_recompute();
             }
 
             store_nb_cfg(ovnsb_idl_txn, ovs_idl_txn, chassis_private,
@@ -6138,7 +6136,6 @@ lflow_cache_flush_cmd(struct unixctl_conn *conn OVS_UNUSED,
     struct lflow_output_persistent_data *fo_pd = arg_;
     lflow_cache_flush(fo_pd->lflow_cache);
     engine_set_force_recompute(true);
-    poll_immediate_wake();
     unixctl_command_reply(conn, NULL);
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/inc-proc-eng.c b/lib/inc-proc-eng.c
index a01440bb4..5748727b5 100644
--- a/lib/inc-proc-eng.c
+++ b/lib/inc-proc-eng.c
@@ -54,9 +54,24 @@ engine_recompute(struct engine_node *node, bool allowed,
                  const char *reason_fmt, ...) OVS_PRINTF_FORMAT(3, 4);
 
 void
-engine_set_force_recompute(bool val)
+engine_set_force_recompute(bool immediate)
 {
-    engine_force_recompute = val;
+    engine_force_recompute = true;
+    if (immediate) {
+        poll_immediate_wake();
+    }
+}
+
+void
+engine_clear_force_recompute(void)
+{
+    engine_force_recompute = false;
+}
+
+bool
+engine_get_force_recompute(void)
+{
+    return engine_force_recompute;
 }
 
 const struct engine_context *
@@ -556,5 +571,4 @@ engine_trigger_recompute(void)
 {
     VLOG_INFO("User triggered force recompute.");
     engine_set_force_recompute(true);
-    poll_immediate_wake();
 }
diff --git a/lib/inc-proc-eng.h b/lib/inc-proc-eng.h
index 5bb3b8f3e..db80ae975 100644
--- a/lib/inc-proc-eng.h
+++ b/lib/inc-proc-eng.h
@@ -297,11 +297,20 @@ void *engine_get_input_data(const char *input_name, struct engine_node *);
 void engine_add_input(struct engine_node *node, struct engine_node *input,
                       bool (*change_handler)(struct engine_node *, void *));
 
-/* Force the engine to recompute everything if set to true. It is used
+/* Force the engine to recompute everything. It is used
  * in circumstances when we are not sure there is change or not, or
  * when there is change but the engine couldn't be executed in that
- * iteration, and the change can't be tracked across iterations */
-void engine_set_force_recompute(bool val);
+ * iteration, and the change can't be tracked across iterations.
+ * The immediate makes sure that the loop is woken up immediately
+ * so the next engine run is not delayed. */
+void engine_set_force_recompute(bool immediate);
+
+/* Clear the force flag for the next run so the engine does the
+ * usual processing without forced full recompute. */
+void engine_clear_force_recompute(void);
+
+/* Returns whether next engine_run() is forced to rempute. */
+bool engine_get_force_recompute(void);
 
 /* Return the current engine_context. The values in the context can be NULL
  * if the engine is run with allow_recompute == false in the current
diff --git a/northd/inc-proc-northd.c b/northd/inc-proc-northd.c
index 1f79916a5..667a13422 100644
--- a/northd/inc-proc-northd.c
+++ b/northd/inc-proc-northd.c
@@ -428,14 +428,6 @@ bool inc_proc_northd_run(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnnb_txn,
     int64_t start = time_msec();
     engine_init_run();
 
-    /* Force a full recompute if instructed to, for example, after a NB/SB
-     * reconnect event.  However, make sure we don't overwrite an existing
-     * force-recompute request if 'recompute' is false.
-     */
-    if (ctx->recompute) {
-        engine_set_force_recompute(ctx->recompute);
-    }
-
     struct engine_context eng_ctx = {
         .ovnnb_idl_txn = ovnnb_txn,
         .ovnsb_idl_txn = ovnsb_txn,
@@ -448,16 +440,14 @@ bool inc_proc_northd_run(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnnb_txn,
         if (engine_need_run()) {
             VLOG_DBG("engine did not run, force recompute next time.");
             engine_set_force_recompute(true);
-            poll_immediate_wake();
         } else {
             VLOG_DBG("engine did not run, and it was not needed");
         }
     } else if (engine_canceled()) {
         VLOG_DBG("engine was canceled, force recompute next time.");
         engine_set_force_recompute(true);
-        poll_immediate_wake();
     } else {
-        engine_set_force_recompute(false);
+        engine_clear_force_recompute();
     }
 
     int64_t now = time_msec();
@@ -477,7 +467,7 @@ void inc_proc_northd_cleanup(void)
 bool
 inc_proc_northd_can_run(struct northd_engine_context *ctx)
 {
-    if (ctx->recompute || time_msec() >= ctx->next_run_ms ||
+    if (engine_get_force_recompute() || time_msec() >= ctx->next_run_ms ||
         ctx->nb_idl_duration_ms >= IDL_LOOP_MAX_DURATION_MS ||
         ctx->sb_idl_duration_ms >= IDL_LOOP_MAX_DURATION_MS) {
         return true;
diff --git a/northd/inc-proc-northd.h b/northd/inc-proc-northd.h
index a2b9b7fdb..7c2cb2e7a 100644
--- a/northd/inc-proc-northd.h
+++ b/northd/inc-proc-northd.h
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ struct northd_engine_context {
     uint64_t nb_idl_duration_ms;
     uint64_t sb_idl_duration_ms;
     uint32_t backoff_ms;
-    bool recompute;
 };
 
 void inc_proc_northd_init(struct ovsdb_idl_loop *nb,
@@ -24,4 +23,16 @@ bool inc_proc_northd_run(struct ovsdb_idl_txn *ovnnb_txn,
 void inc_proc_northd_cleanup(void);
 bool inc_proc_northd_can_run(struct northd_engine_context *ctx);
 
+static inline void
+inc_proc_northd_force_recompute(bool immediate)
+{
+    engine_set_force_recompute(immediate);
+}
+
+static inline bool
+inc_proc_northd_get_force_recompute(void)
+{
+    return engine_get_force_recompute();
+}
+
 #endif /* INC_PROC_NORTHD */
diff --git a/northd/ovn-northd.c b/northd/ovn-northd.c
index d71114f35..ba3e1ad9d 100644
--- a/northd/ovn-northd.c
+++ b/northd/ovn-northd.c
@@ -932,7 +932,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
             if (new_ovnnb_cond_seqno != ovnnb_cond_seqno) {
                 if (!new_ovnnb_cond_seqno) {
                     VLOG_INFO("OVN NB IDL reconnected, force recompute.");
-                    eng_ctx.recompute = true;
+                    inc_proc_northd_force_recompute(false);
                 }
                 ovnnb_cond_seqno = new_ovnnb_cond_seqno;
             }
@@ -945,7 +945,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
             if (new_ovnsb_cond_seqno != ovnsb_cond_seqno) {
                 if (!new_ovnsb_cond_seqno) {
                     VLOG_INFO("OVN SB IDL reconnected, force recompute.");
-                    eng_ctx.recompute = true;
+                    inc_proc_northd_force_recompute(false);
                 }
                 ovnsb_cond_seqno = new_ovnsb_cond_seqno;
             }
@@ -969,7 +969,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
                     int64_t loop_start_time = time_wall_msec();
                     activity = inc_proc_northd_run(ovnnb_txn, ovnsb_txn,
                                                    &eng_ctx);
-                    eng_ctx.recompute = false;
                     check_and_add_supported_dhcp_opts_to_sb_db(
                                  ovnsb_txn, ovnsb_idl_loop.idl);
                     check_and_add_supported_dhcpv6_opts_to_sb_db(
@@ -982,7 +981,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
                                             ovnsb_idl_loop.idl,
                                             ovnnb_txn, ovnsb_txn,
                                             &ovnsb_idl_loop);
-                } else if (!eng_ctx.recompute) {
+                } else if (!inc_proc_northd_get_force_recompute()) {
                     clear_idl_track = false;
                 }
 
@@ -991,13 +990,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 if (!ovsdb_idl_loop_commit_and_wait(&ovnnb_idl_loop)) {
                     VLOG_INFO("OVNNB commit failed, "
                               "force recompute next time.");
-                    eng_ctx.recompute = true;
+                    inc_proc_northd_force_recompute(true);
                 }
 
                 if (!ovsdb_idl_loop_commit_and_wait(&ovnsb_idl_loop)) {
                     VLOG_INFO("OVNSB commit failed, "
                               "force recompute next time.");
-                    eng_ctx.recompute = true;
+                    inc_proc_northd_force_recompute(true);
                 }
                 run_memory_trimmer(ovnnb_idl_loop.idl, activity);
             } else {
@@ -1006,7 +1005,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 ovsdb_idl_loop_commit_and_wait(&ovnsb_idl_loop);
 
                 /* Force a full recompute next time we become active. */
-                eng_ctx.recompute = true;
+                inc_proc_northd_force_recompute(false);
             }
         } else {
             /* ovn-northd is paused
@@ -1030,7 +1029,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
             ovsdb_idl_wait(ovnsb_idl_loop.idl);
 
             /* Force a full recompute next time we become active. */
-            eng_ctx.recompute = true;
+            inc_proc_northd_force_recompute(true);
         }
 
         if (clear_idl_track) {
