diff --git a/vlib/sync/waitgroup.v b/vlib/sync/waitgroup.v
index ffa9af52c0..3e9ac39b68 100644
--- a/vlib/sync/waitgroup.v
+++ b/vlib/sync/waitgroup.v
@@ -6,6 +6,12 @@ module sync
 [trusted]
 fn C.atomic_fetch_add_u32(voidptr, u32) u32
 
+[trusted]
+fn C.atomic_load_u32(voidptr) u32
+
+[trusted]
+fn C.atomic_compare_exchange_weak_u32(voidptr, voidptr, u32) bool
+
 // WaitGroup
 // Do not copy an instance of WaitGroup, use a ref instead.
 //
@@ -22,6 +28,7 @@ fn C.atomic_fetch_add_u32(voidptr, u32) u32
 struct WaitGroup {
 mut:
 	task_count u32       // current task count - reading/writing should be atomic
+	wait_count u32       // current wait count - reading/writing should be atomic
 	sem        Semaphore // This blocks wait() until tast_countreleased by add()
 }
 
@@ -41,11 +48,22 @@ pub fn (mut wg WaitGroup) init() {
 pub fn (mut wg WaitGroup) add(delta int) {
 	old_nrjobs := int(C.atomic_fetch_add_u32(&wg.task_count, u32(delta)))
 	new_nrjobs := old_nrjobs + delta
+	mut num_waiters := C.atomic_load_u32(&wg.wait_count)
 	if new_nrjobs < 0 {
 		panic('Negative number of jobs in waitgroup')
 	}
-	if new_nrjobs == 0 {
-		wg.sem.post()
+
+	if new_nrjobs == 0 && num_waiters > 0 {
+		// clear waiters
+		for !C.atomic_compare_exchange_weak_u32(&wg.wait_count, &num_waiters, 0) {
+			if num_waiters == 0 {
+				return
+			}
+		}
+		for (num_waiters > 0) {
+			wg.sem.post()
+			num_waiters--
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -56,5 +74,11 @@ pub fn (mut wg WaitGroup) done() {
 
 // wait blocks until all tasks are done (task count becomes zero)
 pub fn (mut wg WaitGroup) wait() {
+	nrjobs := int(C.atomic_load_u32(&wg.task_count))
+	if nrjobs == 0 {
+		// no need to wait
+		return
+	}
+	C.atomic_fetch_add_u32(&wg.wait_count, 1)
 	wg.sem.wait() // blocks until task_count becomes 0
 }
diff --git a/vlib/sync/waitgroup_test.v b/vlib/sync/waitgroup_test.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..493665f524
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/sync/waitgroup_test.v
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+module sync
+
+import time
+
+fn test_waitgroup_reuse() {
+	mut wg := new_waitgroup()
+
+	wg.add(1)
+	wg.done()
+
+	wg.add(1)
+	mut executed := false
+	go fn (mut wg WaitGroup, executed voidptr) {
+		defer {
+			wg.done()
+		}
+		unsafe {
+			*(&bool(executed)) = true
+		}
+		time.sleep(100 * time.millisecond)
+		assert wg.wait_count == 1
+	}(mut wg, voidptr(&executed))
+
+	wg.wait()
+	assert executed
+	assert wg.wait_count == 0
+}
+
+fn test_waitgroup_no_use() {
+	mut done := false
+	go fn (done voidptr) {
+		time.sleep(1 * time.second)
+		if *(&bool(done)) == false {
+			panic('test_waitgroup_no_use did not complete in time')
+		}
+	}(voidptr(&done))
+
+	mut wg := new_waitgroup()
+	wg.wait()
+	done = true
+}