diff --git a/src/plugins/sched/backfill/backfill.c b/src/plugins/sched/backfill/backfill.c
index 9892a77130a19e61f6717f3669637e28d70065d6..23339edab16c61ab1a88c30e525a0dd3c07f11b3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/sched/backfill/backfill.c
+++ b/src/plugins/sched/backfill/backfill.c
@@ -1856,8 +1856,7 @@ static int _start_job(struct job_record *job_ptr, bitstr_t *resv_bitmap)
 		power_g_job_start(job_ptr);
 		if (job_ptr->batch_flag == 0)
 			srun_allocate(job_ptr->job_id);
-		else if ((job_ptr->details == NULL) ||
-			 (job_ptr->details->prolog_running == 0))
+		else if (!IS_JOB_CONFIGURING(job_ptr))
 			launch_job(job_ptr);
 		slurmctld_diag_stats.backfilled_jobs++;
 		slurmctld_diag_stats.last_backfilled_jobs++;