diff --git a/config/functions b/config/functions
index d702ce7a67..2a2f0e1508 100644
--- a/config/functions
+++ b/config/functions
@@ -775,6 +775,11 @@ do_autoreconf() {
   fi
 }
 
+# True if this is a sequential build, false if multithreaded
+is_sequential_build() {
+  [ "${MTWITHLOCKS}" != "yes" ] && return 0 || return 1
+}
+
 
 ### PACKAGE HELPERS ###
 # get variable ($2) for package ($1).
@@ -1366,7 +1371,7 @@ enable_service() {
 
 
 ### MULTI-THREADED FUNCTION HELPERS ###
-# Test MTWITHLOCKS so that these functions are a no-op during non-multithreaded builds.
+# Test build type so that these functions are a no-op during non-multithreaded builds.
 
 # Prevent concurrent modifications to a package (unpack) or
 # package:target (install/build).
@@ -1374,7 +1379,7 @@ enable_service() {
 # If a package is already locked and the owner is ourselves
 # then assume we already have the required lock.
 pkg_lock() {
-  [ "${MTWITHLOCKS}" != "yes" ] && return 0
+  is_sequential_build && return 0
 
   local pkg="$1" task="$2" parent_pkg="$3"
   local this_job="${MTJOBID}"
@@ -1414,7 +1419,7 @@ EOF
 
 # Log additional information for a locked package.
 pkg_lock_status() {
-  [ "${MTWITHLOCKS}" != "yes" ] && return 0
+  is_sequential_build && return 0
 
   local status="$1" pkg="$2" task="$3" msg="$4"
   local this_job="${MTJOBID}" line idwidth
@@ -1453,7 +1458,7 @@ pkg_lock_status() {
 }
 
 update_dashboard() {
-  [ "${MTWITHLOCKS}" != "yes" ] && return 0
+  is_sequential_build && return 0
 
   local status="$1" pkg="$2" task="$3" msg="$4"
   local line preamble num elapsed projdevarch
@@ -1503,7 +1508,7 @@ update_dashboard() {
 # Thread concurrency helpers to avoid concurrency issues with some code,
 # eg. when Python installs directly into $TOOLCHAIN.
 acquire_exclusive_lock() {
-  [ "${MTWITHLOCKS}" != "yes" ] && return 0
+  is_sequential_build && return 0
 
   local pkg="$1" task="$2" lockfile="${3:-global}"
   local this_job="${MTJOBID}"
@@ -1528,7 +1533,7 @@ acquire_exclusive_lock() {
 }
 
 release_exclusive_lock() {
-  [ "${MTWITHLOCKS}" != "yes" ] && return 0
+  is_sequential_build && return 0
 
   local pkg="$1" task="$2" lockfile="${3:-global}"