diff --git a/collects/setup/parallel-build.rkt b/collects/setup/parallel-build.rkt
index 21dce8873e..3160716f71 100644
--- a/collects/setup/parallel-build.rkt
+++ b/collects/setup/parallel-build.rkt
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@
               (when (ormap string-!empty? (list out err))
                 (append-error cc "making" null out err "output"))
               (when last (printer (current-output-port) "made" "~a" (cc-name cc)))
-              #t]))]
+              #t]
+            [else (eprintf "Failed trying to match:\n~v\n" result-type)]))]
       [else
         (match work 
           [(list-rest (list cc file last) message)
@@ -205,4 +206,108 @@
                           values ; identity function
                           (build-parallel-build-worker-args)
                           (make-object CollectsQueue% collects-tree setup-fprintf append-error)
-                          worker-count 999999999))
+                          worker-count 999999999)
+    #;
+  (places-parallel-build (make-object CollectsQueue% collects-tree setup-fprintf append-error) worker-count 999999999))
+
+#|
+(require racket/place)
+(require (for-syntax racket/base))
+(define-syntax-rule (define-syntax-case (N a ...) b ...)
+  (define-syntax (N stx)
+    (syntax-case stx ()
+      [(_ a ...) b ...])))
+
+(define PlaceWorker% (class* object% (Worker<%>)
+  (init-field [id 0]              
+              [pl null])
+             
+  (define/public (send/msg msg) (place-channel-send pl msg))
+  (define/public (recv/msg) (place-channel-recv pl))
+  (define/public (get-id) id) 
+  (define/public (get-out) pl)
+  (define/public (kill) #f)
+  (define/public (wait) (place-wait pl))
+  (super-new))) 
+
+(define-syntax-case (place/anon (ch) body ...)
+ (with-syntax ([interal-def-name
+                (syntax-local-lift-expression #'(lambda (ch) body ...))]
+               [funcname #'OBSCURE_FUNC_NAME_%#%])
+  (syntax-local-lift-provide #'(rename interal-def-name funcname))
+  #'(let ([module-path (resolved-module-path-name
+          (variable-reference->resolved-module-path
+           (#%variable-reference)))])
+   (place module-path (quote funcname)))))
+
+(define (places-parallel-build jobqueue nprocs stopat)
+  (define ps 
+   (for/list ([i (in-range nprocs)])
+     (place/anon (ch)
+      (let ([cmc ((dynamic-require 'compiler/cm 'make-caching-managed-compile-zo))])
+       (let loop ()
+         (match (place-channel-recv ch)
+           [(list 'DIE) void]
+           [(list name dir file)
+             (let ([dir (bytes->path dir)]
+                   [file (bytes->path file)])
+              (let ([out-str-port (open-output-string)]
+                    [err-str-port (open-output-string)])
+                (define (send/msg msg)
+                  (place-channel-send ch msg))
+                (define (send/resp type)
+                  (send/msg (list type (get-output-string out-str-port) (get-output-string err-str-port))))
+                (define (lock-client cmd fn)
+                  (match cmd
+                    ['lock 
+                      (send/msg (list (list 'LOCK (path->bytes fn)) "" ""))
+                      (match (place-channel-recv ch)
+                        [(list 'locked) #t]
+                        [(list 'compiled) #f])]
+                    ['unlock (send/msg (list (list 'UNLOCK (path->bytes fn)) "" ""))]))
+                (with-handlers ([exn:fail? (lambda (x)
+                                 (send/resp (list 'ERROR (exn-message x))))])
+                  (parameterize ([parallel-lock-client lock-client]
+                                 [current-namespace (make-base-empty-namespace)]
+                                 [current-directory dir]
+                                 [current-load-relative-directory dir]
+                                 [current-input-port (open-input-string "")]
+                                 [current-output-port out-str-port]
+                                 [current-error-port err-str-port])
+
+                    (cmc (build-path dir file)))
+                  (send/resp 'DONE))))
+              (loop)]))))))
+
+
+  (define workers (for/list ([i (in-range nprocs)]
+                             [p ps]) 
+                    (make-object PlaceWorker% i p)))
+  (define (jobs?) (queue/has jobqueue))
+  (define (empty?) (not (queue/has jobqueue)))
+
+  (let loop ([idle workers]
+             [inflight null]
+             [count 0])
+    (cond
+      [(= count stopat) (printf "DONE AT LIMIT\n")]   
+      [(and (empty?) (null? inflight)) (set! workers idle)] ; ALL DONE
+      [(and (jobs?) (pair? idle))
+        (match-define (cons wrkr idle-rest) idle)
+        (define-values (job cmd-list) (queue/get jobqueue (wrkr/id wrkr)))
+        (wrkr/send wrkr cmd-list)
+        (loop idle-rest (cons (list job wrkr) inflight) count)]
+
+      [else
+        (define (gen-node-handler node-worker)
+          (match-define (list node wrkr) node-worker)
+          (handle-evt (wrkr/out wrkr) (λ (msg)
+            (if (queue/work-done jobqueue node wrkr msg)
+                (loop (cons wrkr idle) (remove node-worker inflight) (add1 count))
+                (loop idle inflight count)))))
+      
+        (apply sync (map gen-node-handler inflight))]))
+
+  (for ([p workers]) (wrkr/send p (list 'DIE)))
+  (for ([p ps]) (place-wait p)))
+|#