diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/actions/DynamicStrategyRegistry.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/actions/DynamicStrategyRegistry.java
index 18e063c2f4e601..3c9c633a1c3c58 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/actions/DynamicStrategyRegistry.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/actions/DynamicStrategyRegistry.java
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ enum DynamicMode {
     public String toString() {
       return name;
     }
+
+    public DynamicMode other() {
+      return this == REMOTE ? LOCAL : REMOTE;
+    }
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/dynamic/DynamicSpawnStrategy.java b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/dynamic/DynamicSpawnStrategy.java
index bb2317a2649e55..40ba2a50ab7b74 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/dynamic/DynamicSpawnStrategy.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/devtools/build/lib/dynamic/DynamicSpawnStrategy.java
@@ -173,7 +173,17 @@ private static void stopBranch(
                           spawn.getMnemonic(), strategyThatCancelled.get())));
         }
 
-        branchToCancel.cancel(true);
+        if (!branchToCancel.cancel(true)) {
+          // This can happen if the other branch is local under local_lockfree and has returned
+          // its result but not yet cancelled this branch, or if the other branch was already
+          // cancelled for other reasons.
+          if (!branchToCancel.isCancelled()) {
+            throw new DynamicInterruptedException(
+                String.format(
+                    "Execution of %s strategy stopped because %s strategy could not be cancelled",
+                    cancellingStrategy, cancellingStrategy.other()));
+          }
+        }
         branchDone.acquire();
       } else {
         throw new DynamicInterruptedException(