diff --git a/jobrunner/executors/local.py b/jobrunner/executors/local.py
index fab1736c..54da6d16 100644
--- a/jobrunner/executors/local.py
+++ b/jobrunner/executors/local.py
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ def workspace_is_archived(workspace):
 class LocalDockerAPI(ExecutorAPI):
     """ExecutorAPI implementation using local docker service."""
 
+    synchronous_transitions = [ExecutorState.PREPARING, ExecutorState.FINALIZING]
+
     def prepare(self, job):
         current = self.get_status(job)
         if current.state != ExecutorState.UNKNOWN:
diff --git a/jobrunner/executors/logging.py b/jobrunner/executors/logging.py
index ff44e393..72ddb9a4 100644
--- a/jobrunner/executors/logging.py
+++ b/jobrunner/executors/logging.py
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ def get_results(self, job: JobDefinition) -> JobResults:
     def delete_files(self, workspace: str, privacy: Privacy, paths: [str]) -> List[str]:
         return self._wrapped.delete_files(workspace, privacy, paths)
 
+    @property
+    def synchronous_transitions(self):
+        return getattr(self._wrapped, "synchronous_transitions", [])
+
     def _add_logging(self, method: Callable[[JobDefinition], JobStatus]):
         def wrapper(job: JobDefinition) -> JobStatus:
             status = method(job)
diff --git a/jobrunner/run.py b/jobrunner/run.py
index c28e18ff..538d6121 100644
--- a/jobrunner/run.py
+++ b/jobrunner/run.py
@@ -117,7 +117,14 @@ def handle_single_job(job, api):
     mode = get_flag_value("mode")
     paused = str(get_flag_value("paused", "False")).lower() == "true"
     try:
-        handle_job(job, api, mode, paused)
+        synchronous_transition = handle_job(job, api, mode, paused)
+
+        # provide a way to shortcut moving a job on to the next state right away
+        # this is intended to support executors where some state transitions
+        # are synchronous, particularly the local executor where prepare is
+        # synchronous and can be time consuming.
+        if synchronous_transition:
+            handle_job(job, api, mode, paused)
     except Exception as exc:
         mark_job_as_failed(
             job,
@@ -293,6 +300,15 @@ def handle_job(job, api, mode=None, paused=None):
                 )
             set_code(job, code, message)
 
+        # does this api have synchronous_transitions?
+        synchronous_transitions = getattr(api, "synchronous_transitions", [])
+
+        if new_status.state in synchronous_transitions:
+            # we want to immediately run this function for this job again to
+            # avoid blocking it as we know the state transition has already
+            # completed.
+            return True
+
     elif new_status.state == ExecutorState.ERROR:
         # all transitions can go straight to error
         raise ExecutorError(new_status.message)
diff --git a/tests/factories.py b/tests/factories.py
index ac5e59ac..47a803b3 100644
--- a/tests/factories.py
+++ b/tests/factories.py
@@ -133,6 +133,13 @@ def add_test_job(
 
     def set_job_state(self, definition, state, message="message"):
         """Directly set a job state."""
+        # handle the synchronous state meaning the state has completed
+        synchronous = getattr(self, "synchronous_transitions", [])
+        if state in synchronous:
+            if state == ExecutorState.PREPARING:
+                state = ExecutorState.PREPARED
+            if state == ExecutorState.FINALIZING:
+                state = ExecutorState.FINALIZED
         self.state[definition.id] = JobStatus(state, message)
 
     def set_job_transition(self, definition, state, message="executor message"):
diff --git a/tests/test_run.py b/tests/test_run.py
index 4b1f2f88..e246f055 100644
--- a/tests/test_run.py
+++ b/tests/test_run.py
@@ -549,6 +549,32 @@ def error(*args, **kwargs):
     assert spans[-1].name == "JOB"
 
 
+def test_handle_single_job_shortcuts_synchronous(db):
+    api = StubExecutorAPI()
+    job = api.add_test_job(ExecutorState.UNKNOWN, State.PENDING, StatusCode.CREATED)
+
+    api.synchronous_transitions = [ExecutorState.PREPARING]
+
+    run.handle_single_job(job, api)
+
+    # executor state
+    assert job.id in api.tracker["prepare"]
+    assert job.id in api.tracker["execute"]
+    assert api.get_status(job).state == ExecutorState.EXECUTING
+
+    # our state
+    assert job.status_message == "Executing job on the backend"
+    assert job.state == State.RUNNING
+    assert job.started_at
+
+    # tracing
+    spans = get_trace()
+    assert spans[-4].name == "CREATED"
+    assert spans[-3].name == "ENTER PREPARING"
+    assert spans[-2].name == "PREPARING"
+    assert spans[-1].name == "ENTER EXECUTING"
+
+
 def test_ignores_cancelled_jobs_when_calculating_dependencies(db):
     job_factory(
         id="1",