diff --git a/pkg/cmd/cli/cmd/cancelbuild.go b/pkg/cmd/cli/cmd/cancelbuild.go
index 3db6fa27e5f4..a6a4345c92ee 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/cli/cmd/cancelbuild.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/cli/cmd/cancelbuild.go
@@ -189,16 +189,21 @@ func (o *CancelBuildOptions) Run() error {
 		wg.Add(1)
 		go func(build *buildapi.Build) {
 			defer wg.Done()
-			build.Status.Cancelled = true
 			err := wait.Poll(500*time.Millisecond, 30*time.Second, func() (bool, error) {
+				build.Status.Cancelled = true
 				_, err := o.BuildClient.Update(build)
-				if err != nil && errors.IsConflict(err) {
-					return false, nil
+				switch {
+				case err == nil:
+					return true, nil
+				case errors.IsConflict(err):
+					fmt.Println("update has conflict on", build.Name)
+					build, err = o.BuildClient.Get(build.Name)
+					return false, err
 				}
 				return true, err
 			})
 			if err != nil {
-				o.ReportError(fmt.Errorf("build %s/%s failed to cancel: %v", build.Namespace, build.Name, err))
+				o.ReportError(fmt.Errorf("build %s/%s failed to update: %v", build.Namespace, build.Name, err))
 				return
 			}
 			// Make sure the build phase is really cancelled.
@@ -207,6 +212,7 @@ func (o *CancelBuildOptions) Run() error {
 				if err != nil {
 					return true, err
 				}
+				fmt.Printf("build %s state is %s\n", build.Name, string(updatedBuild.Status.Phase))
 				return updatedBuild.Status.Phase == buildapi.BuildPhaseCancelled, nil
 			})
 			if err != nil {