diff --git a/lib/bb/ui/buildinfohelper.py b/lib/bb/ui/buildinfohelper.py
index 286fb6a74b..2fc1a43c40 100644
--- a/lib/bb/ui/buildinfohelper.py
+++ b/lib/bb/ui/buildinfohelper.py
@@ -162,8 +162,6 @@ def create_build_object(self, build_info, brbe, project_id):
             build.bitbake_version=build_info['bitbake_version']
             build.save()
 
-            Target.objects.filter(build = build).delete()
-
         else:
             build = Build.objects.create(
                                     project = prj,
@@ -184,18 +182,26 @@ def create_build_object(self, build_info, brbe, project_id):
 
         return build
 
-    def create_target_objects(self, target_info):
-        assert 'build' in target_info
-        assert 'targets' in target_info
-
-        targets = []
-        for tgt_name in target_info['targets']:
-            tgt_object = Target.objects.create( build = target_info['build'],
-                                    target = tgt_name,
-                                    is_image = False,
-                                    )
-            targets.append(tgt_object)
-        return targets
+    @staticmethod
+    def get_or_create_targets(target_info):
+        result = []
+        for target in target_info['targets']:
+            task = ''
+            if ':' in target:
+                target, task = target.split(':', 1)
+            if task.startswith('do_'):
+                task = task[3:]
+            if task == 'build':
+                task = ''
+            obj, created = Target.objects.get_or_create(build=target_info['build'],
+                                                        target=target)
+            if created:
+                obj.is_image = False
+                if task:
+                    obj.task = task
+                obj.save()
+            result.append(obj)
+        return result
 
     def update_build_object(self, build, errors, warnings, taskfailures):
         assert isinstance(build,Build)
@@ -950,7 +956,7 @@ def store_started_build(self, event, consolelogfile):
         target_information['targets'] = event._pkgs
         target_information['build'] = build_obj
 
-        self.internal_state['targets'] = self.orm_wrapper.create_target_objects(target_information)
+        self.internal_state['targets'] = self.orm_wrapper.get_or_create_targets(target_information)
 
         # Save build configuration
         data = self.server.runCommand(["getAllKeysWithFlags", ["doc", "func"]])[0]