diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 501609c..c6bba7e 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -23,14 +23,11 @@ void add_tasks()
 	//
 	// mob doesn't have a concept of task dependencies, just task ordering, so
 	// if a task depends on another, it has to be earlier in the order
-	//
-	// true/false arguments to parallel_tasks is whether the sub tasks are super
-	// tasks
 
 
 	// third-party tasks
 
-	add_task<parallel_tasks>(false)
+	add_task<parallel_tasks>()
 		.add_task<sevenz>()
 		.add_task<zlib>()
 		.add_task<fmt>()
@@ -42,18 +39,18 @@ void add_tasks()
 		.add_task<bzip2>()
 		.add_task<nmm>();
 
-	add_task<parallel_tasks>(false)
+	add_task<parallel_tasks>()
 		.add_task<tasks::python>()
 		.add_task<boost>()
 		.add_task<boost_di>()
 		.add_task<lz4>()
 		.add_task<spdlog>();
 
-	add_task<parallel_tasks>(false)
+	add_task<parallel_tasks>()
 		.add_task<sip>()
 		.add_task<ncc>();
 
-	add_task<parallel_tasks>(false)
+	add_task<parallel_tasks>()
 		.add_task<pyqt>()
 		.add_task<usvfs>()
 		.add_task<stylesheets>()
@@ -68,11 +65,11 @@ void add_tasks()
 	// most of the alternate names below are from the transifex slugs, which
 	// are sometimes different from the project names, for whatever reason
 
-	add_task<parallel_tasks>(true)
+	add_task<parallel_tasks>()
 		.add_task<mo>("cmake_common")
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-uibase");
 
-	add_task<parallel_tasks>(true)
+	add_task<parallel_tasks>()
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-game_features")
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-archive")
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-lootcli")
@@ -88,7 +85,7 @@ void add_tasks()
 	// the gamebryo flag must be set for all game plugins that inherit from
 	// the gamebryo classes; this will merge the .ts file from gamebryo with
 	// the one from the specific plugin
-	add_task<parallel_tasks>(true)
+	add_task<parallel_tasks>()
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-game_oblivion", mo::gamebryo)
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-game_fallout3", mo::gamebryo)
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-game_fallout4", mo::gamebryo)
@@ -101,7 +98,7 @@ void add_tasks()
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-game_ttw", mo::gamebryo)
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-game_enderal", mo::gamebryo);
 
-	add_task<parallel_tasks>(true)
+	add_task<parallel_tasks>()
 		.add_task<mo>({"modorganizer-tool_inieditor", "inieditor"})
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-tool_inibakery")
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-preview_base")
@@ -120,7 +117,7 @@ void add_tasks()
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-plugin_python")
 		.add_task<translations>();
 
-	add_task<parallel_tasks>(true)
+	add_task<parallel_tasks>()
 		.add_task<mo>({"modorganizer-tool_configurator", "pycfg"})
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-fnistool")
 		.add_task<mo>("modorganizer-basic_games")
diff --git a/src/tasks/task.cpp b/src/tasks/task.cpp
index 652780a..79698d2 100644
--- a/src/tasks/task.cpp
+++ b/src/tasks/task.cpp
@@ -689,11 +689,22 @@ void task::run_tool_impl(tool* t)
 }
 
 
-parallel_tasks::parallel_tasks(bool super)
-	: container_task("parallel"), super_(super)
+parallel_tasks::parallel_tasks()
+	: container_task("parallel")
 {
 }
 
+void parallel_tasks::add_task(std::unique_ptr<task> t)
+{
+	if (!children_.empty() && children_[0]->is_super() != t->is_super())
+	{
+		gcx().bail_out(context::generic,
+			"parallel task can't mix super and non-super tasks");
+	}
+
+	children_.push_back(std::move(t));
+}
+
 std::vector<task*> parallel_tasks::children() const
 {
 	std::vector<task*> v;
@@ -706,7 +717,10 @@ std::vector<task*> parallel_tasks::children() const
 
 bool parallel_tasks::is_super() const
 {
-	return super_;
+	if (children_.empty())
+		return false;
+
+	return children_[0]->is_super();
 }
 
 void parallel_tasks::run()
diff --git a/src/tasks/task.h b/src/tasks/task.h
index dcb1555..b6f8a83 100644
--- a/src/tasks/task.h
+++ b/src/tasks/task.h
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ public:
 class parallel_tasks : public container_task
 {
 public:
-	parallel_tasks(bool super);
+	parallel_tasks();
 
 	bool enabled() const override
 	{
@@ -201,21 +201,21 @@ public:
 	template <class Task, class... Args>
 	parallel_tasks& add_task(Args&&... args)
 	{
-		children_.push_back(
-			std::make_unique<Task>(std::forward<Args>(args)...));
-
+		add_task(std::make_unique<Task>(std::forward<Args>(args)...));
 		return *this;
 	}
 
 	template <class Task, class T, class... Args>
 	parallel_tasks& add_task(std::initializer_list<T> il, Args&&... args)
 	{
-		children_.push_back(
-			std::make_unique<Task>(std::move(il), std::forward<Args>(args)...));
+		add_task(std::make_unique<Task>(
+			std::move(il), std::forward<Args>(args)...));
 
 		return *this;
 	}
 
+	void add_task(std::unique_ptr<task> t);
+
 	fs::path get_source_path() const override
 	{
 		return {};
@@ -248,7 +248,6 @@ protected:
 	void do_clean(clean c) override;
 
 private:
-	bool super_;
 	std::vector<std::unique_ptr<task>> children_;
 	std::vector<std::thread> threads_;
 };