diff --git a/sphinx_needs/needs.py b/sphinx_needs/needs.py
index e4917bda3..0306eb597 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/needs.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/needs.py
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ def setup(app: Sphinx) -> dict[str, Any]:
     app.connect("build-finished", build_needs_id_json)
     app.connect("build-finished", build_needumls_pumls)
     app.connect("build-finished", debug.process_timing)
+    app.connect("build-finished", release_data_locks, priority=9999)
 
     # Be sure Sphinx-Needs config gets erased before any events or external API calls get executed.
     # So never but this inside an event.
@@ -734,3 +735,14 @@ def check_configuration(app: Sphinx, config: Config) -> None:
 
 class NeedsConfigException(SphinxError):
     pass
+
+
+def release_data_locks(app: Sphinx, _exception: Exception) -> None:
+    """Release the lock on needs data mutations.
+
+    This should ONLY be used at the very end of the sphinx processing.
+    The only reason is it is included is because esbonio does not properly re-start sphinx builds,
+    such that this would be re-set.
+    """
+    SphinxNeedsData(app.env).needs_is_post_processed = False
+    app.env._needs_warnings_executed = False  # type: ignore[attr-defined]