diff --git a/src/mlx/jira_juggler.py b/src/mlx/jira_juggler.py
index f5ba44e..429aca4 100644
--- a/src/mlx/jira_juggler.py
+++ b/src/mlx/jira_juggler.py
@@ -624,6 +624,7 @@ def link_to_preceding_task(tasks, weeklymax=5.0, current_date=datetime.now()):
             weeklymax (float): Number of allocated workdays per week
             current_date (datetime.datetime): Offset-naive datetime to treat as the current date
         """
+        key_to_task_map = {task.key: task for task in tasks}
         current_date_str = to_juggler_date(current_date)
         unresolved_tasks = {}
         for task in tasks:
@@ -640,17 +641,22 @@ def link_to_preceding_task(tasks, weeklymax=5.0, current_date=datetime.now()):
                 if assignee in unresolved_tasks:  # link to a preceding unresolved task
                     preceding_task = unresolved_tasks[assignee][-1]
                     depends_property.append_value(to_identifier(preceding_task.key))
-                else:  # first unresolved task for assignee: set start time
-                    start_time = current_date_str
-                    if task.issue.fields.timespent:
-                        effort_property = task.properties['effort']
-                        effort_property.value += task.issue.fields.timespent / JugglerTaskEffort.FACTOR
-                        days_spent = task.issue.fields.timespent // 3600 / 8
-                        weekends = calculate_weekends(current_date, days_spent, weeklymax)
-                        days_per_weekend = min(2, 7 - weeklymax)
-                        start_time = f"%{{{start_time} - {days_spent + weekends * days_per_weekend}d}}"
-                    time_property.name = 'start'
-                    time_property.value = start_time
+                else:  # first unresolved task for assignee: set start time unless it depends on an unresolved task
+                    for key in depends_property.value:
+                        if not key_to_task_map[key].is_resolved:
+                            break
+                    else:
+                        start_time = current_date_str
+                        if task.issue.fields.timespent:
+                            effort_property = task.properties['effort']
+                            effort_property.value += task.issue.fields.timespent / JugglerTaskEffort.FACTOR
+                            days_spent = task.issue.fields.timespent // 3600 / 8
+                            weekends = calculate_weekends(current_date, days_spent, weeklymax)
+                            days_per_weekend = min(2, 7 - weeklymax)
+                            start_time = f"%{{{start_time} - {days_spent + weekends * days_per_weekend}d}}"
+                        time_property.name = 'start'
+                        time_property.value = start_time
+
                 unresolved_tasks.setdefault(assignee, []).append(task)
 
     def sort_tasks_on_sprint(self, tasks, sprint_field_name):
diff --git a/tests/test_jira_juggler.py b/tests/test_jira_juggler.py
index 0f62476..21d2a54 100644
--- a/tests/test_jira_juggler.py
+++ b/tests/test_jira_juggler.py
@@ -509,10 +509,16 @@ def test_depend_on_preceding(self, jira_mock):
                                                                              [self.ESTIMATE1, None, None],
                                                                              self.DEPENDS1,
                                                                              status="Open"),
+                                                       self._mock_jira_issue('Last-assignee',
+                                                                             self.SUMMARY3,
+                                                                             self.ASSIGNEE3,
+                                                                             [self.ESTIMATE1, None, None],
+                                                                             [self.KEY1, self.KEY2],
+                                                                             status="Open"),
                                                        ], []]
         issues = juggler.juggle(depend_on_preceding=True, weeklymax=1.0, current_date=parser.isoparse('2021-08-23T13:30'))
         jira_mock_object.search_issues.assert_has_calls([call(self.QUERY, maxResults=dut.JIRA_PAGE_SIZE, startAt=0, expand='changelog')])
-        self.assertEqual(4, len(issues))
+        self.assertEqual(5, len(issues))
         self.assertEqual(self.ASSIGNEE1, issues[0].properties['allocate'].value)
         self.assertEqual(self.ESTIMATE1 / self.SECS_PER_DAY, issues[0].properties['effort'].value)
         self.assertEqual('    end 2021-08-18-18:00-+0200\n', str(issues[0].properties['time']))
@@ -530,6 +536,9 @@ def test_depend_on_preceding(self, jira_mock):
         self.assertEqual('', str(issues[3].properties['depends']))
         self.assertEqual('    start 2021-08-23-13:00\n', str(issues[3].properties['time']))  # start on current date
 
+        self.assertEqual('    depends !Issue1, !Issue2\n', str(issues[4].properties['depends']))
+        self.assertEqual('', str(issues[4].properties['time']))  # no start date as it depends on an unresolved task
+
     def _mock_jira_issue(self, key, summary, assignee='', estimates=[], depends=[], histories=[], status="Open", email=''):
         '''
         Helper function to create a mocked Jira issue