@mattdm @mcc Unfortunately `-n` doesn't seem to be race-free though :/
With that in mind (if still true), I don't see any worth in a `-n` flag (invoking the "it's not UNIX" meme here :D). Then again, while there are many very bad options added by the GNU project if you ask me (GNU/tar's --checkpoint-action flag springs to mind), but this'd be a really useful flag in principle.