diff --git a/pangeo_forge_runner/commands/bake.py b/pangeo_forge_runner/commands/bake.py
index c2024d3b..55fd2760 100644
--- a/pangeo_forge_runner/commands/bake.py
+++ b/pangeo_forge_runner/commands/bake.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import hashlib
 import os
 import re
+import secrets
 import string
 import time
 from importlib.metadata import distributions
@@ -168,6 +169,21 @@ def autogenerate_job_name(self):
 
         return job_name
 
+    def add_unique_suffix_to_flink_jobs(self, per_recipe_unique_job_name):
+        """FlinkOperatorBakery job names always need to be unique
+
+        to accommodate reruns and race conditions (two users running same recipe)
+        """
+        if self.bakery_class == FlinkOperatorBakery:
+            unique_suffix = "".join(
+                secrets.choice(string.ascii_letters + string.digits) for _ in range(5)
+            )
+            # character length limitations for k8s is already handled downstream
+            # in FlinkOperatorBakery.get_pipeline_options
+            return self.job_name + "-" + unique_suffix
+        else:
+            return per_recipe_unique_job_name
+
     def start(self):
         """
         Start the baking process
@@ -252,6 +268,11 @@ def start(self):
                 else:
                     per_recipe_unique_job_name = None
 
+                # no-op here if self.bakery_class != FlinkOperatorBakery
+                per_recipe_unique_job_name = self.add_unique_suffix_to_flink_jobs(
+                    per_recipe_unique_job_name
+                )
+
                 requirements_path = feedstock.feedstock_dir / "requirements.txt"
                 if requirements_path.exists():
                     extra_options["requirements_file"] = str(requirements_path)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_bake.py b/tests/unit/test_bake.py
index 429d2974..42d66cfc 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_bake.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_bake.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 import xarray as xr
 from packaging.version import parse as parse_version
 
+from pangeo_forge_runner.bakery.flink import FlinkOperatorBakery
+from pangeo_forge_runner.bakery.local import LocalDirectBakery
 from pangeo_forge_runner.commands.bake import Bake
 
 TEST_DATA_DIR = Path(__file__).parent.parent / "test-data"
@@ -121,6 +123,32 @@ def recipes_version_ref(request):
     )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("job_name", "bakery_class", "expected_job_startswith"),
+    (
+        ["recipe", FlinkOperatorBakery, "recipe-"],
+        ["recipe", LocalDirectBakery, "recipe"],
+        [None, LocalDirectBakery, None],
+    ),
+)
+def test_add_unique_suffix_to_flink_jobs(
+    job_name, bakery_class, expected_job_startswith
+):
+    bake = Bake()
+    bake.job_name = job_name
+    bake.bakery_class = bakery_class
+
+    if bakery_class == FlinkOperatorBakery:
+        actual_job_name = bake.add_unique_suffix_to_flink_jobs(job_name)
+        assert actual_job_name.startswith(expected_job_startswith)
+        pattern = r"^[a-zA-Z]+-[0-9a-zA-Z]{5}$"
+        assert bool(re.search(pattern, actual_job_name))
+    else:
+        actual_job_name = bake.add_unique_suffix_to_flink_jobs(job_name)
+        assert job_name == actual_job_name
+        assert actual_job_name == expected_job_startswith
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     ("recipe_id", "expected_error", "custom_job_name", "no_input_cache"),
     (