rsync hanging in read-batch mode

Trying to do something like this, in Ubuntu 11.10/12.04:

Location A

(work occurs changing files)

rsync --write-batch /media/bkup/foo.rsb /path/to/files/ /path/to/copy/

Location B

rsync --read-batch /media/bkup/foo.rsb /path/to/files/
rsync --read-batch /media/bkup/foo.rsb /path/to/copy/

(work occurs changing files)

rsync --write-batch /media/bkup/foo.rsb /path/to/files/ /path/to/copy/

Location A

rsync --read-batch /media/bkup/foo.rsb /path/to/files/
rsync --read-batch /media/bkup/foo.rsb /path/to/copy/

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there are two directories I'm trying to do this with, the one that is "just files", and symlinks etc.,
works ok, but the one the includes /home/ hangs during read-batch.  I sort of wonder if it's related to
strange things in the filesystem like .gvfs and filesystem mount points - just speculation.

using a recent compile of rsync: