diff --git a/fs/jffs2/gc.c b/fs/jffs2/gc.c
index 26c7992..bad0056 100644
--- a/fs/jffs2/gc.c
+++ b/fs/jffs2/gc.c
@@ -221,7 +221,13 @@
 		jeb = jffs2_find_gc_block(c);
 
 	if (!jeb) {
-		D1 (printk(KERN_NOTICE "jffs2: Couldn't find erase block to garbage collect!\n"));
+		/* Couldn't find a free block. But maybe we can just erase one and make 'progress'? */
+		if (!list_empty(&c->erase_pending_list)) {
+			spin_unlock(&c->erase_completion_lock);
+			mutex_unlock(&c->alloc_sem);
+			return -EAGAIN;
+		}
+		D1(printk(KERN_NOTICE "jffs2: Couldn't find erase block to garbage collect!\n"));
 		spin_unlock(&c->erase_completion_lock);
 		mutex_unlock(&c->alloc_sem);
 		return -EIO;
diff --git a/fs/jffs2/nodemgmt.c b/fs/jffs2/nodemgmt.c
index 747a73f..9df8f3e 100644
--- a/fs/jffs2/nodemgmt.c
+++ b/fs/jffs2/nodemgmt.c
@@ -116,7 +116,10 @@
 			spin_unlock(&c->erase_completion_lock);
 
 			ret = jffs2_garbage_collect_pass(c);
-			if (ret)
+
+			if (ret == -EAGAIN)
+				jffs2_erase_pending_blocks(c, 1);
+			else if (ret)
 				return ret;
 
 			cond_resched();