diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_ail.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_ail.c
index c15aa29..9df7f9f 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_ail.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_ail.c
@@ -372,12 +372,24 @@
 	xfs_lsn_t		lsn;
 	xfs_lsn_t		target;
 	long			tout = 10;
-	int			flush_log = 0;
 	int			stuck = 0;
 	int			count = 0;
 	int			push_xfsbufd = 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * If last time we ran we encountered pinned items, force the log first
+	 * and wait for it before pushing again.
+	 */
 	spin_lock(&ailp->xa_lock);
+	if (ailp->xa_last_pushed_lsn == 0 && ailp->xa_log_flush &&
+	    !list_empty(&ailp->xa_ail)) {
+		ailp->xa_log_flush = 0;
+		spin_unlock(&ailp->xa_lock);
+		XFS_STATS_INC(xs_push_ail_flush);
+		xfs_log_force(mp, XFS_LOG_SYNC);
+		spin_lock(&ailp->xa_lock);
+	}
+
 	target = ailp->xa_target;
 	lip = xfs_trans_ail_cursor_first(ailp, &cur, ailp->xa_last_pushed_lsn);
 	if (!lip || XFS_FORCED_SHUTDOWN(mp)) {
@@ -435,7 +447,7 @@
 		case XFS_ITEM_PINNED:
 			XFS_STATS_INC(xs_push_ail_pinned);
 			stuck++;
-			flush_log = 1;
+			ailp->xa_log_flush++;
 			break;
 
 		case XFS_ITEM_LOCKED:
@@ -480,16 +492,6 @@
 	xfs_trans_ail_cursor_done(ailp, &cur);
 	spin_unlock(&ailp->xa_lock);
 
-	if (flush_log) {
-		/*
-		 * If something we need to push out was pinned, then
-		 * push out the log so it will become unpinned and
-		 * move forward in the AIL.
-		 */
-		XFS_STATS_INC(xs_push_ail_flush);
-		xfs_log_force(mp, 0);
-	}
-
 	if (push_xfsbufd) {
 		/* we've got delayed write buffers to flush */
 		wake_up_process(mp->m_ddev_targp->bt_task);
@@ -500,6 +502,7 @@
 	if (!count) {
 		/* We're past our target or empty, so idle */
 		ailp->xa_last_pushed_lsn = 0;
+		ailp->xa_log_flush = 0;
 
 		/*
 		 * We clear the XFS_AIL_PUSHING_BIT first before checking
@@ -532,9 +535,13 @@
 		 * were stuck.
 		 *
 		 * Backoff a bit more to allow some I/O to complete before
-		 * continuing from where we were.
+		 * restarting from the start of the AIL. This prevents us
+		 * from spinning on the same items, and if they are pinned will
+		 * all the restart to issue a log force to unpin the stuck
+		 * items.
 		 */
 		tout = 20;
+		ailp->xa_last_pushed_lsn = 0;
 	}
 
 	/* There is more to do, requeue us.  */
diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_priv.h b/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_priv.h
index 212946b..0a6eec6 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_priv.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_trans_priv.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@
 	struct delayed_work	xa_work;
 	xfs_lsn_t		xa_last_pushed_lsn;
 	unsigned long		xa_flags;
+	int			xa_log_flush;
 };
 
 #define XFS_AIL_PUSHING_BIT	0