diff --git a/fs/jffs2/gc.c b/fs/jffs2/gc.c
index 3b6f2fa..1ea4a84 100644
--- a/fs/jffs2/gc.c
+++ b/fs/jffs2/gc.c
@@ -214,6 +214,19 @@
 		return ret;
 	}
 
+	/* If there are any blocks which need erasing, erase them now */
+	if (!list_empty(&c->erase_complete_list) ||
+	    !list_empty(&c->erase_pending_list)) {
+		spin_unlock(&c->erase_completion_lock);
+		D1(printk(KERN_DEBUG "jffs2_garbage_collect_pass() erasing pending blocks\n"));
+		if (jffs2_erase_pending_blocks(c, 1)) {
+			mutex_unlock(&c->alloc_sem);
+			return 0;
+		}
+		D1(printk(KERN_DEBUG "No progress from erasing blocks; doing GC anyway\n"));
+		spin_lock(&c->erase_completion_lock);
+	}
+
 	/* First, work out which block we're garbage-collecting */
 	jeb = c->gcblock;
 
@@ -222,7 +235,7 @@
 
 	if (!jeb) {
 		/* Couldn't find a free block. But maybe we can just erase one and make 'progress'? */
-		if (!list_empty(&c->erase_pending_list)) {
+		if (c->nr_erasing_blocks) {
 			spin_unlock(&c->erase_completion_lock);
 			mutex_unlock(&c->alloc_sem);
 			return -EAGAIN;