diff --git a/sys/src/9/port/qio.c b/sys/src/9/port/qio.c
index a70fa8a31..8076b04b8 100644
--- a/sys/src/9/port/qio.c
+++ b/sys/src/9/port/qio.c
@@ -1152,6 +1152,31 @@ qnotfull(void *a)
 	return q->len < q->limit || (q->state & Qclosed);
 }
 
+/*
+ *  flow control, wait for queue to get below the limit
+ */
+static void
+qflow(Queue *q)
+{
+	for(;;){
+		if(q->noblock || qnotfull(q))
+			break;
+
+		ilock(q);
+		q->state |= Qflow;
+		iunlock(q);
+
+		eqlock(&q->wlock);
+		if(waserror()){
+			qunlock(&q->wlock);
+			nexterror();
+		}
+		sleep(&q->wr, qnotfull, q);
+		qunlock(&q->wlock);
+		poperror();
+	}
+}
+
 /*
  *  add a block to a queue obeying flow control
  */
@@ -1182,17 +1207,11 @@ qbwrite(Queue *q, Block *b)
 	}
 
 	/* don't queue over the limit */
-	if(q->len >= q->limit){
-		if(q->noblock){
-			iunlock(q);
-			freeb(b);
-			poperror();
-			return n;
-		}
-		if(q->len >= q->limit*10){
-			iunlock(q);
-			error(Egreg);
-		}
+	if(q->len >= q->limit && q->noblock){
+		iunlock(q);
+		freeb(b);
+		poperror();
+		return n;
 	}
 
 	/* queue the block */
@@ -1228,34 +1247,13 @@ qbwrite(Queue *q, Block *b)
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 *  flow control, wait for queue to get below the limit
-	 *  before allowing the process to continue and queue
-	 *  more.  We do this here so that postnote can only
-	 *  interrupt us after the data has been queued.  This
-	 *  means that things like 9p flushes and ssl messages
-	 *  will not be disrupted by software interrupts.
-	 *
-	 *  Note - this is moderately dangerous since a process
-	 *  that keeps getting interrupted and rewriting will
-	 *  queue up to 10 times the queue limit before failing.
+	 *  flow control, before allowing the process to continue and
+	 *  queue more. We do this here so that postnote can only
+	 *  interrupt us after the data has been queued.  This means that
+	 *  things like 9p flushes and ssl messages will not be disrupted
+	 *  by software interrupts.
 	 */
-	for(;;){
-		if(q->noblock || qnotfull(q))
-			break;
-
-		ilock(q);
-		q->state |= Qflow;
-		iunlock(q);
-
-		eqlock(&q->wlock);
-		if(waserror()){
-			qunlock(&q->wlock);
-			nexterror();
-		}
-		sleep(&q->wr, qnotfull, q);
-		qunlock(&q->wlock);
-		poperror();
-	}
+	qflow(q);
 
 	return n;
 }
@@ -1273,6 +1271,16 @@ qwrite(Queue *q, void *vp, int len)
 	QDEBUG if(!islo())
 		print("qwrite hi %#p\n", getcallerpc(&q));
 
+	/* stop queue bloat before allocating blocks */
+	if(q->len/2 >= q->limit && q->noblock == 0 && q->bypass == nil){
+		while(waserror()){
+			if(up->procctl == Proc_exitme || up->procctl == Proc_exitbig)
+				error(Egreg);
+		}
+		qflow(q);
+		poperror();
+	}
+
 	sofar = 0;
 	do {
 		n = len-sofar;