diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index 62abffdaf53..90c44a04194 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ IOWatcher.prototype.ondrain = function () {
   if (this.socket) {
     var socket = this.socket;
 
+    socket._haveTriedFlush = false;
+
     if (socket.writable || socket.readable) {
       require('timers').active(socket);
     }
@@ -327,8 +329,9 @@ Stream.prototype.write = function (data /* encoding, fd, callback */) {
   this._onWritable(); // Insert writeWatcher into the dumpQueue
   require('timers').active(this);
 
-  if (queueSize > (64*1024)) {
+  if (queueSize > (64*1024) && !this._haveTriedFlush) {
     IOWatcher.flush();
+    this._haveTriedFlush = true;
   }
 
   return queueSize < (64*1024);