diff --git a/src/system/kernel/cache/block_cache.cpp b/src/system/kernel/cache/block_cache.cpp
index c77d641a3f..4b1230d2ac 100644
--- a/src/system/kernel/cache/block_cache.cpp
+++ b/src/system/kernel/cache/block_cache.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ struct cache_transaction {
 	bool			has_sub_transaction;
 };
 
-static status_t write_cached_block(block_cache *cache, cached_block *block, bool deleteTransaction = true);
+static status_t write_cached_block(block_cache *cache, cached_block *block,
+	bool deleteTransaction = true);
 
 
 //	#pragma mark - private transaction
@@ -329,6 +330,10 @@ block_cache::RemoveUnusedBlocks(int32 maxAccessed, int32 count)
 		dprintf("  remove block %Ld, accessed %ld times\n",
 			block->block_number, block->accessed);
 
+		// this can only happen if no transactions are used
+		if (block->is_dirty)
+			write_cached_block(this, block, false);
+
 		// remove block from lists
 		unused_blocks.Remove(block);
 		hash_remove(hash, block);