diff --git a/weed/mount/weedfs.go b/weed/mount/weedfs.go
index b59f9937f0..3a6633c96f 100644
--- a/weed/mount/weedfs.go
+++ b/weed/mount/weedfs.go
@@ -1049,9 +1049,12 @@ func (wfs *WFS) invalidateOpenFileHandle(invalidation meta_cache.EntryInvalidati
 	// against an approximate base) leaves them valid. A dirty handle likewise
 	// keeps its diverged entry unless foreign content supersedes it.
 	contentChanged := base == nil || !sameEntryContent(candidate, base)
-	if contentChanged && fh.dirtyMetadata && fh.mergePeerContent(candidate, base) {
-		fh.baseEntry.Store(proto.Clone(candidate).(*filer_pb.Entry))
-		fh.advanceEntryVersion(candidateTsNs, 0)
+	if contentChanged && fh.dirtyMetadata && sameContentFile(candidate, base) {
+		// An unmergeable change keeps the writes; the flush reports it.
+		if fh.mergePeerContent(candidate, base) {
+			fh.baseEntry.Store(proto.Clone(candidate).(*filer_pb.Entry))
+			fh.advanceEntryVersion(candidateTsNs, 0)
+		}
 		return
 	}
 	if contentChanged {
diff --git a/weed/mount/weedfs_file_sync.go b/weed/mount/weedfs_file_sync.go
index df106fba45..a6c21d6f69 100644
--- a/weed/mount/weedfs_file_sync.go
+++ b/weed/mount/weedfs_file_sync.go
@@ -380,10 +380,7 @@ const maxContentFlushMerges = 3
 // whole-file rewrite (maybeMergeChunks, unstamped chunks) over a peer's chunk
 // change cannot be merged: the rewrite carries the handle's stale view.
 func mergeContentEntry(stored, base, local, sent *filer_pb.Entry, truncatedTo int64) (*filer_pb.Entry, bool) {
-	if stored == nil || base == nil || stored.IsDirectory || !bytes.Equal(stored.HardLinkId, base.HardLinkId) {
-		return nil, false
-	}
-	if inode := base.GetAttributes().GetInode(); inode != 0 && stored.GetAttributes().GetInode() != inode {
+	if !sameContentFile(stored, base) {
 		return nil, false
 	}
 	merged := proto.Clone(stored).(*filer_pb.Entry)
@@ -484,6 +481,15 @@ func mergeContentEntry(stored, base, local, sent *filer_pb.Entry, truncatedTo in
 	return merged, true
 }
 
+// sameContentFile reports whether stored is still the regular file base was.
+func sameContentFile(stored, base *filer_pb.Entry) bool {
+	if stored == nil || base == nil || stored.IsDirectory || !bytes.Equal(stored.HardLinkId, base.HardLinkId) {
+		return false
+	}
+	inode := base.GetAttributes().GetInode()
+	return inode == 0 || stored.GetAttributes().GetInode() == inode
+}
+
 // contentChunkKey identifies a chunk reference: truncation shrinks a chunk in
 // place, so the same file id at another size is a different reference. Both
 // file id encodings give one key, and the chunk is left as is.
diff --git a/weed/mount/weedfs_invalidate_open_handle_test.go b/weed/mount/weedfs_invalidate_open_handle_test.go
index b3d0a9d434..a13aff42b4 100644
--- a/weed/mount/weedfs_invalidate_open_handle_test.go
+++ b/weed/mount/weedfs_invalidate_open_handle_test.go
@@ -2119,3 +2119,43 @@ func TestPeerAppendMergesIntoDirtyHandle(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("base %v, want the peer's entry", base)
 	}
 }
+
+// A peer change that cannot be merged (inline content over the handle's new
+// chunk) leaves the dirty handle alone, so its flush fails instead of the
+// event silently dropping the writes.
+func TestUnmergeablePeerChangeKeepsDirtyHandle(t *testing.T) {
+	wfs := newInvalidateTestWFS(t)
+
+	inode := wfs.inodeToPath.Lookup(util.FullPath("/dir/file"), time.Now().Unix(), false, false, 0, false)
+	fh, _, _, _ := wfs.fhMap.AcquireFileHandle(wfs, inode, flushConditionEntry(1), 0, 0)
+	fh.AddChunks([]*filer_pb.FileChunk{{FileId: "1,0300000001", Offset: 2, Size: 1, ModifiedTsNs: 3}})
+	fh.dirtyMetadata = true
+	pagesBefore := fh.dirtyPages
+
+	peer := flushConditionEntry()
+	peer.Content = []byte("peer")
+	peer.Attributes.FileSize = 4
+	resp := &filer_pb.SubscribeMetadataResponse{
+		Directory: "/dir",
+		TsNs:      1500,
+		EventNotification: &filer_pb.EventNotification{
+			OldEntry:      flushConditionEntry(1),
+			NewEntry:      peer,
+			NewParentPath: "/dir",
+		},
+	}
+	if err := wfs.metaCache.ApplyMetadataResponse(context.Background(), resp, meta_cache.SubscriberMetadataResponseApplyOptions); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("apply: %v", err)
+	}
+	wfs.metaCache.WaitForEntryInvalidations()
+
+	if fh.dirtyPages != pagesBefore {
+		t.Fatal("dirty pages destroyed by an unmergeable peer change")
+	}
+	if got := len(fh.GetEntry().GetEntry().Chunks); got != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("handle has %d chunks, want its own 2", got)
+	}
+	if base := fh.baseEntry.Load(); len(base.GetChunks()) != 1 || len(base.GetContent()) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("base %v moved to the peer's entry", base)
+	}
+}