diff --git a/weed/mount/content_flush_condition_test.go b/weed/mount/content_flush_condition_test.go
index 7c7e4d3b4c..68a5817670 100644
--- a/weed/mount/content_flush_condition_test.go
+++ b/weed/mount/content_flush_condition_test.go
@@ -196,6 +196,51 @@ func TestContentFlushRepeatsOnOneHandle(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+type refusedThenStalledFiler struct {
+	*contentFlushConditionFiler
+}
+
+func (s *refusedThenStalledFiler) LookupDirectoryEntry(ctx context.Context, r *filer_pb.LookupDirectoryEntryRequest) (*filer_pb.LookupDirectoryEntryResponse, error) {
+	<-ctx.Done()
+	return nil, status.FromContextError(ctx.Err()).Err()
+}
+
+// A refused create stays refused when reading the stored entry stalls: the
+// flush must not resend the create as if the filer had timed out.
+func TestContentFlushRefusalWithStalledLookup(t *testing.T) {
+	wfs := newInvalidateTestWFS(t)
+	wfs.filerCallTimeout = 200 * time.Millisecond
+	fake := &contentFlushConditionFiler{entry: flushConditionEntry(1, 2)}
+	startFakeFiler(t, wfs, &refusedThenStalledFiler{fake})
+	oldSleep := metadataFlushSleep
+	metadataFlushSleep = func(context.Context, time.Duration) {}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { metadataFlushSleep = oldSleep })
+	observed := flushConditionEntry(1)
+	wfs.mapPbIdFromFilerToLocal(observed)
+	live := flushConditionEntry(1, 3)
+	live.Chunks[1].Offset = 2
+	wfs.mapPbIdFromFilerToLocal(live)
+	fh := newFileHandle(wfs, 1, 42, live)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { fh.dirtyPages.Destroy() })
+	fh.baseEntry.Store(observed)
+	fh.dirtyMetadata = true
+	fh.RememberPath(util.FullPath("/dir/file"))
+	start := time.Now()
+	code := wfs.doFlush(context.Background(), fh, 1000, 20, false)
+	elapsed := time.Since(start)
+	fake.mu.Lock()
+	defer fake.mu.Unlock()
+	if code == fuse.OK || !fh.dirtyMetadata {
+		t.Fatalf("refused flush reported %v, dirty=%v", code, fh.dirtyMetadata)
+	}
+	if fake.calls != 1 || elapsed > 2*time.Second {
+		t.Fatalf("refused create sent %d times over %v", fake.calls, elapsed)
+	}
+	if got := chunkFileKeys(fake.entry); !slices.Equal(got, []uint64{1, 2}) {
+		t.Fatalf("stored chunks %v", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func chunkFileKeys(e *filer_pb.Entry) (keys []uint64) {
 	for _, c := range e.GetChunks() {
 		keys = append(keys, c.GetFid().GetFileKey())
diff --git a/weed/mount/weedfs_file_sync.go b/weed/mount/weedfs_file_sync.go
index ef905d2095..491b2f0aec 100644
--- a/weed/mount/weedfs_file_sync.go
+++ b/weed/mount/weedfs_file_sync.go
@@ -371,26 +371,22 @@ func (wfs *WFS) createContentEntry(ctx context.Context, fh *FileHandle, request
 	sent := request.Entry
 	for attempt := 0; ; attempt++ {
 		request.Condition = &filer_pb.WriteCondition{Clauses: []*filer_pb.WriteCondition_Clause{guard}}
-		var stored *filer_pb.Entry
 		err = wfs.withFilerClient(ctx, false, wfs.filerRPCWait(), func(ctx context.Context, client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
 			var callErr error
-			stored = nil
 			resp, callErr = filer_pb.CreateEntryWithResponse(ctx, client, request)
-			if base == nil || attempt >= maxContentFlushMerges || !errors.Is(callErr, filer_pb.ErrPreconditionFailed) {
-				return callErr
-			}
-			if found, lookupErr := filer_pb.LookupEntry(ctx, client, &filer_pb.LookupDirectoryEntryRequest{Directory: request.Directory, Name: request.Entry.Name}); lookupErr == nil {
-				stored = found.Entry
-			}
 			return callErr
 		})
 		if err == nil && request.Entry != sent {
 			merged = proto.Clone(request.Entry).(*filer_pb.Entry)
 			wfs.mapPbIdFromFilerToLocal(merged)
 		}
-		if err == nil || stored == nil {
+		if err == nil || base == nil || attempt >= maxContentFlushMerges || !errors.Is(err, filer_pb.ErrPreconditionFailed) {
 			return resp, merged, err
 		}
+		stored := wfs.lookupRefusedEntry(ctx, request.Directory, request.Entry.Name)
+		if stored == nil {
+			return resp, nil, err
+		}
 		mark := fh.markSince(base)
 		next, ok := mergeContentEntry(stored, base, local, sent, mark.truncatedTo, mark.rewrote)
 		if !ok || buffered && !mergeKeepsBuffered(next, local) {
@@ -402,6 +398,21 @@ func (wfs *WFS) createContentEntry(ctx context.Context, fh *FileHandle, request
 	}
 }
 
+// lookupRefusedEntry reads the entry a refused create ran into, within one
+// filer call: a read that stalls must not hold or replay the refusal.
+func (wfs *WFS) lookupRefusedEntry(ctx context.Context, dir, name string) (stored *filer_pb.Entry) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, wfs.filerRPCWait())
+	defer cancel()
+	_ = wfs.withFilerClient(ctx, false, wfs.filerRPCWait(), func(ctx context.Context, client filer_pb.SeaweedFilerClient) error {
+		found, err := filer_pb.LookupEntry(ctx, client, &filer_pb.LookupDirectoryEntryRequest{Directory: dir, Name: name})
+		if err == nil {
+			stored = found.Entry
+		}
+		return err
+	})
+	return stored
+}
+
 // maxContentFlushMerges bounds how often one flush rebases onto a moving entry.
 const maxContentFlushMerges = 3