diff --git a/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback.go b/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback.go
index 255154171..76acbb446 100644
--- a/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback.go
+++ b/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback.go
@@ -433,13 +433,18 @@ func (wb *WriteBack) processItems(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 
 	resetTimer := true
-	for wbItem := wb._peekItem(); wbItem != nil && time.Until(wbItem.expiry) <= 0; wbItem = wb._peekItem() {
-		// If reached transfer limit don't restart the timer
+	for wbItem := wb._peekItem(); wbItem != nil; wbItem = wb._peekItem() {
+		// If reached transfer limit stop the timer - it will be
+		// restarted when an upload finishes
 		if wb.uploads >= fs.GetConfig(wb.ctx).Transfers {
 			fs.Debugf(wbItem.name, "vfs cache: delaying writeback as --transfers exceeded")
 			resetTimer = false
 			break
 		}
+		// Stop if the next item hasn't expired yet
+		if time.Until(wbItem.expiry) > 0 {
+			break
+		}
 		// Pop the item, mark as uploading and start the uploader
 		wbItem = wb._popItem()
 		//fs.Debugf(wbItem.name, "uploading = true %p item %p", wbItem, wbItem.item)
diff --git a/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback_test.go b/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback_test.go
index 87c067627..8122ae2da 100644
--- a/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback_test.go
+++ b/vfs/vfscache/writeback/writeback_test.go
@@ -601,10 +601,10 @@ func TestWriteBackMaxQueue(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// put toTransfer things in the queue
 	pis := []*putItem{}
-	for range toTransfer {
+	for i := range toTransfer {
 		pi := newPutItem(t)
 		pis = append(pis, pi)
-		wb.Add(0, fmt.Sprintf("number%d", 1), 10, true, pi.put)
+		wb.Add(0, fmt.Sprintf("number%d", i), 10, true, pi.put)
 	}
 
 	inProgress, queued := wb.Stats()