diff --git a/hbs2-peer/app/RPC2.hs b/hbs2-peer/app/RPC2.hs
index 08bd414b..5f3a8560 100644
--- a/hbs2-peer/app/RPC2.hs
+++ b/hbs2-peer/app/RPC2.hs
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ downloadFromPeerRec t bu0 cache env h0 peer = do
         done <- atomically do
           pe <- isEmptyTQueue p
           qe <- isEmptyTQueue q
-          unless pe retry
+          when (qe && not pe) retry
           pure qe
 
         if done then