MDB_oldpages *mop = txn->mt_env->me_pghead;
                        if (num > 1) {
                                MDB_cursor m2;
-                               int retry = 60, readit = 0, n2 = num-1;
+                               int retry = 500, readit = 0, n2 = num-1;
                                unsigned int i, j, k;
 
                                /* If current list is too short, must fetch more and coalesce */
 
                                mdb_cursor_init(&m2, txn, FREE_DBI, NULL);
                                do {
-                                       /* bail out if we're operating on the freelist.
+                                       /* If on freelist, don't try to read more. If what we have
+                                        * right now isn't enough just use new pages.
                                         * TODO: get all of this working. Many circular dependencies...
                                         */
-                                       if (mc->mc_dbi == FREE_DBI)
-                                               break;
+                                       if (mc->mc_dbi == FREE_DBI) {
+                                               retry = 0;
+                                               readit = 0;
+                                       }
                                        if (readit) {
                                                MDB_val key, data;
                                                MDB_oldpages *mop2;
        mdb_cursor_init(&mc, txn, FREE_DBI, NULL);
 
        /* should only be one record now */
-       if (env->me_pghead) {
+       if (env->me_pghead || env->me_pgfirst) {
                /* make sure first page of freeDB is touched and on freelist */
                rc = mdb_page_search(&mc, NULL, MDB_PS_MODIFY);
                if (rc && rc != MDB_NOTFOUND) {