diff --git a/fs/netfs/write_issue.c b/fs/netfs/write_issue.c
index 3b363ce12f3f..3682896c3fdf 100644
--- a/fs/netfs/write_issue.c
+++ b/fs/netfs/write_issue.c
@@ -582,8 +582,6 @@ int netfs_writepages(struct address_space *mapping,
 		}
 
 		error = netfs_write_folio(wreq, wbc, folio);
-		if (error < 0)
-			break;
 	} while ((folio = writeback_iter(mapping, wbc, folio, &error)));
 
 	netfs_end_issue_write(wreq);
@@ -594,7 +592,14 @@ int netfs_writepages(struct address_space *mapping,
 	return error;
 
 couldnt_start:
-	netfs_kill_dirty_pages(mapping, wbc, folio);
+	if (error == -ENOMEM) {
+		folio_redirty_for_writepage(wbc, folio);
+		folio_unlock(folio);
+		folio = writeback_iter(mapping, wbc, folio, &error);
+		WARN_ON_ONCE(folio != NULL);
+	} else {
+		netfs_kill_dirty_pages(mapping, wbc, folio);
+	}
 out:
 	netfs_wb_end(ictx);
 	_leave(" = %d", error);