diff --git a/src/leveled_penciller.erl b/src/leveled_penciller.erl
index f63d462..4681130 100644
--- a/src/leveled_penciller.erl
+++ b/src/leveled_penciller.erl
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@
 -define(MEMTABLE, mem).
 -define(MAX_TABLESIZE, 32000).
 -define(PROMPT_WAIT_ONL0, 5).
+-define(WORKQUEUE_BACKLOG_TOLERANCE, 4).
 
 
 -record(state, {manifest = [] :: list(),
@@ -275,7 +276,8 @@
                 snapshot_fully_loaded = false :: boolean(),
                 source_penciller :: pid(),
                 
-                ongoing_work = [] :: list()}).
+                ongoing_work = [] :: list(),
+                work_backlog = false :: boolean()}).
 
 
 %%%============================================================================
@@ -376,11 +378,14 @@ handle_call({push_mem, PushedTree}, From, State=#state{is_snapshot=Snap})
     %
     % Check the approximate size of the cache.  If it is over the maximum size,
     % trigger a backgroun L0 file write and update state of levelzero_pending.
-    case State#state.levelzero_pending of
-        true ->
+    case {State#state.levelzero_pending, State#state.work_backlog} of
+        {true, _} ->
             leveled_log:log("P0018", [returned, "L-0 persist pending"]),
             {reply, returned, State};
-        false ->
+        {false, true} ->
+            leveled_log:log("P0018", [returned, "Merge tree work backlog"]),
+            {reply, returned, State};
+        {false, false} ->
             leveled_log:log("P0018", [ok, "L0 memory updated"]),
             gen_server:reply(From, ok),
             {noreply, update_levelzero(State#state.levelzero_index,
@@ -791,12 +796,13 @@ return_work(State, From) ->
                                 true ->
                                     false
                             end,
+            Backlog = L >= ?WORKQUEUE_BACKLOG_TOLERANCE,
             case State#state.levelzero_pending of
                 true ->
                     % Once the L0 file is completed there will be more work
                     % - so don't be busy doing other work now
                     leveled_log:log("P0021", []),
-                    {State, none};
+                    {State#state{work_backlog=Backlog}, none};
                 false ->
                     %% No work currently outstanding
                     %% Can allocate work
@@ -815,10 +821,10 @@ return_work(State, From) ->
                                             ledger_filepath = FP,
                                             manifest_file = ManFile,
                                             target_is_basement = IsBasement},
-                    {State#state{ongoing_work=[WI]}, WI}
+                    {State#state{ongoing_work=[WI], work_backlog=Backlog}, WI}
             end;
         _ ->
-            {State, none}
+            {State#state{work_backlog=false}, none}
     end.