diff --git a/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_inode.c b/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_inode.c
index 020282097cff..50b456bd7878 100644
--- a/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_inode.c
+++ b/sys/ufs/ffs/ffs_inode.c
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ extclean:
 		softdep_journal_freeblocks(ip, cred, length, IO_EXT);
 	else
 		softdep_setup_freeblocks(ip, length, IO_EXT);
-	return (ffs_update(vp, !DOINGASYNC(vp)));
+	return (ffs_update(vp, (flags & IO_SYNC) != 0 || !DOINGASYNC(vp)));
 }
 
 /*