diff --git a/block/gluster.c b/block/gluster.c
index d9aace6253..a8aaacf645 100644
--- a/block/gluster.c
+++ b/block/gluster.c
@@ -314,6 +314,23 @@ static int qemu_gluster_open(BlockDriverState *bs,  QDict *options,
         goto out;
     }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_GLUSTERFS_XLATOR_OPT
+    /* Without this, if fsync fails for a recoverable reason (for instance,
+     * ENOSPC), gluster will dump its cache, preventing retries.  This means
+     * almost certain data loss.  Not all gluster versions support the
+     * 'resync-failed-syncs-after-fsync' key value, but there is no way to
+     * discover during runtime if it is supported (this api returns success for
+     * unknown key/value pairs) */
+    ret = glfs_set_xlator_option(s->glfs, "*-write-behind",
+                                          "resync-failed-syncs-after-fsync",
+                                          "on");
+    if (ret < 0) {
+        error_setg_errno(errp, errno, "Unable to set xlator key/value pair");
+        ret = -errno;
+        goto out;
+    }
+#endif
+
     qemu_gluster_parse_flags(bdrv_flags, &open_flags);
 
     s->fd = glfs_open(s->glfs, gconf->image, open_flags);
@@ -366,6 +383,16 @@ static int qemu_gluster_reopen_prepare(BDRVReopenState *state,
         goto exit;
     }
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_GLUSTERFS_XLATOR_OPT
+    ret = glfs_set_xlator_option(reop_s->glfs, "*-write-behind",
+                                 "resync-failed-syncs-after-fsync", "on");
+    if (ret < 0) {
+        error_setg_errno(errp, errno, "Unable to set xlator key/value pair");
+        ret = -errno;
+        goto exit;
+    }
+#endif
+
     reop_s->fd = glfs_open(reop_s->glfs, gconf->image, open_flags);
     if (reop_s->fd == NULL) {
         /* reops->glfs will be cleaned up in _abort */
@@ -613,11 +640,35 @@ static coroutine_fn int qemu_gluster_co_flush_to_disk(BlockDriverState *bs)
 
     ret = glfs_fsync_async(s->fd, gluster_finish_aiocb, &acb);
     if (ret < 0) {
-        return -errno;
+        ret = -errno;
+        goto error;
     }
 
     qemu_coroutine_yield();
+    if (acb.ret < 0) {
+        ret = acb.ret;
+        goto error;
+    }
+
     return acb.ret;
+
+error:
+    /* Some versions of Gluster (3.5.6 -> 3.5.8?) will not retain its cache
+     * after a fsync failure, so we have no way of allowing the guest to safely
+     * continue.  Gluster versions prior to 3.5.6 don't retain the cache
+     * either, but will invalidate the fd on error, so this is again our only
+     * option.
+     *
+     * The 'resync-failed-syncs-after-fsync' xlator option for the
+     * write-behind cache will cause later gluster versions to retain its
+     * cache after error, so long as the fd remains open.  However, we
+     * currently have no way of knowing if this option is supported.
+     *
+     * TODO: Once gluster provides a way for us to determine if the option
+     * is supported, bypass the closure and setting drv to NULL.  */
+    qemu_gluster_close(bs);
+    bs->drv = NULL;
+    return ret;
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_GLUSTERFS_DISCARD
diff --git a/configure b/configure
index f1c307bfc6..ab54f3c8ee 100755
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ coroutine=""
 coroutine_pool=""
 seccomp=""
 glusterfs=""
+glusterfs_xlator_opt="no"
 glusterfs_discard="no"
 glusterfs_zerofill="no"
 archipelago="no"
@@ -3400,6 +3401,9 @@ if test "$glusterfs" != "no" ; then
     glusterfs="yes"
     glusterfs_cflags=`$pkg_config --cflags glusterfs-api`
     glusterfs_libs=`$pkg_config --libs glusterfs-api`
+    if $pkg_config --atleast-version=4 glusterfs-api; then
+      glusterfs_xlator_opt="yes"
+    fi
     if $pkg_config --atleast-version=5 glusterfs-api; then
       glusterfs_discard="yes"
     fi
@@ -5342,6 +5346,10 @@ if test "$glusterfs" = "yes" ; then
   echo "GLUSTERFS_LIBS=$glusterfs_libs" >> $config_host_mak
 fi
 
+if test "$glusterfs_xlator_opt" = "yes" ; then
+  echo "CONFIG_GLUSTERFS_XLATOR_OPT=y" >> $config_host_mak
+fi
+
 if test "$glusterfs_discard" = "yes" ; then
   echo "CONFIG_GLUSTERFS_DISCARD=y" >> $config_host_mak
 fi