diff --git a/lib/assoc_array.c b/lib/assoc_array.c
index 6f4bcf5..b537a83 100644
--- a/lib/assoc_array.c
+++ b/lib/assoc_array.c
@@ -1462,6 +1462,7 @@
 	struct assoc_array_ptr *cursor, *ptr;
 	struct assoc_array_ptr *new_root, *new_parent, **new_ptr_pp;
 	unsigned long nr_leaves_on_tree;
+	bool retained;
 	int keylen, slot, nr_free, next_slot, i;
 
 	pr_devel("-->%s()\n", __func__);
@@ -1538,6 +1539,7 @@
 		goto descend;
 	}
 
+retry_compress:
 	pr_devel("-- compress node %p --\n", new_n);
 
 	/* Count up the number of empty slots in this node and work out the
@@ -1555,6 +1557,7 @@
 	pr_devel("free=%d, leaves=%lu\n", nr_free, new_n->nr_leaves_on_branch);
 
 	/* See what we can fold in */
+	retained = false;
 	next_slot = 0;
 	for (slot = 0; slot < ASSOC_ARRAY_FAN_OUT; slot++) {
 		struct assoc_array_shortcut *s;
@@ -1604,9 +1607,14 @@
 			pr_devel("[%d] retain node %lu/%d [nx %d]\n",
 				 slot, child->nr_leaves_on_branch, nr_free + 1,
 				 next_slot);
+			retained = true;
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (retained && new_n->nr_leaves_on_branch <= ASSOC_ARRAY_FAN_OUT) {
+		pr_devel("internal nodes remain despite enough space, retrying\n");
+		goto retry_compress;
+	}
 	pr_devel("after: %lu\n", new_n->nr_leaves_on_branch);
 
 	nr_leaves_on_tree = new_n->nr_leaves_on_branch;