cfqq->next_crq = cfq_choose_req(cfqd, cfqq->next_crq, crq);
 
+       cic = crq->io_context;
+
        /*
         * we never wait for an async request and we don't allow preemption
         * of an async request. so just return early
         */
-       if (!cfq_crq_is_sync(crq))
+       if (!cfq_crq_is_sync(crq)) {
+               /*
+                * sync process issued an async request, if it's waiting
+                * then expire it and kick rq handling.
+                */
+               if (cic == cfqd->active_cic &&
+                   del_timer(&cfqd->idle_slice_timer)) {
+                       cfq_slice_expired(cfqd, 0);
+                       cfq_start_queueing(cfqd, cfqq);
+               }
                return;
-
-       cic = crq->io_context;
+       }
 
        cfq_update_io_thinktime(cfqd, cic);
        cfq_update_io_seektime(cfqd, cic, crq);