diff --git a/fs/xfs/xfs_alloc.c b/fs/xfs/xfs_alloc.c
index 5673bcf..71596e5 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/xfs_alloc.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/xfs_alloc.c
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@
 	xfs_agblock_t	wantbno,	/* target starting block */
 	xfs_extlen_t	wantlen,	/* target length */
 	xfs_extlen_t	alignment,	/* target alignment */
+	char		userdata,	/* are we allocating data? */
 	xfs_agblock_t	freebno,	/* freespace's starting block */
 	xfs_extlen_t	freelen,	/* freespace's length */
 	xfs_agblock_t	*newbnop)	/* result: best start block from free */
@@ -189,7 +190,14 @@
 	ASSERT(freelen >= wantlen);
 	freeend = freebno + freelen;
 	wantend = wantbno + wantlen;
-	if (freebno >= wantbno) {
+	/*
+	 * We want to allocate from the start of a free extent if it is past
+	 * the desired block or if we are allocating user data and the free
+	 * extent is before desired block. The second case is there to allow
+	 * for contiguous allocation from the remaining free space if the file
+	 * grows in the short term.
+	 */
+	if (freebno >= wantbno || (userdata && freeend < wantend)) {
 		if ((newbno1 = roundup(freebno, alignment)) >= freeend)
 			newbno1 = NULLAGBLOCK;
 	} else if (freeend >= wantend && alignment > 1) {
@@ -805,7 +813,8 @@
 			xfs_alloc_fix_len(args);
 
 			sdiff = xfs_alloc_compute_diff(args->agbno, args->len,
-						       args->alignment, *sbnoa,
+						       args->alignment,
+						       args->userdata, *sbnoa,
 						       *slena, &new);
 
 			/*
@@ -976,7 +985,8 @@
 			if (args->len < blen)
 				continue;
 			ltdiff = xfs_alloc_compute_diff(args->agbno, args->len,
-				args->alignment, ltbnoa, ltlena, &ltnew);
+				args->alignment, args->userdata, ltbnoa,
+				ltlena, &ltnew);
 			if (ltnew != NULLAGBLOCK &&
 			    (args->len > blen || ltdiff < bdiff)) {
 				bdiff = ltdiff;
@@ -1128,7 +1138,8 @@
 			args->len = XFS_EXTLEN_MIN(ltlena, args->maxlen);
 			xfs_alloc_fix_len(args);
 			ltdiff = xfs_alloc_compute_diff(args->agbno, args->len,
-				args->alignment, ltbnoa, ltlena, &ltnew);
+				args->alignment, args->userdata, ltbnoa,
+				ltlena, &ltnew);
 
 			error = xfs_alloc_find_best_extent(args,
 						&bno_cur_lt, &bno_cur_gt,
@@ -1144,7 +1155,8 @@
 			args->len = XFS_EXTLEN_MIN(gtlena, args->maxlen);
 			xfs_alloc_fix_len(args);
 			gtdiff = xfs_alloc_compute_diff(args->agbno, args->len,
-				args->alignment, gtbnoa, gtlena, &gtnew);
+				args->alignment, args->userdata, gtbnoa,
+				gtlena, &gtnew);
 
 			error = xfs_alloc_find_best_extent(args,
 						&bno_cur_gt, &bno_cur_lt,
@@ -1203,7 +1215,7 @@
 	}
 	rlen = args->len;
 	(void)xfs_alloc_compute_diff(args->agbno, rlen, args->alignment,
-				     ltbnoa, ltlena, &ltnew);
+				     args->userdata, ltbnoa, ltlena, &ltnew);
 	ASSERT(ltnew >= ltbno);
 	ASSERT(ltnew + rlen <= ltbnoa + ltlena);
 	ASSERT(ltnew + rlen <= be32_to_cpu(XFS_BUF_TO_AGF(args->agbp)->agf_length));