diff --git a/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go b/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go
index 4511e188e..206b44f1e 100644
--- a/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go
+++ b/exchange/bitswap/bitswap.go
@@ -228,7 +228,9 @@ func (bs *Bitswap) HasBlock(ctx context.Context, blk *blocks.Block) error {
 	default:
 	}
 
-	if err := bs.blockstore.Put(blk); err != nil {
+	err := bs.tryPutBlock(blk, 4) // attempt to store block up to four times
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Errorf("Error writing block to datastore: %s", err)
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -242,6 +244,18 @@ func (bs *Bitswap) HasBlock(ctx context.Context, blk *blocks.Block) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (bs *Bitswap) tryPutBlock(blk *blocks.Block, attempts int) error {
+	var err error
+	for i := 0; i < attempts; i++ {
+		if err = bs.blockstore.Put(blk); err == nil {
+			break
+		}
+
+		time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * time.Duration(400*(i+1)))
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
 func (bs *Bitswap) connectToProviders(ctx context.Context, entries []wantlist.Entry) {
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
@@ -297,38 +311,46 @@ func (bs *Bitswap) ReceiveMessage(ctx context.Context, p peer.ID, incoming bsmsg
 		wg.Add(1)
 		go func(b *blocks.Block) {
 			defer wg.Done()
-			bs.counterLk.Lock()
-			bs.blocksRecvd++
-			has, err := bs.blockstore.Has(b.Key())
-			if err != nil {
-				bs.counterLk.Unlock()
-				log.Infof("blockstore.Has error: %s", err)
-				return
-			}
-			if err == nil && has {
-				bs.dupBlocksRecvd++
-			}
-			brecvd := bs.blocksRecvd
-			bdup := bs.dupBlocksRecvd
-			bs.counterLk.Unlock()
-			if has {
-				return
+
+			if err := bs.updateReceiveCounters(b.Key()); err != nil {
+				return // ignore error, is either logged previously, or ErrAlreadyHaveBlock
 			}
 
 			k := b.Key()
 			log.Event(ctx, "Bitswap.GetBlockRequest.End", &k)
 
-			log.Debugf("got block %s from %s (%d,%d)", b, p, brecvd, bdup)
+			log.Debugf("got block %s from %s", b, p)
 			hasBlockCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, hasBlockTimeout)
+			defer cancel()
 			if err := bs.HasBlock(hasBlockCtx, b); err != nil {
 				log.Warningf("ReceiveMessage HasBlock error: %s", err)
 			}
-			cancel()
 		}(block)
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
 }
 
+var ErrAlreadyHaveBlock = errors.New("already have block")
+
+func (bs *Bitswap) updateReceiveCounters(k key.Key) error {
+	bs.counterLk.Lock()
+	defer bs.counterLk.Unlock()
+	bs.blocksRecvd++
+	has, err := bs.blockstore.Has(k)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Infof("blockstore.Has error: %s", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	if err == nil && has {
+		bs.dupBlocksRecvd++
+	}
+
+	if has {
+		return ErrAlreadyHaveBlock
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Connected/Disconnected warns bitswap about peer connections
 func (bs *Bitswap) PeerConnected(p peer.ID) {
 	bs.wm.Connected(p)