diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go
index 2f3ccfdc6..4d246e26c 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go
@@ -183,11 +183,34 @@ func (c *commandVolumeCheckDisk) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, write
 
 func (c *commandVolumeCheckDisk) syncTwoReplicas(a *VolumeReplica, b *VolumeReplica, applyChanges bool, doSyncDeletions bool, nonRepairThreshold float64, verbose bool) (err error) {
 	aHasChanges, bHasChanges := true, true
-	for aHasChanges || bHasChanges {
+	const maxIterations = 5
+	iteration := 0
+	
+	for (aHasChanges || bHasChanges) && iteration < maxIterations {
+		iteration++
+		if verbose {
+			fmt.Fprintf(c.writer, "sync iteration %d for volume %d\n", iteration, a.info.Id)
+		}
+		
+		prevAHasChanges, prevBHasChanges := aHasChanges, bHasChanges
 		if aHasChanges, bHasChanges, err = c.checkBoth(a, b, applyChanges, doSyncDeletions, nonRepairThreshold, verbose); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		
+		// Detect if we're stuck in a loop with no progress
+		if iteration > 1 && prevAHasChanges == aHasChanges && prevBHasChanges == bHasChanges && (aHasChanges || bHasChanges) {
+			fmt.Fprintf(c.writer, "volume %d sync is not making progress between %s and %s after iteration %d, stopping to prevent infinite loop\n",
+				a.info.Id, a.location.dataNode.Id, b.location.dataNode.Id, iteration)
+			return fmt.Errorf("sync not making progress after %d iterations", iteration)
+		}
 	}
+	
+	if iteration >= maxIterations && (aHasChanges || bHasChanges) {
+		fmt.Fprintf(c.writer, "volume %d sync reached maximum iterations (%d) between %s and %s, may need manual intervention\n",
+			a.info.Id, maxIterations, a.location.dataNode.Id, b.location.dataNode.Id)
+		return fmt.Errorf("reached maximum sync iterations (%d)", maxIterations)
+	}
+	
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -307,11 +330,10 @@ func doVolumeCheckDisk(minuend, subtrahend *needle_map.MemDb, source, target *Vo
 		for _, deleteResult := range deleteResults {
 			if deleteResult.Status == http.StatusAccepted && deleteResult.Size > 0 {
 				hasChanges = true
-				return
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	return
+	return hasChanges, nil
 }
 
 func readSourceNeedleBlob(grpcDialOption grpc.DialOption, sourceVolumeServer pb.ServerAddress, volumeId uint32, needleValue needle_map.NeedleValue) (needleBlob []byte, err error) {