diff --git a/vfs/vfscache/downloaders/downloaders.go b/vfs/vfscache/downloaders/downloaders.go
index 08f230bab..f2c22ee2c 100644
--- a/vfs/vfscache/downloaders/downloaders.go
+++ b/vfs/vfscache/downloaders/downloaders.go
@@ -273,6 +273,8 @@ func (dls *Downloaders) _closeWaiters(err error) {
 //
 // call with lock held
 func (dls *Downloaders) _ensureDownloader(r ranges.Range) (err error) {
+	// defer log.Trace(dls.src, "r=%v", r)("err=%v", &err)
+
 	// The window includes potentially unread data in the buffer
 	window := int64(fs.Config.BufferSize)
 
@@ -290,22 +292,30 @@ func (dls *Downloaders) _ensureDownloader(r ranges.Range) (err error) {
 
 	// If the range is entirely present then we only need to start a
 	// dowloader if the window isn't full.
+	startNew := true
 	if r.IsEmpty() {
 		// Make a new range which includes the window
 		rWindow := r
-		if rWindow.Size < window {
-			rWindow.Size = window
-		}
+		rWindow.Size += window
+
 		// Clip rWindow to stuff which needs downloading
-		rWindow = dls.item.FindMissing(rWindow)
-		// If rWindow is empty then just return without starting a
-		// downloader as there is no data within the window which needs
-		// downloading.
-		if rWindow.IsEmpty() {
-			return nil
+		rWindowClipped := dls.item.FindMissing(rWindow)
+
+		// If rWindowClipped is empty then don't start a new downloader
+		// if there isn't an existing one as there is no data within the
+		// window which needs downloading. We do want to kick an
+		// existing one though to stop it timing out.
+		if rWindowClipped.IsEmpty() {
+			// Don't start any more downloaders
+			startNew = false
+			// Start downloading at the start of the unread window
+			// This likely has been downloaded already but it will
+			// kick the downloader
+			r.Pos = rWindow.End()
+		} else {
+			// Start downloading at the start of the unread window
+			r.Pos = rWindowClipped.Pos
 		}
-		// Start downloading at the start of the unread window
-		r.Pos = rWindow.Pos
 		// But don't write anything for the moment
 		r.Size = 0
 	}
@@ -329,6 +339,9 @@ func (dls *Downloaders) _ensureDownloader(r ranges.Range) (err error) {
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
+	if !startNew {
+		return nil
+	}
 	// Downloader not found so start a new one
 	dl, err = dls._newDownloader(r)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -431,13 +444,15 @@ func (dl *downloader) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	// - we are quitting
 	// - we get kicked
 	// - timeout happens
-	if dl.offset >= dl.maxOffset {
+loop:
+	for dl.offset >= dl.maxOffset {
 		var timeout = time.NewTimer(maxDownloaderIdleTime)
 		dl.mu.Unlock()
 		select {
 		case <-dl.quit:
 			dl.mu.Lock()
 			timeout.Stop()
+			break loop
 		case <-dl.kick:
 			dl.mu.Lock()
 			timeout.Stop()
@@ -448,6 +463,7 @@ func (dl *downloader) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 				fs.Debugf(dl.dls.src, "vfs cache: stopping download thread as it timed out")
 				dl._stop()
 			}
+			break loop
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -589,17 +605,18 @@ func (dl *downloader) download() (n int64, err error) {
 
 // setRange makes sure the downloader is downloading the range passed in
 func (dl *downloader) setRange(r ranges.Range) {
+	// defer log.Trace(dl.dls.src, "r=%v", r)("")
 	dl.mu.Lock()
 	maxOffset := r.End()
 	if maxOffset > dl.maxOffset {
 		dl.maxOffset = maxOffset
-		// fs.Debugf(dl.dls.src, "kicking downloader with maxOffset %d", maxOffset)
-		select {
-		case dl.kick <- struct{}{}:
-		default:
-		}
 	}
 	dl.mu.Unlock()
+	// fs.Debugf(dl.dls.src, "kicking downloader with maxOffset %d", maxOffset)
+	select {
+	case dl.kick <- struct{}{}:
+	default:
+	}
 }
 
 // get the current range this downloader is working on