diff --git a/src/txn/txn.c b/src/txn/txn.c
index 8bfc48c1690..ed3a3a85b8c 100644
--- a/src/txn/txn.c
+++ b/src/txn/txn.c
@@ -334,8 +334,10 @@ __wt_txn_update_oldest(WT_SESSION_IMPL *session, bool force)
 			 */
 			WT_ASSERT(session, txn_global->scan_count > 0);
 			(void)__wt_atomic_subiv32(&txn_global->scan_count, 1);
-			if (force)
+			if (force) {
+				__wt_yield();
 				goto retry;
+			}
 		}
 	} else {
 		if (WT_VERBOSE_ISSET(session, WT_VERB_TRANSACTION) &&