diff --git a/lib/model/rwfolder.go b/lib/model/rwfolder.go
index b3c74be10..13ff49463 100644
--- a/lib/model/rwfolder.go
+++ b/lib/model/rwfolder.go
@@ -453,6 +453,35 @@ func (p *rwFolder) pullerIteration(ignores *ignore.Matcher) int {
 	dirDeletions := []protocol.FileInfo{}
 	buckets := map[string][]protocol.FileInfo{}
 
+	handleFile := func(f protocol.FileInfo) bool {
+		switch {
+		case f.IsDeleted():
+			// A deleted file, directory or symlink
+			if f.IsDirectory() {
+				dirDeletions = append(dirDeletions, f)
+			} else {
+				fileDeletions[f.Name] = f
+				df, ok := p.model.CurrentFolderFile(p.folder, f.Name)
+				// Local file can be already deleted, but with a lower version
+				// number, hence the deletion coming in again as part of
+				// WithNeed, furthermore, the file can simply be of the wrong
+				// type if we haven't yet managed to pull it.
+				if ok && !df.IsDeleted() && !df.IsSymlink() && !df.IsDirectory() {
+					// Put files into buckets per first hash
+					key := string(df.Blocks[0].Hash)
+					buckets[key] = append(buckets[key], df)
+				}
+			}
+		case f.IsDirectory() && !f.IsSymlink():
+			// A new or changed directory
+			l.Debugln("Creating directory", f.Name)
+			p.handleDir(f)
+		default:
+			return false
+		}
+		return true
+	}
+
 	folderFiles.WithNeed(protocol.LocalDeviceID, func(intf db.FileIntf) bool {
 		// Needed items are delivered sorted lexicographically. We'll handle
 		// directories as they come along, so parents before children. Files
@@ -467,29 +496,7 @@ func (p *rwFolder) pullerIteration(ignores *ignore.Matcher) int {
 
 		l.Debugln(p, "handling", file.Name)
 
-		switch {
-		case file.IsDeleted():
-			// A deleted file, directory or symlink
-			if file.IsDirectory() {
-				dirDeletions = append(dirDeletions, file)
-			} else {
-				fileDeletions[file.Name] = file
-				df, ok := p.model.CurrentFolderFile(p.folder, file.Name)
-				// Local file can be already deleted, but with a lower version
-				// number, hence the deletion coming in again as part of
-				// WithNeed, furthermore, the file can simply be of the wrong
-				// type if we haven't yet managed to pull it.
-				if ok && !df.IsDeleted() && !df.IsSymlink() && !df.IsDirectory() {
-					// Put files into buckets per first hash
-					key := string(df.Blocks[0].Hash)
-					buckets[key] = append(buckets[key], df)
-				}
-			}
-		case file.IsDirectory() && !file.IsSymlink():
-			// A new or changed directory
-			l.Debugln("Creating directory", file.Name)
-			p.handleDir(file)
-		default:
+		if !handleFile(file) {
 			// A new or changed file or symlink. This is the only case where we
 			// do stuff concurrently in the background
 			p.queue.Push(file.Name, file.Size(), file.Modified)
@@ -532,11 +539,14 @@ nextFile:
 			continue
 		}
 
-		// Local file can be already deleted, but with a lower version
-		// number, hence the deletion coming in again as part of
-		// WithNeed, furthermore, the file can simply be of the wrong type if
-		// the global index changed while we were processing this iteration.
-		if !f.IsDeleted() && !f.IsSymlink() && !f.IsDirectory() {
+		// Handles races where an index update arrives changing what the file
+		// is between queueing and retrieving it from the queue, effectively
+		// changing how the file should be handled.
+		if handleFile(f) {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if !f.IsSymlink() {
 			key := string(f.Blocks[0].Hash)
 			for i, candidate := range buckets[key] {
 				if scanner.BlocksEqual(candidate.Blocks, f.Blocks) {