diff --git a/oak-core/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/cache/CacheLIRS.java b/oak-core/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/cache/CacheLIRS.java
index 26e44e7..c55ecbe 100644
--- a/oak-core/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/cache/CacheLIRS.java
+++ b/oak-core/src/main/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/cache/CacheLIRS.java
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ public class CacheLIRS<K, V> implements LoadingCache<K, V> {
     
     private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(CacheLIRS.class);
 
+    private static final ThreadLocal<Integer> CURRENTLY_LOADING = new ThreadLocal<Integer>();
     /**
      * The maximum memory this cache should use.
      */
@@ -859,6 +860,15 @@ public class CacheLIRS<K, V> implements LoadingCache<K, V> {
                 if (value != null) {
                     return value;
                 }
+                // if we are within a loader, and are currently loading
+                // an entry, then we need to avoid a possible deadlock
+                // (we ensure that while loading an entry, we only load
+                // entries with a higher hash code, so there is a clear order)
+                Integer outer = CURRENTLY_LOADING.get();
+                if (outer != null && hash <= outer) {
+                    // to prevent a deadlock, we also load the value ourselves
+                    return load(key, hash, valueLoader);
+                }
                 ConcurrentHashMap<K, Object> loading = cache.loadingInProgress;
                 // the object we have to wait for in case another thread loads
                 // this value
@@ -874,11 +884,13 @@ public class CacheLIRS<K, V> implements LoadingCache<K, V> {
                     if (alreadyLoading == null) {
                         // we are loading ourselves
                         try {
+                            CURRENTLY_LOADING.set(hash);
                             return load(key, hash, valueLoader);
                         } finally {
                             loading.remove(key);
                             // notify other threads
                             loadNow.notifyAll();
+                            CURRENTLY_LOADING.remove();
                         }
                     }
                 }             
diff --git a/oak-core/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/cache/ConcurrentTest.java b/oak-core/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/cache/ConcurrentTest.java
index 0600652..9547a18 100644
--- a/oak-core/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/cache/ConcurrentTest.java
+++ b/oak-core/src/test/java/org/apache/jackrabbit/oak/cache/ConcurrentTest.java
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ public class ConcurrentTest {
         final CacheLIRS<Integer, Integer> cache = new CacheLIRS.Builder().
                 maximumWeight(100).averageWeight(10).build();
         final Exception[] ex = new Exception[1];
-        final int entryCount = 100;
+        final int entryCount = 10;
         int size = 3;
         Thread[] threads = new Thread[size];
         final AtomicBoolean stop = new AtomicBoolean();
@@ -118,7 +118,11 @@ public class ConcurrentTest {
                     Callable<Integer> callable = new Callable<Integer>() {
                         @Override
                         public Integer call() throws ExecutionException {
-                            cache.get(r.nextInt(entryCount));
+                            if (r.nextBoolean()) {
+                                cache.get(r.nextInt(entryCount), this);
+                            } else {
+                                cache.get(r.nextInt(entryCount));
+                            }
                             return 1;
                         }
                     };