diff --git a/sound/core/seq/seq_clientmgr.c b/sound/core/seq/seq_clientmgr.c
index 0d0e0c2651c2..7fa0219c9758 100644
--- a/sound/core/seq/seq_clientmgr.c
+++ b/sound/core/seq/seq_clientmgr.c
@@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@ static ssize_t snd_seq_write(struct file *file, const char __user *buf,
 {
 	struct snd_seq_client *client = file->private_data;
 	int written = 0, len;
-	int err;
+	int err, handled;
 	struct snd_seq_event event;
 
 	if (!(snd_seq_file_flags(file) & SNDRV_SEQ_LFLG_OUTPUT))
@@ -1027,6 +1027,8 @@ static ssize_t snd_seq_write(struct file *file, const char __user *buf,
 	if (!client->accept_output || client->pool == NULL)
 		return -ENXIO;
 
+ repeat:
+	handled = 0;
 	/* allocate the pool now if the pool is not allocated yet */ 
 	mutex_lock(&client->ioctl_mutex);
 	if (client->pool->size > 0 && !snd_seq_write_pool_allocated(client)) {
@@ -1086,12 +1088,19 @@ static ssize_t snd_seq_write(struct file *file, const char __user *buf,
 						   0, 0, &client->ioctl_mutex);
 		if (err < 0)
 			break;
+		handled++;
 
 	__skip_event:
 		/* Update pointers and counts */
 		count -= len;
 		buf += len;
 		written += len;
+
+		/* let's have a coffee break if too many events are queued */
+		if (++handled >= 200) {
+			mutex_unlock(&client->ioctl_mutex);
+			goto repeat;
+		}
 	}
 
  out: