diff --git a/stream_writer.go b/stream_writer.go
index 1cad64ce7..e696a6d3b 100644
--- a/stream_writer.go
+++ b/stream_writer.go
@@ -104,6 +104,14 @@ func (sw *StreamWriter) PrepareIncremental() error {
 	}
 	sw.done = func() { once.Do(done) }
 
+	mts, decr := sw.db.getMemTables()
+	defer decr()
+	for _, m := range mts {
+		if !m.sl.Empty() {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Unable to do incremental writes because MemTable has data")
+		}
+	}
+
 	isEmptyDB := true
 	for _, level := range sw.db.Levels() {
 		if level.NumTables > 0 {
@@ -117,7 +125,10 @@ func (sw *StreamWriter) PrepareIncremental() error {
 		return nil
 	}
 	if sw.prevLevel == 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Unable to do incremental writes because L0 has data")
+		if err := sw.db.Flatten(3); err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrapf(err, "error during flatten in StreamWriter")
+		}
+		sw.prevLevel = len(sw.db.Levels()) - 1
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/stream_writer_test.go b/stream_writer_test.go
index da4bde736..43abc6ce8 100644
--- a/stream_writer_test.go
+++ b/stream_writer_test.go
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ func TestStreamWriterWithLargeValue(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestStreamWriterIncremental(t *testing.T) {
-	addIncremtal := func(t *testing.T, db *DB, keys [][]byte) {
+	addIncremental := func(t *testing.T, db *DB, keys [][]byte) {
 		buf := z.NewBuffer(10<<20, "test")
 		defer func() { require.NoError(t, buf.Release()) }()
 		for _, key := range keys {
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ func TestStreamWriterIncremental(t *testing.T) {
 			require.NoError(t, sw.Write(buf), "sw.Write() failed")
 			require.NoError(t, sw.Flush(), "sw.Flush() failed")
 
-			addIncremtal(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("key-2")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("key-2")})
 
 			txn := db.NewTransaction(false)
 			defer txn.Discard()
@@ -646,7 +646,7 @@ func TestStreamWriterIncremental(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("incremental on empty DB", func(t *testing.T) {
 		runBadgerTest(t, nil, func(t *testing.T, db *DB) {
-			addIncremtal(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("key-1")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("key-1")})
 			txn := db.NewTransaction(false)
 			defer txn.Discard()
 			_, err := txn.Get([]byte("key-1"))
@@ -656,9 +656,9 @@ func TestStreamWriterIncremental(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("multiple incremental", func(t *testing.T) {
 		runBadgerTest(t, nil, func(t *testing.T, db *DB) {
-			addIncremtal(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a1"), []byte("c1")})
-			addIncremtal(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a2"), []byte("c2")})
-			addIncremtal(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a3"), []byte("c3")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a1"), []byte("c1")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a2"), []byte("c2")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a3"), []byte("c3")})
 			txn := db.NewTransaction(false)
 			defer txn.Discard()
 			_, err := txn.Get([]byte("a1"))
@@ -675,4 +675,79 @@ func TestStreamWriterIncremental(t *testing.T) {
 			require.NoError(t, err)
 		})
 	})
+
+	t.Run("write between incremental writes", func(t *testing.T) {
+		runBadgerTest(t, nil, func(t *testing.T, db *DB) {
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a1"), []byte("c1")})
+			require.NoError(t, db.Update(func(txn *Txn) error {
+				return txn.Set([]byte("a3"), []byte("c3"))
+			}))
+
+			sw := db.NewStreamWriter()
+			defer sw.Cancel()
+			require.EqualError(t, sw.PrepareIncremental(), "Unable to do incremental writes because MemTable has data")
+
+			txn := db.NewTransaction(false)
+			defer txn.Discard()
+			_, err := txn.Get([]byte("a1"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("c1"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("a3"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+		})
+	})
+
+	t.Run("incremental writes > #levels", func(t *testing.T) {
+		runBadgerTest(t, nil, func(t *testing.T, db *DB) {
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a1"), []byte("c1")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a2"), []byte("c2")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a3"), []byte("c3")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a4"), []byte("c4")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a5"), []byte("c5")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a6"), []byte("c6")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a7"), []byte("c7")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a8"), []byte("c8")})
+			addIncremental(t, db, [][]byte{[]byte("a9"), []byte("c9")})
+
+			txn := db.NewTransaction(false)
+			defer txn.Discard()
+			_, err := txn.Get([]byte("a1"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("c1"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("a2"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("c2"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("a3"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("c3"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("a4"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("c4"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("a5"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("c5"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("a6"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("c6"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("a7"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("c7"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("a8"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("c8"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("a9"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			_, err = txn.Get([]byte("c9"))
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+		})
+	})
 }