diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index 9a1e8e1d04e..f107a4f740b 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -1904,7 +1904,6 @@ func (c *Client) AllocStateUpdated(alloc *structs.Allocation) {
 // allocSync is a long lived function that batches allocation updates to the
 // server.
 func (c *Client) allocSync() {
-	staggered := false
 	syncTicker := time.NewTicker(allocSyncIntv)
 	updates := make(map[string]*structs.Allocation)
 	for {
@@ -1933,19 +1932,23 @@ func (c *Client) allocSync() {
 			}
 
 			var resp structs.GenericResponse
-			if err := c.RPC("Node.UpdateAlloc", &args, &resp); err != nil {
+			err := c.RPC("Node.UpdateAlloc", &args, &resp)
+			if err != nil {
+				// Error updating allocations, do *not* clear
+				// updates and retry after backoff
 				c.logger.Error("error updating allocations", "error", err)
-				syncTicker.Stop()
-				syncTicker = time.NewTicker(c.retryIntv(allocSyncRetryIntv))
-				staggered = true
-			} else {
-				updates = make(map[string]*structs.Allocation)
-				if staggered {
-					syncTicker.Stop()
-					syncTicker = time.NewTicker(allocSyncIntv)
-					staggered = false
-				}
+				syncTicker.Reset(c.retryIntv(allocSyncRetryIntv))
+				continue
 			}
+
+			// Successfully updated allocs, reset map and ticker.
+			// Always reset ticker to give loop time to receive
+			// alloc updates. If the RPC took the ticker interval
+			// we may call it in a tight loop before draining
+			// buffered updates.
+			updates = make(map[string]*structs.Allocation, len(updates))
+			syncTicker.Stop()
+			syncTicker = time.NewTicker(allocSyncIntv)
 		}
 	}
 }