diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/Fs.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/Fs.java
index 85334bd..f3f7444 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/Fs.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/Fs.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets;
+import java.nio.file.DirectoryIteratorException;
 import java.nio.file.DirectoryStream;
 import java.nio.file.FileAlreadyExistsException;
 import java.nio.file.FileVisitResult;
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@
 
   /**
    * Try to recursively delete entries, up to max count, in a dir older than expiry. Do NOT throw
-   * IOExceptions.
+   * IOExceptions or DirectoryIteratorExceptions.
    *
    * @return whether all entries were deleted
    */
@@ -93,12 +94,18 @@
         }
       }
     } catch (IOException e) { // Intent of 'try' function is to ignore these.
+    } catch (DirectoryIteratorException e) {
+      // dir was deleted by another actor, thus so were all its entries
     }
     return true;
   }
 
-  /** Are all entries in a directory tree older than expiry? Do NOT throw IOExceptions. */
-  public static boolean isAllEntriesOlderThan(Path dir, FileTime expiry) {
+  /**
+   * Are all entries in a directory tree older than expiry?
+   *
+   * @throws IOException
+   */
+  public static boolean isAllEntriesOlderThan(Path dir, FileTime expiry) throws IOException {
     if (!isOlderThan(dir, expiry)) {
       return false;
     }
@@ -109,8 +116,8 @@
         }
       }
     } catch (NotDirectoryException e) { // can't recurse if not a directory
-    } catch (IOException e) {
-      return false; // Modified after start, so not older
+    } catch (DirectoryIteratorException e) {
+      throw e.getCause(); // Throw the causal checked exception
     }
     return true;
   }
@@ -182,6 +189,8 @@
     try (DirectoryStream<Path> dirEntries = Files.newDirectoryStream(dir)) {
       Iterator<Path> it = dirEntries.iterator();
       return it.hasNext() ? it.next() : null;
+    } catch (DirectoryIteratorException e) {
+      throw e.getCause(); // Throw the causal checked exception
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/FsTransaction.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/FsTransaction.java
index cb7192b..dc7bc0e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/FsTransaction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/FsTransaction.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.events.fsstore;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.nio.file.DirectoryIteratorException;
 import java.nio.file.DirectoryStream;
 import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
@@ -124,9 +125,10 @@
 
   /**
    * Used to atomically delete entries in a directory tree older than expiry, up to max count. Do
-   * NOT throw IOExceptions.
+   * NOT throw DirectoryIteratorExceptions.
    *
    * @return whether all entries were deleted
+   * @throws IOException
    */
   public static boolean renameAndDeleteEntriesOlderThan(
       Path dir, Path del, FileTime expiry, int max) throws IOException {
@@ -139,7 +141,10 @@
           renameAndDelete(path, del);
         }
       }
-      return true;
+    } catch (DirectoryIteratorException e) {
+      // dir was deleted by another actor, thus so were all its entries
+      Nfs.throwIfNotStaleFileHandle(e.getCause());
     }
+    return true;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/Nfs.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/Nfs.java
index aacb3a9..1454fbf 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/Nfs.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/Nfs.java
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.events.fsstore;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
-import java.nio.file.DirectoryIteratorException;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.nio.file.attribute.FileTime;
 import java.util.Locale;
@@ -58,23 +57,23 @@
   }
 
   /**
-   * Is any entry in a directory tree older than expiry. Do NOT throw IOExceptions, or
-   * DirectoryIteratorExceptions.
+   * Is any entry in a directory tree older than expiry
+   *
+   * @throws IOException
    */
-  public static boolean isAllEntriesOlderThan(Path dir, FileTime expiry) {
+  public static boolean isAllEntriesOlderThan(Path dir, FileTime expiry) throws IOException {
     try {
       return Fs.isAllEntriesOlderThan(dir, expiry);
-    } catch (DirectoryIteratorException e) {
-      return false; // Modified after start, so not older
+    } catch (IOException e) {
+      throwIfNotStaleFileHandle(e);
     }
+    return false; // Modified after start, so not older
   }
 
   /** Get the first entry in a directory. */
   public static Path getFirstDirEntry(Path dir) throws IOException {
     try {
       return Fs.getFirstDirEntry(dir);
-    } catch (DirectoryIteratorException e) {
-      throwIfNotStaleFileHandle(e);
     } catch (IOException e) {
       throwIfNotStaleFileHandle(e);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/UpdatableFileValue.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/UpdatableFileValue.java
index bc8e9a5..b3779be 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/UpdatableFileValue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/events/fsstore/UpdatableFileValue.java
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@
     return null;
   }
 
-  protected boolean shouldCompleteOngoing() {
+  protected boolean shouldCompleteOngoing() throws IOException {
     // Collisions are expected, and we don't actually want to
     // complete them too often since it affects fairness
     // by potentially preventing slower actors from ever
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@
 
     // Maximum delay incurred due to a server crash.
     FileTime expiry = Fs.getFileTimeAgo(10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
-    return Fs.isAllEntriesOlderThan(paths.update, expiry);
+    return Nfs.isAllEntriesOlderThan(paths.update, expiry);
   }
 
   protected abstract UniqueUpdate<T> createUniqueUpdate(String uuid, boolean ours, long maxTries)