diff --git a/wal.go b/wal.go
index 225851de1..8efa3cd28 100644
--- a/wal.go
+++ b/wal.go
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ type SegmentWAL struct {
 
 	stopc   chan struct{}
 	donec   chan struct{}
+	actorc  chan func() error // sequantilized background operations
 	buffers sync.Pool
 }
 
@@ -213,6 +214,7 @@ func OpenSegmentWAL(dir string, logger log.Logger, flushInterval time.Duration,
 		flushInterval: flushInterval,
 		donec:         make(chan struct{}),
 		stopc:         make(chan struct{}),
+		actorc:        make(chan func() error, 1),
 		segmentSize:   walSegmentSizeBytes,
 		crc32:         newCRC32(),
 	}
@@ -569,18 +571,21 @@ func (w *SegmentWAL) cut() error {
 		// Finish last segment asynchronously to not block the WAL moving along
 		// in the new segment.
 		go func() {
-			off, err := hf.Seek(0, os.SEEK_CUR)
-			if err != nil {
-				level.Error(w.logger).Log("msg", "finish old segment", "segment", hf.Name(), "err", err)
-			}
-			if err := hf.Truncate(off); err != nil {
-				level.Error(w.logger).Log("msg", "finish old segment", "segment", hf.Name(), "err", err)
-			}
-			if err := hf.Sync(); err != nil {
-				level.Error(w.logger).Log("msg", "finish old segment", "segment", hf.Name(), "err", err)
-			}
-			if err := hf.Close(); err != nil {
-				level.Error(w.logger).Log("msg", "finish old segment", "segment", hf.Name(), "err", err)
+			w.actorc <- func() error {
+				off, err := hf.Seek(0, os.SEEK_CUR)
+				if err != nil {
+					return errors.Wrapf(err, "finish old segment %s", hf.Name())
+				}
+				if err := hf.Truncate(off); err != nil {
+					return errors.Wrapf(err, "finish old segment %s", hf.Name())
+				}
+				if err := hf.Sync(); err != nil {
+					return errors.Wrapf(err, "finish old segment %s", hf.Name())
+				}
+				if err := hf.Close(); err != nil {
+					return errors.Wrapf(err, "finish old segment %s", hf.Name())
+				}
+				return nil
 			}
 		}()
 	}
@@ -595,8 +600,8 @@ func (w *SegmentWAL) cut() error {
 	}
 
 	go func() {
-		if err = w.dirFile.Sync(); err != nil {
-			level.Error(w.logger).Log("msg", "sync WAL directory", "err", err)
+		w.actorc <- func() error {
+			return errors.Wrap(w.dirFile.Sync(), "sync WAL directory")
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -675,9 +680,23 @@ func (w *SegmentWAL) run(interval time.Duration) {
 	defer close(w.donec)
 
 	for {
+		// Processing all enqueued operations has precedence over shutdown and
+		// background syncs.
+		select {
+		case f := <-w.actorc:
+			if err := f(); err != nil {
+				level.Error(w.logger).Log("msg", "operation failed", "err", err)
+			}
+			continue
+		default:
+		}
 		select {
 		case <-w.stopc:
 			return
+		case f := <-w.actorc:
+			if err := f(); err != nil {
+				level.Error(w.logger).Log("msg", "operation failed", "err", err)
+			}
 		case <-tick:
 			if err := w.Sync(); err != nil {
 				level.Error(w.logger).Log("msg", "sync failed", "err", err)