--- a/libfstools/overlay.c
+++ b/libfstools/overlay.c
@@ -223,6 +223,9 @@ jffs2_switch(struct volume *v)
 			ULOG_INFO("performing overlay whiteout\n");
 			umount2("/tmp/root", MNT_DETACH);
 			foreachdir("/overlay/", handle_whiteout);
+			/* try hard to be in sync */
+			ULOG_INFO("syncronizing overlay\n");
+			system("cp -a /tmp/root/upper/* / 2>/dev/null");
 		}
 		break;