diff --git a/osbuild/util/fscache.py b/osbuild/util/fscache.py
index 32056a35..59039522 100644
--- a/osbuild/util/fscache.py
+++ b/osbuild/util/fscache.py
@@ -683,8 +683,11 @@ class FsCache(contextlib.AbstractContextManager, os.PathLike):
             self._info_maximum_size = -1
         elif isinstance(info.maximum_size, int):
             self._info_maximum_size = info.maximum_size
-        else:
+        elif info.maximum_size is None:
             self._info_maximum_size = 0
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"maximum-size can only be set to 'unlimited' or an integer value, got {type(info.maximum_size)}")
 
     def _is_active(self):
         # Internal helper to verify we are in an active context-manager.
@@ -942,19 +945,27 @@ class FsCache(contextlib.AbstractContextManager, os.PathLike):
             info["creation-boot-id"] = self._bootid
             info["size"] = self._calculate_space(path_data)
 
-            # Update the total cache-size. If it exceeds the limits, bail out
-            # but do not trigger an error. It behaves as if the entry was
-            # committed and immediately deleted by racing cache management. No
-            # need to tell the caller about it (if that is ever needed, we can
-            # provide for it).
+            # Exit early if it never is going to fit
+            if self._info_maximum_size > -1 and info["size"] > self._info_maximum_size:
+                return
+
+            # Update the total cache-size. If it exceeds the limits, remove
+            # least recently used objects until there is enough space.
             #
             # Note that if we crash after updating the total cache size, but
             # before committing the object information, the total cache size
-            # will be out of sync. However, it is never overcommitted, so we
-            # will never violate any cache invariants. The cache-size will be
-            # re-synchronized by any full cache-management operation.
+            # will be out of sync.
+            #
+            # However, it is never overcommitted, so we will never
+            # violate any cache invariants. Future code needs to resync
+            # the cache (e.g. on open with some simple journal strategy).
             if not self._update_cache_size(info["size"]):
-                return
+                # try to free space
+                self._remove_lru(info["size"])
+                # and see if the update can happen now
+                if not self._update_cache_size(info["size"]):
+                    # stil could not free enough space
+                    return
 
             try:
                 # Commit the object-information, thus marking it as fully
@@ -1146,7 +1157,6 @@ class FsCache(contextlib.AbstractContextManager, os.PathLike):
                         break
             except BlockingIOError:
                 continue
-
         # return True if at least the required size got freed
         return freed_so_far > required_size
 
diff --git a/test/mod/test_util_fscache.py b/test/mod/test_util_fscache.py
index 35478638..b515d957 100644
--- a/test/mod/test_util_fscache.py
+++ b/test/mod/test_util_fscache.py
@@ -465,38 +465,55 @@ def test_cache_load_updates_last_used_on_noatime(tmp_path):
         test_cache_load_updates_last_used(mnt_path)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.skipif(not has_precise_fs_timestamps(), reason="need precise fs timestamps")
 def test_cache_full_behavior(tmp_path):
+    def _cache_size_from_file():
+        with open(cache._path(cache._filename_cache_size), encoding="utf8") as fp:
+            return json.load(fp)
+
     cache = fscache.FsCache("osbuild-cache-evict", tmp_path)
     with cache:
-        # use big sizes to mask the effect of dirs using 4k of space too
-        cache.info = cache.info._replace(maximum_size=192 * 1024)
-        # add one object to the store, we are below the limit
-        with cache.store("o1") as rpath:
-            rpath_f1 = os.path.join(tmp_path, rpath, "f1")
-            with open(rpath_f1, "wb") as fp:
-                fp.write(b'a' * 64 * 1024)
-        assert cache._calculate_space(tmp_path) > 64 * 1024
-        assert cache._calculate_space(tmp_path) < 128 * 1024
-        with cache.load("o1") as o:
-            assert o != ""
-        # and one more
-        with cache.store("o2") as rpath:
-            rpath_f2 = os.path.join(tmp_path, rpath, "f2")
-            with open(rpath_f2, "wb") as fp:
-                fp.write(b'b' * 64 * 1024)
-        assert cache._calculate_space(tmp_path) > 128 * 1024
-        assert cache._calculate_space(tmp_path) < 192 * 1024
-        with cache.load("o2") as o:
-            assert o != ""
-        # adding a third one will (silently) fail because the cache is full
-        with cache.store("o3") as rpath:
-            rpath_f3 = os.path.join(tmp_path, rpath, "f3")
-            with open(rpath_f3, "wb") as fp:
-                fp.write(b'b' * 128 * 1024)
-        assert cache._calculate_space(tmp_path) > 128 * 1024
-        assert cache._calculate_space(tmp_path) < 192 * 1024
-        with pytest.raises(fscache.FsCache.MissError):
-            with cache.load("o3") as o:
+        # use big sizes to mask the effect of {dirs,cache.info} using
+        # 4k of space too
+        obj_size = 128 * 1024
+        # cache is big enough to hold 4 objects (add buffer)
+        max_cache_size = (4 * obj_size) + int(0.5 * obj_size)
+        cache.info = cache.info._replace(maximum_size=max_cache_size)
+        # add 4 object to the store, we are below the limit
+        for i in range(1, 5):
+            with cache.store(f"o{i}") as rpath:
+                rpath = os.path.join(tmp_path, rpath, f"f{i}")
+                with open(rpath, "wb") as fp:
+                    fp.write(b'a' * obj_size)
+            # info file is updated
+            assert _cache_size_from_file() >= i * obj_size
+            assert _cache_size_from_file() < (i + 1) * obj_size
+            # disk is updated
+            assert cache._calculate_space(tmp_path) >= i * obj_size
+            assert cache._calculate_space(tmp_path) < (i + 1) * obj_size
+            with cache.load(f"o{i}") as o:
+                assert o != ""
+            sleep_for_fs()
+        # adding one more
+        with cache.store("o-full") as rpath:
+            rpath = os.path.join(tmp_path, rpath, "f-full")
+            with open(rpath, "wb") as fp:
+                fp.write(b'b' * obj_size)
+        # cache file is updated, it will free twice the size of the
+        # requested obj
+        assert _cache_size_from_file() >= 2 * obj_size
+        assert _cache_size_from_file() < max_cache_size
+        # disk is updated
+        assert cache._calculate_space(tmp_path) >= 3 * obj_size
+        assert cache._calculate_space(tmp_path) < max_cache_size
+        # o1,o2 is least recently used and got removed
+        for obj in ["o1", "o2"]:
+            with pytest.raises(fscache.FsCache.MissError):
+                with cache.load(obj) as o:
+                    pass
+        # and o-full made it in
+        for obj in ["o3", "o4", "o-full"]:
+            with cache.load(obj) as o:
                 pass
 
 
@@ -556,3 +573,16 @@ def test_cache_remove_lru(tmpdir):
         # and keep removing is fine
         cache._remove_lru(1)
         assert sorted_objs == []
+
+
+def test_cache_obj_too_big(tmp_path):
+    cache = fscache.FsCache("osbuild-cache-evict", tmp_path)
+    with cache:
+        max_cache_size = 16 * 1024
+        cache.info = cache.info._replace(maximum_size=max_cache_size)
+        with cache.store("o1") as rpath:
+            with open(os.path.join(tmp_path, rpath, "f1"), "wb") as fp:
+                fp.write(b'a' * 2 * max_cache_size)
+        with pytest.raises(fscache.FsCache.MissError):
+            with cache.load("o1"):
+                pass