diff --git a/Control/Concurrent/Async.hs b/Control/Concurrent/Async.hs
--- a/Control/Concurrent/Async.hs
+++ b/Control/Concurrent/Async.hs
@@ -246,7 +246,10 @@
 --
 {-# INLINE waitCatch #-}
 waitCatch :: Async a -> IO (Either SomeException a)
-waitCatch = atomically . waitCatchSTM
+waitCatch = tryAgain . atomically . waitCatchSTM
+  where
+    -- See: https://github.com/simonmar/async/issues/14
+    tryAgain f = f `catch` \BlockedIndefinitelyOnSTM -> f
 
 -- | Check whether an 'Async' has completed yet.  If it has not
 -- completed yet, then the result is @Nothing@, otherwise the result
diff --git a/async.cabal b/async.cabal
--- a/async.cabal
+++ b/async.cabal
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@
    threads that are automatically killed when
    their parent dies (see 'withAsync').
  .
+ Changes in 2.0.1.6:
+ .
+ * Add workaround to waitCatch for #14
+ .
  Changes in 2.0.1.5:
  .
  * Bump @base@ dependencies for GHC 7.8
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@
  .
  * Added @Concurrently@ (with @Applicative@ and @Alternative@ instances)
 
-version:             2.0.1.5
+version:             2.0.1.6
 license:             BSD3
 license-file:        LICENSE
 author:              Simon Marlow
diff --git a/test/test-async.hs b/test/test-async.hs
--- a/test/test-async.hs
+++ b/test/test-async.hs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
          testCase "async_cancel"       async_cancel
   , testCase "async_poll"        async_poll
   , testCase "async_poll2"       async_poll2
+  , testCase "withasync_waitCatch_blocked" withasync_waitCatch_blocked
  ]
 
 value = 42 :: Int
@@ -104,3 +105,13 @@
   when (isNothing r) $ assertFailure ""
   r <- poll a   -- poll twice, just to check we don't deadlock
   when (isNothing r) $ assertFailure ""
+
+withasync_waitCatch_blocked :: Assertion
+withasync_waitCatch_blocked = do
+  r <- withAsync (newEmptyMVar >>= takeMVar) waitCatch
+  case r of
+    Left e ->
+        case fromException e of
+            Just BlockedIndefinitelyOnMVar -> return ()
+            Nothing -> assertFailure $ show e
+    Right () -> assertFailure ""