diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded.cpp b/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded.cpp
index 20adf1da42..42747cc592 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded.cpp
@@ -79,11 +79,20 @@ void MemoryCardDriverThreaded::MountThreadMain()
 
 	while( !m_bShutdownNextUpdate )
 	{      
+		if( !this->MountThreadWaitForUpdate() )
+			continue;
+
 		LockMut( m_mutexPause );	// wait until we're unpaused
 		this->MountThreadDoOneUpdate();
 	}
 }
 
+bool MemoryCardDriverThreaded::MountThreadWaitForUpdate()
+{
+	usleep( 100000 );
+	return true;
+}
+
 bool MemoryCardDriverThreaded::StorageDevicesChanged()
 {
 	CHECKPOINT;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded.h b/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded.h
index dad7b6a2b6..61848c1acf 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ protected:
 	void StartThread();	// call this in the derived constructor to start the mounting thread
 	void StopThread(); // call this in the derived desstructor to stop the mounting thread
 	virtual void MountThreadDoOneUpdate() = 0;	// this will get called as fast as possible
+	virtual bool MountThreadWaitForUpdate();
 	virtual void Mount( UsbStorageDevice* pDevice, CString sMountPoint ) = 0;
 	bool ShouldDoOsMount() { return m_MountThreadState==detect_and_mount; }
 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.cpp b/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.cpp
index fc64498e63..e07b647dc0 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.cpp
@@ -187,32 +187,29 @@ bool UsbStorageDevicesChanged()
   return bChanged;
 }
 
-void MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::MountThreadDoOneUpdate()
+/* Return true if MountThreadDoOneUpdate should be called. */
+bool MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::MountThreadWaitForUpdate()
 {
-	bool bNeedToDoAnyMounts = false;
+	/* Check if any devices need a write test. */
 	for( unsigned i=0; i<m_vDevicesLastSeen.size(); i++ )
 	{
 		UsbStorageDevice &d = m_vDevicesLastSeen[i];
 		if( d.bNeedsWriteTest )
-		{
-			bNeedToDoAnyMounts = true;
-			break;
-		}
+			return true;
 	}
-	
-	if( bNeedToDoAnyMounts )
-	{
-		// fall through
-	}
-	else
-	{
-	  if( !UsbStorageDevicesChanged() )
-	    {
-	      usleep(1000*300);  // 300 ms
-	      return;
-	    }
-	}
-	
+
+	/* Nothing needs a write test.  If no devices have changed, either,
+	 * delay. */
+	if( UsbStorageDevicesChanged() )
+		return true;
+
+	/* Nothing to do.  Delay, so we don't busy loop. */
+	usleep(1000*300);  // 300 ms
+	return false;
+}
+
+void MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::MountThreadDoOneUpdate()
+{
 	// TRICKY: We're waiting for a change in the USB device list, but 
 	// the usb-storage descriptors take a bit longer to update.  It's more convenient to wait
 	// on the USB device list because the usb-storage descriptors are separate files per 
diff --git a/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.h b/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.h
index aa42499920..ca657ff8b0 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ protected:
 	virtual void Mount( UsbStorageDevice* pDevice, CString sMountPoint );
 	virtual void ResetUsbStorage();
 	virtual void MountThreadDoOneUpdate();
+	virtual bool MountThreadWaitForUpdate();
 
 	vector<UsbStorageDevice> m_vDevicesLastSeen;
 };