diff --git a/module/zfs/dmu.c b/module/zfs/dmu.c
index 9ef3241f9..21c465328 100644
--- a/module/zfs/dmu.c
+++ b/module/zfs/dmu.c
@@ -2500,7 +2500,8 @@ dmu_write_policy(objset_t *os, dnode_t *dn, int level, int wp, zio_prop_t *zp)
 	zp->zp_type = (wp & WP_SPILL) ? dn->dn_bonustype : type;
 	zp->zp_level = level;
 	zp->zp_copies = MIN(copies, spa_max_replication(os->os_spa));
-	zp->zp_gang_copies = MIN(gang_copies, spa_max_replication(os->os_spa));
+	zp->zp_gang_copies = MIN(MAX(gang_copies, copies),
+	    spa_max_replication(os->os_spa));
 	zp->zp_dedup = dedup;
 	zp->zp_dedup_verify = dedup && dedup_verify;
 	zp->zp_nopwrite = nopwrite;