diff --git a/include/openPMD/ReadIterations.hpp b/include/openPMD/ReadIterations.hpp
index 35f2f740ce..baf5e90280 100644
--- a/include/openPMD/ReadIterations.hpp
+++ b/include/openPMD/ReadIterations.hpp
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ namespace openPMD
 {
 class SeriesIterator
 {
+    friend class Series;
     using iteration_index_t = IndexedIteration::index_t;
 
     using maybe_series_t = std::optional<Series>;
diff --git a/include/openPMD/WriteIterations.hpp b/include/openPMD/WriteIterations.hpp
index fcf4a8fbfa..fa5565bb79 100644
--- a/include/openPMD/WriteIterations.hpp
+++ b/include/openPMD/WriteIterations.hpp
@@ -105,5 +105,6 @@ class WriteIterations
      * Return the iteration that is currently being written to, if it exists.
      */
     std::optional<IndexedIteration> currentIteration();
+    std::optional<Iteration::IterationIndex_t> currentIterationIndex() const;
 };
 } // namespace openPMD
diff --git a/src/Series.cpp b/src/Series.cpp
index d587575b44..63c35e9c57 100644
--- a/src/Series.cpp
+++ b/src/Series.cpp
@@ -2568,7 +2568,8 @@ auto Series::openIterationIfDirty(IterationIndex_t index, Iteration iteration)
     {
         return IterationOpened::RemainsClosed;
     }
-    bool const dirtyRecursive = iteration.dirtyRecursive();
+    bool dirtyRecursive = iteration.dirtyRecursive();
+
     if (iteration.get().m_closed == internal::CloseStatus::ClosedInBackend)
     {
         // file corresponding with the iteration has previously been
@@ -2589,6 +2590,33 @@ auto Series::openIterationIfDirty(IterationIndex_t index, Iteration iteration)
         return IterationOpened::RemainsClosed;
     }
 
+    /*
+     * When using writeIterations(), the currently active Iteration should
+     * always be flushed (unless, as checked above, it is already closed).
+     * These two blocks checks if an Iteration is currently collectively opened.
+     */
+    auto &series = get();
+    [&]() {
+        if (!series.m_sharedStatefulIterator)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+        auto const current_iteration =
+            series.m_sharedStatefulIterator->peekCurrentIteration();
+        dirtyRecursive |=
+            current_iteration.has_value() && *current_iteration == index;
+    }();
+    [&]() {
+        if (!series.m_writeIterations)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+        auto const current_iteration =
+            series.m_writeIterations->currentIterationIndex();
+        dirtyRecursive |=
+            current_iteration.has_value() && *current_iteration == index;
+    }();
+
     switch (iterationEncoding())
     {
         using IE = IterationEncoding;
diff --git a/src/WriteIterations.cpp b/src/WriteIterations.cpp
index 0ae7246ae0..55ae10b9b9 100644
--- a/src/WriteIterations.cpp
+++ b/src/WriteIterations.cpp
@@ -104,16 +104,13 @@ WriteIterations::mapped_type &WriteIterations::operator[](key_type &&key)
 
 std::optional<IndexedIteration> WriteIterations::currentIteration()
 {
-    if (!shared || !shared->has_value())
+    auto current_index = currentIterationIndex();
+    if (!current_index.has_value())
     {
         return std::nullopt;
     }
     auto &s = shared->value();
-    if (!s.currentlyOpen.has_value())
-    {
-        return std::nullopt;
-    }
-    Iteration &currentIteration = s.iterations.at(s.currentlyOpen.value());
+    Iteration &currentIteration = s.iterations.at(current_index.value());
     if (currentIteration.closed())
     {
         return std::nullopt;
@@ -121,4 +118,15 @@ std::optional<IndexedIteration> WriteIterations::currentIteration()
     return std::make_optional<IndexedIteration>(
         IndexedIteration(currentIteration, s.currentlyOpen.value()));
 }
+
+std::optional<Iteration::IterationIndex_t>
+WriteIterations::currentIterationIndex() const
+{
+    if (!shared || !shared->has_value())
+    {
+        return std::nullopt;
+    }
+    auto &s = shared->value();
+    return s.currentlyOpen;
+}
 } // namespace openPMD
diff --git a/test/ParallelIOTest.cpp b/test/ParallelIOTest.cpp
index 58dc0b06a2..a6c8e68375 100644
--- a/test/ParallelIOTest.cpp
+++ b/test/ParallelIOTest.cpp
@@ -2202,3 +2202,44 @@ TEST_CASE("adios2_flush_via_step")
 #endif
 
 #endif // openPMD_HAVE_ADIOS2 && openPMD_HAVE_MPI
+
+#if openPMD_HAVE_MPI
+auto bug_1655_bp5_writer_hangup(std::string const &ext) -> void
+{
+    int mpi_size;
+    int mpi_rank;
+
+    MPI_Comm_size(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &mpi_size);
+    MPI_Comm_rank(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &mpi_rank);
+
+    auto const value = float(mpi_size * 100 + mpi_rank);
+    std::vector<float> local_data(10 * 300, value);
+
+    std::string filename = "../samples/ptl_%T." + ext;
+
+    Series series = Series(filename, Access::CREATE, MPI_COMM_WORLD);
+
+    Datatype datatype = determineDatatype<float>();
+
+    auto myptl = series.writeIterations()[1].particles["ion"];
+    Extent global_ptl = {10ul * mpi_size * 300};
+    Dataset dataset_ptl = Dataset(datatype, global_ptl, "{}");
+    myptl["charge"].resetDataset(dataset_ptl);
+
+    series.flush();
+
+    if (mpi_rank == 0) // only rank 0 adds data
+        myptl["charge"].storeChunk(local_data, {0}, {3000});
+
+    series.flush(); // hangs here
+    series.close();
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("bug_1655_bp5_writer_hangup", "[parallel]")
+{
+    for (auto const &ext : testedFileExtensions())
+    {
+        bug_1655_bp5_writer_hangup(ext);
+    }
+}
+#endif