diff --git a/extern/storage-sealing/input.go b/extern/storage-sealing/input.go
index 280a8698e..e005c3263 100644
--- a/extern/storage-sealing/input.go
+++ b/extern/storage-sealing/input.go
@@ -19,70 +19,18 @@ import (
 )
 
 func (m *Sealing) handleWaitDeals(ctx statemachine.Context, sector SectorInfo) error {
-	m.inputLk.Lock()
-
-	now := time.Now()
-	st := m.sectorTimers[m.minerSectorID(sector.SectorNumber)]
-	if st != nil {
-		if !st.Stop() { // timer expired, SectorStartPacking was/is being sent
-			m.inputLk.Unlock()
-
-			// we send another SectorStartPacking in case one was sent in the handleAddPiece state
-			log.Infow("starting to seal deal sector", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "trigger", "wait-timeout")
-			return ctx.Send(SectorStartPacking{})
-		}
-	}
-
-	ssize, err := sector.SectorType.SectorSize()
-	if err != nil {
-		return xerrors.Errorf("getting sector size")
-	}
-
-	maxDeals, err := getDealPerSectorLimit(ssize)
-	if err != nil {
-		return xerrors.Errorf("getting per-sector deal limit: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	if len(sector.dealIDs()) >= maxDeals {
-		// can't accept more deals
-		log.Infow("starting to seal deal sector", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "trigger", "maxdeals")
-		return ctx.Send(SectorStartPacking{})
-	}
-
 	var used abi.UnpaddedPieceSize
 	for _, piece := range sector.Pieces {
 		used += piece.Piece.Size.Unpadded()
 	}
 
-	if used.Padded() == abi.PaddedPieceSize(ssize) {
-		// sector full
-		log.Infow("starting to seal deal sector", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "trigger", "filled")
-		return ctx.Send(SectorStartPacking{})
-	}
+	m.inputLk.Lock()
 
-	if sector.CreationTime != 0 {
-		cfg, err := m.getConfig()
-		if err != nil {
-			m.inputLk.Unlock()
-			return xerrors.Errorf("getting storage config: %w", err)
-		}
+	started, err := m.maybeStartSealing(ctx, sector, used)
+	if err != nil || started {
+		m.inputLk.Unlock()
 
-		// todo check deal age, start sealing if any deal has less than X (configurable) to start deadline
-		sealTime := time.Unix(sector.CreationTime, 0).Add(cfg.WaitDealsDelay)
-
-		if now.After(sealTime) {
-			m.inputLk.Unlock()
-			log.Infow("starting to seal deal sector", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "trigger", "wait-timeout")
-			return ctx.Send(SectorStartPacking{})
-		}
-
-		m.sectorTimers[m.minerSectorID(sector.SectorNumber)] = time.AfterFunc(sealTime.Sub(now), func() {
-			log.Infow("starting to seal deal sector", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "trigger", "wait-timer")
-
-			if err := ctx.Send(SectorStartPacking{}); err != nil {
-				log.Errorw("sending SectorStartPacking event failed", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "error", err)
-			}
-		})
+		return err
 	}
 
 	m.openSectors[m.minerSectorID(sector.SectorNumber)] = &openSector{
@@ -107,6 +55,67 @@ func (m *Sealing) handleWaitDeals(ctx statemachine.Context, sector SectorInfo) e
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (m *Sealing) maybeStartSealing(ctx statemachine.Context, sector SectorInfo, used abi.UnpaddedPieceSize) (bool, error) {
+	now := time.Now()
+	st := m.sectorTimers[m.minerSectorID(sector.SectorNumber)]
+	if st != nil {
+		if !st.Stop() { // timer expired, SectorStartPacking was/is being sent
+			// we send another SectorStartPacking in case one was sent in the handleAddPiece state
+			log.Infow("starting to seal deal sector", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "trigger", "wait-timeout")
+			return true, ctx.Send(SectorStartPacking{})
+		}
+	}
+
+	ssize, err := sector.SectorType.SectorSize()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, xerrors.Errorf("getting sector size")
+	}
+
+	maxDeals, err := getDealPerSectorLimit(ssize)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, xerrors.Errorf("getting per-sector deal limit: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if len(sector.dealIDs()) >= maxDeals {
+		// can't accept more deals
+		log.Infow("starting to seal deal sector", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "trigger", "maxdeals")
+		return true, ctx.Send(SectorStartPacking{})
+	}
+
+	if used.Padded() == abi.PaddedPieceSize(ssize) {
+		// sector full
+		log.Infow("starting to seal deal sector", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "trigger", "filled")
+		return true, ctx.Send(SectorStartPacking{})
+	}
+
+	if sector.CreationTime != 0 {
+		cfg, err := m.getConfig()
+		if err != nil {
+			m.inputLk.Unlock()
+			return false, xerrors.Errorf("getting storage config: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		// todo check deal age, start sealing if any deal has less than X (configurable) to start deadline
+		sealTime := time.Unix(sector.CreationTime, 0).Add(cfg.WaitDealsDelay)
+
+		if now.After(sealTime) {
+			m.inputLk.Unlock()
+			log.Infow("starting to seal deal sector", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "trigger", "wait-timeout")
+			return true, ctx.Send(SectorStartPacking{})
+		}
+
+		m.sectorTimers[m.minerSectorID(sector.SectorNumber)] = time.AfterFunc(sealTime.Sub(now), func() {
+			log.Infow("starting to seal deal sector", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "trigger", "wait-timer")
+
+			if err := ctx.Send(SectorStartPacking{}); err != nil {
+				log.Errorw("sending SectorStartPacking event failed", "sector", sector.SectorNumber, "error", err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+	return false, nil
+}
+
 func (m *Sealing) handleAddPiece(ctx statemachine.Context, sector SectorInfo) error {
 	ssize, err := sector.SectorType.SectorSize()
 	if err != nil {