diff --git a/src/blockstore_init.cpp b/src/blockstore_init.cpp
index d1547cfe..d90e3a51 100644
--- a/src/blockstore_init.cpp
+++ b/src/blockstore_init.cpp
@@ -833,54 +833,72 @@ int blockstore_init_journal::handle_journal_part(void *buf, uint64_t done_pos, u
                 }
                 else if (je->small_write.len > 0)
                 {
-                    uint32_t *block_csums = (uint32_t*)((uint8_t*)je + sizeof(journal_entry_small_write) + bs->dsk.clean_entry_bitmap_size);
+                    // FIXME: deduplicate with disk_tool_journal.cpp
+                    // like in enqueue_write()
                     uint32_t start = je->small_write.offset / bs->dsk.csum_block_size;
                     uint32_t end = (je->small_write.offset+je->small_write.len-1) / bs->dsk.csum_block_size;
-                    int sd_num = 0;
-                    size_t sd_pos = 0;
-                    for (uint32_t pos = start; pos <= end; pos++, block_csums++)
+                    uint32_t data_csum_size = (end-start+1) * (bs->dsk.data_csum_type & 0xFF);
+                    uint32_t required_size = sizeof(journal_entry_small_write) + bs->dsk.clean_entry_bitmap_size + data_csum_size;
+                    if (je->size != required_size)
                     {
-                        size_t block_left = (pos == start
-                            ? (start == end
-                                ? je->small_write.len
-                                : bs->dsk.csum_block_size - je->small_write.offset%bs->dsk.csum_block_size)
-                            : (pos < end
-                                ? bs->dsk.csum_block_size
-                                : (je->small_write.offset + je->small_write.len)%bs->dsk.csum_block_size));
-                        if (pos > start && pos == end && block_left == 0)
+                        printf(
+                            "Journal entry data has invalid size for small_write%s oid=%lx:%lx ver=%lu offset=%u len=%u - should be %u bytes but is %u bytes\n",
+                            je->type == JE_SMALL_WRITE_INSTANT ? "_instant" : "",
+                            je->small_write.oid.inode, je->small_write.oid.stripe, je->small_write.version,
+                            je->small_write.offset, je->small_write.len,
+                            required_size, je->size
+                        );
+                        data_csum_valid = false;
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        int sd_num = 0;
+                        size_t sd_pos = 0;
+                        uint32_t *block_csums = (uint32_t*)((uint8_t*)je + sizeof(journal_entry_small_write) + bs->dsk.clean_entry_bitmap_size);
+                        for (uint32_t pos = start; pos <= end; pos++, block_csums++)
                         {
-                            // full last block
-                            block_left = bs->dsk.csum_block_size;
-                        }
-                        uint32_t block_crc32 = 0;
-                        while (block_left > 0)
-                        {
-                            assert(sd_num < small_write_data.size());
-                            if (small_write_data[sd_num].iov_len >= sd_pos+block_left)
+                            size_t block_left = (pos == start
+                                ? (start == end
+                                    ? je->small_write.len
+                                    : bs->dsk.csum_block_size - je->small_write.offset%bs->dsk.csum_block_size)
+                                : (pos < end
+                                    ? bs->dsk.csum_block_size
+                                    : (je->small_write.offset + je->small_write.len)%bs->dsk.csum_block_size));
+                            if (pos > start && pos == end && block_left == 0)
                             {
-                                block_crc32 = crc32c(block_crc32, (uint8_t*)small_write_data[sd_num].iov_base+sd_pos, block_left);
-                                sd_pos += block_left;
+                                // full last block
+                                block_left = bs->dsk.csum_block_size;
+                            }
+                            uint32_t block_crc32 = 0;
+                            while (block_left > 0)
+                            {
+                                assert(sd_num < small_write_data.size());
+                                if (small_write_data[sd_num].iov_len >= sd_pos+block_left)
+                                {
+                                    block_crc32 = crc32c(block_crc32, (uint8_t*)small_write_data[sd_num].iov_base+sd_pos, block_left);
+                                    sd_pos += block_left;
+                                    break;
+                                }
+                                else
+                                {
+                                    block_crc32 = crc32c(block_crc32, (uint8_t*)small_write_data[sd_num].iov_base+sd_pos, small_write_data[sd_num].iov_len-sd_pos);
+                                    block_left -= (small_write_data[sd_num].iov_len-sd_pos);
+                                    sd_pos = 0;
+                                    sd_num++;
+                                }
+                            }
+                            if (block_crc32 != *block_csums)
+                            {
+                                printf(
+                                    "Journal entry data is corrupt for small_write%s oid=%lx:%lx ver=%lu offset=%u len=%u - block %u crc32 %x != %x\n",
+                                    je->type == JE_SMALL_WRITE_INSTANT ? "_instant" : "",
+                                    je->small_write.oid.inode, je->small_write.oid.stripe, je->small_write.version,
+                                    je->small_write.offset, je->small_write.len,
+                                    pos, block_crc32, *block_csums
+                                );
+                                data_csum_valid = false;
                                 break;
                             }
-                            else
-                            {
-                                block_crc32 = crc32c(block_crc32, (uint8_t*)small_write_data[sd_num].iov_base+sd_pos, small_write_data[sd_num].iov_len-sd_pos);
-                                block_left -= (small_write_data[sd_num].iov_len-sd_pos);
-                                sd_pos = 0;
-                                sd_num++;
-                            }
-                        }
-                        if (block_crc32 != *block_csums)
-                        {
-                            printf(
-                                "Journal entry data is corrupt for small_write%s oid=%lx:%lx ver=%lu offset=%u len=%u - block %u crc32 %x != %x\n",
-                                je->type == JE_SMALL_WRITE_INSTANT ? "_instant" : "",
-                                je->small_write.oid.inode, je->small_write.oid.stripe, je->small_write.version,
-                                je->small_write.offset, je->small_write.len,
-                                pos, block_crc32, *block_csums
-                            );
-                            data_csum_valid = false;
-                            break;
                         }
                     }
                 }