diff --git a/src/blockstore_disk.cpp b/src/blockstore_disk.cpp
index a5f088c3..415b167a 100644
--- a/src/blockstore_disk.cpp
+++ b/src/blockstore_disk.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ void blockstore_disk_t::parse_config(std::map<std::string, std::string> & config
     journal_block_size = parse_size(config["journal_block_size"]);
     meta_block_size = parse_size(config["meta_block_size"]);
     bitmap_granularity = parse_size(config["bitmap_granularity"]);
+    meta_format = stoull_full(config["meta_format"]);
     if (config["data_csum_type"] == "crc32c")
     {
         data_csum_type = BLOCKSTORE_CSUM_CRC32C;
@@ -191,26 +192,28 @@ void blockstore_disk_t::calc_lengths(bool skip_meta_check)
     // required metadata size
     block_count = data_len / data_block_size;
     meta_len = (1 + (block_count - 1 + meta_block_size / clean_entry_size) / (meta_block_size / clean_entry_size)) * meta_block_size;
+    if (meta_format == BLOCKSTORE_META_FORMAT_V1 ||
+        !meta_format && !skip_meta_check && meta_area_size < meta_len && !data_csum_type)
+    {
+        uint64_t clean_entry_v0_size = sizeof(clean_disk_entry) + 2*clean_entry_bitmap_size;
+        uint64_t meta_v0_len = (1 + (block_count - 1 + meta_block_size / clean_entry_v0_size)
+            / (meta_block_size / clean_entry_v0_size)) * meta_block_size;
+        if (meta_format == BLOCKSTORE_META_FORMAT_V1 || meta_area_size >= meta_v0_len)
+        {
+            // Old metadata fits.
+            printf("Warning: Using old metadata format without checksums because the new format doesn't fit into provided area\n");
+            clean_entry_size = clean_entry_v0_size;
+            meta_len = meta_v0_len;
+            meta_format = BLOCKSTORE_META_FORMAT_V1;
+        }
+        else
+            meta_format = BLOCKSTORE_META_FORMAT_V2;
+    }
+    else
+        meta_format = BLOCKSTORE_META_FORMAT_V2;
     if (!skip_meta_check && meta_area_size < meta_len)
     {
-        if (!data_csum_type && !meta_format)
-        {
-            uint64_t clean_entry_v0_size = sizeof(clean_disk_entry) + 2*clean_entry_bitmap_size;
-            uint64_t meta_v0_len = (1 + (block_count - 1 + meta_block_size / clean_entry_v0_size)
-                / (meta_block_size / clean_entry_v0_size)) * meta_block_size;
-            if (meta_area_size >= meta_v0_len)
-            {
-                // Old metadata fits.
-                printf("Warning: Forcing metadata format without checksums because the new format doesn't fit into provided area\n");
-                clean_entry_size = clean_entry_v0_size;
-                meta_len = meta_v0_len;
-                meta_format = BLOCKSTORE_META_FORMAT_V1;
-            }
-        }
-        if (meta_area_size < meta_len)
-        {
-            throw std::runtime_error("Metadata area is too small, need at least "+std::to_string(meta_len)+" bytes");
-        }
+        throw std::runtime_error("Metadata area is too small, need at least "+std::to_string(meta_len)+" bytes");
     }
     // requested journal size
     if (!skip_meta_check && cfg_journal_size > journal_len)
diff --git a/src/blockstore_init.cpp b/src/blockstore_init.cpp
index a33ff295..e9a872f6 100644
--- a/src/blockstore_init.cpp
+++ b/src/blockstore_init.cpp
@@ -80,14 +80,17 @@ resume_1:
             blockstore_meta_header_v2_t *hdr = (blockstore_meta_header_v2_t *)metadata_buffer;
             hdr->zero = 0;
             hdr->magic = BLOCKSTORE_META_MAGIC_V1;
-            hdr->version = BLOCKSTORE_META_FORMAT_V2;
+            hdr->version = bs->dsk.meta_format;
             hdr->meta_block_size = bs->dsk.meta_block_size;
             hdr->data_block_size = bs->dsk.data_block_size;
             hdr->bitmap_granularity = bs->dsk.bitmap_granularity;
-            hdr->data_csum_type = bs->dsk.data_csum_type;
-            hdr->csum_block_size = bs->dsk.csum_block_size;
-            hdr->header_csum = 0;
-            hdr->header_csum = crc32c(0, hdr, sizeof(*hdr));
+            if (bs->dsk.meta_format >= BLOCKSTORE_META_FORMAT_V2)
+            {
+                hdr->data_csum_type = bs->dsk.data_csum_type;
+                hdr->csum_block_size = bs->dsk.csum_block_size;
+                hdr->header_csum = 0;
+                hdr->header_csum = crc32c(0, hdr, sizeof(*hdr));
+            }
         }
         if (bs->readonly)
         {
@@ -123,14 +126,6 @@ resume_1:
             );
             exit(1);
         }
-        if (bs->dsk.meta_format && bs->dsk.meta_format != hdr->version)
-        {
-            printf(
-                "Metadata format version is %lu on disk, but %lu is currently selected in OSD configuration.\n"
-                " Please upgrade using vitastor-disk.\n", hdr->version, bs->dsk.meta_format
-            );
-            exit(1);
-        }
         if (hdr->version == BLOCKSTORE_META_FORMAT_V2)
         {
             uint32_t csum = hdr->header_csum;