diff --git a/block/qcow.c b/block/qcow.c
index 1b9c91128a..94f01b3d0c 100644
--- a/block/qcow.c
+++ b/block/qcow.c
@@ -927,27 +927,17 @@ qcow_co_pwritev_compressed(BlockDriverState *bs, uint64_t offset,
     uint8_t *buf, *out_buf;
     uint64_t cluster_offset;
 
-    if (bytes != s->cluster_size) {
-        ret = -EINVAL;
-
-        /* Zero-pad last write if image size is not cluster aligned */
-        if (offset + bytes == bs->total_sectors << BDRV_SECTOR_BITS &&
-            bytes < s->cluster_size)
-        {
-            uint8_t *pad_buf = qemu_blockalign(bs, s->cluster_size);
-            memset(pad_buf, 0, s->cluster_size);
-            qemu_iovec_to_buf(qiov, 0, pad_buf, s->cluster_size);
-            iov = (struct iovec) {
-                .iov_base   = pad_buf,
-                .iov_len    = s->cluster_size,
-            };
-            qemu_iovec_init_external(&hd_qiov, &iov, 1);
-            ret = qcow_co_pwritev_compressed(bs, offset, bytes, &hd_qiov);
-            qemu_vfree(pad_buf);
-        }
-        return ret;
-    }
     buf = qemu_blockalign(bs, s->cluster_size);
+    if (bytes != s->cluster_size) {
+        if (bytes > s->cluster_size ||
+            offset + bytes != bs->total_sectors << BDRV_SECTOR_BITS)
+        {
+            qemu_vfree(buf);
+            return -EINVAL;
+        }
+        /* Zero-pad last write if image size is not cluster aligned */
+        memset(buf + bytes, 0, s->cluster_size - bytes);
+    }
     qemu_iovec_to_buf(qiov, 0, buf, qiov->size);
 
     out_buf = g_malloc(s->cluster_size);