diff --git a/block/io.c b/block/io.c
index c73be55f86..1eda1b2f58 100644
--- a/block/io.c
+++ b/block/io.c
@@ -1121,15 +1121,19 @@ static int coroutine_fn bdrv_co_do_write_zeroes(BlockDriverState *bs,
     int head = 0;
     int tail = 0;
 
-    int max_write_zeroes = MIN_NON_ZERO(bs->bl.max_write_zeroes,
-                                        BDRV_REQUEST_MAX_SECTORS);
-    if (bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment) {
-        assert(is_power_of_2(bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment));
-        head = sector_num & (bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment - 1);
-        tail = (sector_num + nb_sectors) & (bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment - 1);
-        max_write_zeroes &= ~(bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment - 1);
+    int max_write_zeroes = MIN_NON_ZERO(bs->bl.max_pwrite_zeroes, INT_MAX);
+    int write_zeroes_sector_align =
+        bs->bl.pwrite_zeroes_alignment >> BDRV_SECTOR_BITS;
+
+    max_write_zeroes >>= BDRV_SECTOR_BITS;
+    if (write_zeroes_sector_align) {
+        assert(is_power_of_2(bs->bl.pwrite_zeroes_alignment));
+        head = sector_num & (write_zeroes_sector_align - 1);
+        tail = (sector_num + nb_sectors) & (write_zeroes_sector_align - 1);
+        max_write_zeroes &= ~(write_zeroes_sector_align - 1);
     }
 
+    assert(nb_sectors <= BDRV_REQUEST_MAX_SECTORS);
     while (nb_sectors > 0 && !ret) {
         int num = nb_sectors;
 
@@ -1139,9 +1143,9 @@ static int coroutine_fn bdrv_co_do_write_zeroes(BlockDriverState *bs,
          */
         if (head) {
             /* Make a small request up to the first aligned sector.  */
-            num = MIN(nb_sectors, bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment - head);
+            num = MIN(nb_sectors, write_zeroes_sector_align - head);
             head = 0;
-        } else if (tail && num > bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment) {
+        } else if (tail && num > write_zeroes_sector_align) {
             /* Shorten the request to the last aligned sector.  */
             num -= tail;
         }
diff --git a/block/iscsi.c b/block/iscsi.c
index 94f9974f10..52ea9d7a70 100644
--- a/block/iscsi.c
+++ b/block/iscsi.c
@@ -1715,16 +1715,15 @@ static void iscsi_refresh_limits(BlockDriverState *bs, Error **errp)
         bs->bl.discard_alignment = iscsilun->block_size >> BDRV_SECTOR_BITS;
     }
 
-    if (iscsilun->bl.max_ws_len < 0xffffffff) {
-        bs->bl.max_write_zeroes =
-            sector_limits_lun2qemu(iscsilun->bl.max_ws_len, iscsilun);
+    if (iscsilun->bl.max_ws_len < 0xffffffff / iscsilun->block_size) {
+        bs->bl.max_pwrite_zeroes =
+            iscsilun->bl.max_ws_len * iscsilun->block_size;
     }
     if (iscsilun->lbp.lbpws) {
-        bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment =
-            sector_limits_lun2qemu(iscsilun->bl.opt_unmap_gran, iscsilun);
+        bs->bl.pwrite_zeroes_alignment =
+            iscsilun->bl.opt_unmap_gran * iscsilun->block_size;
     } else {
-        bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment =
-            iscsilun->block_size >> BDRV_SECTOR_BITS;
+        bs->bl.pwrite_zeroes_alignment = iscsilun->block_size;
     }
     bs->bl.opt_transfer_length =
         sector_limits_lun2qemu(iscsilun->bl.opt_xfer_len, iscsilun);
diff --git a/block/qcow2.c b/block/qcow2.c
index ecac399b43..a6ea6cb62d 100644
--- a/block/qcow2.c
+++ b/block/qcow2.c
@@ -1193,7 +1193,7 @@ static void qcow2_refresh_limits(BlockDriverState *bs, Error **errp)
 {
     BDRVQcow2State *s = bs->opaque;
 
-    bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment = s->cluster_sectors;
+    bs->bl.pwrite_zeroes_alignment = s->cluster_size;
 }
 
 static int qcow2_set_key(BlockDriverState *bs, const char *key)
diff --git a/block/qed.c b/block/qed.c
index 0f621924f8..113b8e8cc6 100644
--- a/block/qed.c
+++ b/block/qed.c
@@ -517,7 +517,7 @@ static void bdrv_qed_refresh_limits(BlockDriverState *bs, Error **errp)
 {
     BDRVQEDState *s = bs->opaque;
 
-    bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment = s->header.cluster_size >> BDRV_SECTOR_BITS;
+    bs->bl.pwrite_zeroes_alignment = s->header.cluster_size;
 }
 
 /* We have nothing to do for QED reopen, stubs just return
diff --git a/block/vmdk.c b/block/vmdk.c
index 2205cc888f..5a01e1672f 100644
--- a/block/vmdk.c
+++ b/block/vmdk.c
@@ -997,9 +997,9 @@ static void vmdk_refresh_limits(BlockDriverState *bs, Error **errp)
 
     for (i = 0; i < s->num_extents; i++) {
         if (!s->extents[i].flat) {
-            bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment =
-                MAX(bs->bl.write_zeroes_alignment,
-                    s->extents[i].cluster_sectors);
+            bs->bl.pwrite_zeroes_alignment =
+                MAX(bs->bl.pwrite_zeroes_alignment,
+                    s->extents[i].cluster_sectors << BDRV_SECTOR_BITS);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/include/block/block_int.h b/include/block/block_int.h
index 30a97178c8..2e9c81ff95 100644
--- a/include/block/block_int.h
+++ b/include/block/block_int.h
@@ -328,11 +328,13 @@ typedef struct BlockLimits {
     /* optimal alignment for discard requests in sectors */
     int64_t discard_alignment;
 
-    /* maximum number of sectors that can zeroized at once */
-    int max_write_zeroes;
+    /* maximum number of bytes that can zeroized at once (since it is
+     * signed, it must be < 2G, if set) */
+    int32_t max_pwrite_zeroes;
 
-    /* optimal alignment for write zeroes requests in sectors */
-    int64_t write_zeroes_alignment;
+    /* optimal alignment for write zeroes requests in bytes, must be
+     * power of 2, and less than max_pwrite_zeroes if that is set */
+    uint32_t pwrite_zeroes_alignment;
 
     /* optimal transfer length in sectors */
     int opt_transfer_length;