diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c
index 9c8e114c8a54..cec9a56dda14 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-gc.c
@@ -169,7 +169,14 @@ static void pblk_gc_line_prepare_ws(struct work_struct *work)
 	 * the line untouched. TODO: Implement a recovery routine that scans and
 	 * moves all sectors on the line.
 	 */
-	lba_list = pblk_recov_get_lba_list(pblk, emeta_buf);
+
+	ret = pblk_recov_check_emeta(pblk, emeta_buf);
+	if (ret) {
+		pr_err("pblk: inconsistent emeta (line %d)\n", line->id);
+		goto fail_free_emeta;
+	}
+
+	lba_list = emeta_to_lbas(pblk, emeta_buf);
 	if (!lba_list) {
 		pr_err("pblk: could not interpret emeta (line %d)\n", line->id);
 		goto fail_free_emeta;
diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-recovery.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-recovery.c
index 1b272ae8a315..39a2e193edcc 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-recovery.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-recovery.c
@@ -111,18 +111,18 @@ int pblk_recov_setup_rq(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_c_ctx *c_ctx,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-__le64 *pblk_recov_get_lba_list(struct pblk *pblk, struct line_emeta *emeta_buf)
+int pblk_recov_check_emeta(struct pblk *pblk, struct line_emeta *emeta_buf)
 {
 	u32 crc;
 
 	crc = pblk_calc_emeta_crc(pblk, emeta_buf);
 	if (le32_to_cpu(emeta_buf->crc) != crc)
-		return NULL;
+		return 1;
 
 	if (le32_to_cpu(emeta_buf->header.identifier) != PBLK_MAGIC)
-		return NULL;
+		return 1;
 
-	return emeta_to_lbas(pblk, emeta_buf);
+	return 0;
 }
 
 static int pblk_recov_l2p_from_emeta(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ static int pblk_recov_l2p_from_emeta(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_line *line)
 	u64 nr_valid_lbas, nr_lbas = 0;
 	u64 i;
 
-	lba_list = pblk_recov_get_lba_list(pblk, emeta_buf);
+	lba_list = emeta_to_lbas(pblk, emeta_buf);
 	if (!lba_list)
 		return 1;
 
@@ -938,6 +938,11 @@ struct pblk_line *pblk_recov_l2p(struct pblk *pblk)
 			goto next;
 		}
 
+		if (pblk_recov_check_emeta(pblk, line->emeta->buf)) {
+			pblk_recov_l2p_from_oob(pblk, line);
+			goto next;
+		}
+
 		if (pblk_recov_l2p_from_emeta(pblk, line))
 			pblk_recov_l2p_from_oob(pblk, line);
 
diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h
index 1dbb0bf4d9a3..8851b18bb099 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk.h
@@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ int pblk_submit_read_gc(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_gc_rq *gc_rq);
 void pblk_submit_rec(struct work_struct *work);
 struct pblk_line *pblk_recov_l2p(struct pblk *pblk);
 int pblk_recov_pad(struct pblk *pblk);
-__le64 *pblk_recov_get_lba_list(struct pblk *pblk, struct line_emeta *emeta);
+int pblk_recov_check_emeta(struct pblk *pblk, struct line_emeta *emeta);
 int pblk_recov_setup_rq(struct pblk *pblk, struct pblk_c_ctx *c_ctx,
 			struct pblk_rec_ctx *recovery, u64 *comp_bits,
 			unsigned int comp);