diff --git a/cmdline/check.c b/cmdline/check.c
index a3f3a4db..d336b206 100644
--- a/cmdline/check.c
+++ b/cmdline/check.c
@@ -1194,7 +1194,13 @@ static int state_check_process(struct snapraid_state* state, int fix, struct sna
 			}
 
 			/* read from the file */
-			read_size = handle_read(&handle[j], file_pos, buffer[j], state->block_size, log_error, state->opt.expected_missing ? log_expected : 0);
+			if (file_flag_has(file, FILE_IS_MISSING)) {
+				/* if the file is reported missing, don't even try to read it */
+				errno = ENOENT;
+				read_size = -1;
+			} else {
+				read_size = handle_read(&handle[j], file_pos, buffer[j], state->block_size, log_error, state->opt.expected_missing ? log_expected : 0);
+			}
 			if (read_size == -1) {
 				/* save the failed block for the check/fix */
 				failed[failed_count].is_bad = 1; /* it's bad because we cannot read it */
@@ -1214,6 +1220,11 @@ static int state_check_process(struct snapraid_state* state, int fix, struct sna
 				} else {
 					++soft_error;
 				}
+
+				/* if we are reading at the end, mark the file as missing to avoid to try to read it again at the next block */
+				if (errno == ENOENT) {
+					file_flag_set(file, FILE_IS_MISSING);
+				}
 				continue;
 			}
 
diff --git a/cmdline/handle.c b/cmdline/handle.c
index fc6a7bb1..b1a25064 100644
--- a/cmdline/handle.c
+++ b/cmdline/handle.c
@@ -253,7 +253,11 @@ int handle_read(struct snapraid_handle* handle, block_off_t file_pos, unsigned c
 	if (offset >= handle->valid_size) {
 		/* if the file is missing, it's at 0 size, or it's rebuilt while reading */
 		if (offset == handle->valid_size || handle->valid_size == 0) {
-			out_missing("Reading missing file '%s' at offset %" PRIu64 ".\n", handle->path, offset);
+			if (offset == 0) {
+				out_missing("Missing file '%s'.\n", handle->path);
+			} else {
+				out_missing("Missing data in file '%s' at offset %" PRIu64 ".\n", handle->path, offset);
+			}
 			errno = ENOENT;
 		} else {
 			out("Reading over the end from file '%s' at offset %" PRIu64 ".\n", handle->path, offset);