diff --git a/qemu-img.c b/qemu-img.c
index cfa44b4..28fba1e 100644
--- a/qemu-img.c
+++ b/qemu-img.c
@@ -3432,6 +3432,8 @@
         }
 
         for (offset = 0; offset < size; offset += n) {
+            bool buf_old_is_zero = false;
+
             /* How many bytes can we handle with the next read? */
             n = MIN(IO_BUF_SIZE, size - offset);
 
@@ -3452,6 +3454,7 @@
              */
             if (offset >= old_backing_size) {
                 memset(buf_old, 0, n);
+                buf_old_is_zero = true;
             } else {
                 if (offset + n > old_backing_size) {
                     n = old_backing_size - offset;
@@ -3487,8 +3490,12 @@
                 if (compare_buffers(buf_old + written, buf_new + written,
                                     n - written, &pnum))
                 {
-                    ret = blk_pwrite(blk, offset + written,
-                                     buf_old + written, pnum, 0);
+                    if (buf_old_is_zero) {
+                        ret = blk_pwrite_zeroes(blk, offset + written, pnum, 0);
+                    } else {
+                        ret = blk_pwrite(blk, offset + written,
+                                         buf_old + written, pnum, 0);
+                    }
                     if (ret < 0) {
                         error_report("Error while writing to COW image: %s",
                             strerror(-ret));