diff --git a/block/qcow.c b/block/qcow.c
index 7bd94dc..49871fb 100644
--- a/block/qcow.c
+++ b/block/qcow.c
@@ -811,6 +811,12 @@
     /* Read out options */
     total_size = ROUND_UP(qemu_opt_get_size_del(opts, BLOCK_OPT_SIZE, 0),
                           BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE);
+    if (total_size == 0) {
+        error_setg(errp, "Image size is too small, cannot be zero length");
+        ret = -EINVAL;
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
     backing_file = qemu_opt_get_del(opts, BLOCK_OPT_BACKING_FILE);
     if (qemu_opt_get_bool_del(opts, BLOCK_OPT_ENCRYPT, false)) {
         flags |= BLOCK_FLAG_ENCRYPT;