diff --git a/block.c b/block.c
index 4f1581cedf..48a17f393c 100644
--- a/block.c
+++ b/block.c
@@ -606,12 +606,13 @@ create_file_fallback_zero_first_sector(BlockBackend *blk,
                                        int64_t current_size,
                                        Error **errp)
 {
+    uint32_t alignment = blk_get_pwrite_zeroes_alignment(blk);
     int64_t bytes_to_clear;
     int ret;
 
     GLOBAL_STATE_CODE();
 
-    bytes_to_clear = MIN(current_size, BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE);
+    bytes_to_clear = MIN(current_size, MAX(BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE, alignment));
     if (bytes_to_clear) {
         ret = blk_co_pwrite_zeroes(blk, 0, bytes_to_clear, BDRV_REQ_MAY_UNMAP);
         if (ret < 0) {
diff --git a/block/block-backend.c b/block/block-backend.c
index d6df369188..98315d4470 100644
--- a/block/block-backend.c
+++ b/block/block-backend.c
@@ -2305,6 +2305,17 @@ uint32_t blk_get_request_alignment(BlockBackend *blk)
     return bs ? bs->bl.request_alignment : BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE;
 }
 
+/* Returns the optimal write zeroes alignment, in bytes; guaranteed nonzero */
+uint32_t blk_get_pwrite_zeroes_alignment(BlockBackend *blk)
+{
+    BlockDriverState *bs = blk_bs(blk);
+    IO_CODE();
+    if (!bs) {
+        return BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE;
+    }
+    return bs->bl.pwrite_zeroes_alignment ?: bs->bl.request_alignment;
+}
+
 /* Returns the maximum hardware transfer length, in bytes; guaranteed nonzero */
 uint64_t blk_get_max_hw_transfer(BlockBackend *blk)
 {
diff --git a/include/system/block-backend-io.h b/include/system/block-backend-io.h
index ba8dfcc7d0..6d5ac476fc 100644
--- a/include/system/block-backend-io.h
+++ b/include/system/block-backend-io.h
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ BlockAIOCB *blk_abort_aio_request(BlockBackend *blk,
                                   void *opaque, int ret);
 
 uint32_t blk_get_request_alignment(BlockBackend *blk);
+uint32_t blk_get_pwrite_zeroes_alignment(BlockBackend *blk);
 uint32_t blk_get_max_transfer(BlockBackend *blk);
 uint64_t blk_get_max_hw_transfer(BlockBackend *blk);