diff --git a/src/sqlite3.c b/src/sqlite3.c
index 7b9518417e0ed4ac1d151b511250fb77e3866a5c..add0f4d70ebd4cb73c2444c24b084eb1f736bcfd 100644
--- a/src/sqlite3.c
+++ b/src/sqlite3.c
@@ -246291,7 +246291,7 @@ static void MetaDwrReleaseHdr(MetaDwrHdr *hdr) {
   sqlite3_free(hdr);
 }
 
-static int ExpandMetaPageBuf(MetaDwrHdr *hdr, u32 minimalPageCnt) {
+static int ExpandMetaPageBuf(MetaDwrHdr *hdr, u32 minimalPageCnt, u32 bufHasData) {
   if (minimalPageCnt < hdr->pageBufSize && hdr->zones != NULL) {
     return SQLITE_OK;
   }
@@ -246302,7 +246302,7 @@ static int ExpandMetaPageBuf(MetaDwrHdr *hdr, u32 minimalPageCnt) {
   }
   Pgno *pgnos = (Pgno *)(zones + pageBufSz);
   if (hdr->zones != NULL) {
-    if (hdr->pageCnt > 0) {
+    if (bufHasData && hdr->pageCnt > 0) {
       (void)memcpy(zones, hdr->zones, hdr->pageCnt * sizeof(u8));
       (void)memcpy(pgnos, hdr->pages, hdr->pageCnt * sizeof(Pgno));
     }
@@ -246320,7 +246320,7 @@ static MetaDwrHdr *AllocInitMetaHeaderDwr(Pager *pPager) {
     return NULL;
   }
   InitMetaHeader(hdr);
-  int rc = ExpandMetaPageBuf(hdr, META_DWR_HEADER_DEFAULT_PAGE_CNT);
+  int rc = ExpandMetaPageBuf(hdr, META_DWR_HEADER_DEFAULT_PAGE_CNT, 0);
   if (rc != SQLITE_OK) {
     MetaDwrReleaseHdr(hdr);
     return NULL;
@@ -246381,7 +246381,7 @@ static int MetaDwrReadHeader(Pager *pPager, MetaDwrHdr *hdr) {
     goto READ_META_OUT;
   }
   // avoid realloc buffer if buf can't hold all pages
-  rc = ExpandMetaPageBuf(hdr, hdr->pageCnt);
+  rc = ExpandMetaPageBuf(hdr, hdr->pageCnt, 0);
   if (rc != SQLITE_OK) {
     goto READ_META_OUT;
   }
@@ -246520,7 +246520,7 @@ static int MetaDwrWriteOnePage(Btree *pBt, PgHdr *pPage, MetaDwrHdr *hdr, u8 cur
   int rc = SQLITE_OK;
   u8 pageExpand = 0;
   if (hdr->pageCnt <= idx) {
-    rc = ExpandMetaPageBuf(hdr, idx + 1);
+    rc = ExpandMetaPageBuf(hdr, idx + 1, 1);
     if (rc != SQLITE_OK) {
       return rc;
     }