diff --git a/fs/pstore/ram_core.c b/fs/pstore/ram_core.c
index 784fe2c035db..86a3ae3694d3 100644
--- a/fs/pstore/ram_core.c
+++ b/fs/pstore/ram_core.c
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ static int persistent_ram_post_init(struct persistent_ram_zone *prz, u32 sig,
 	sig ^= PERSISTENT_RAM_SIG;
 
 	if (prz->buffer->sig == sig) {
-		if (buffer_size(prz) == 0) {
+		if (buffer_size(prz) == 0 && buffer_start(prz) == 0) {
 			pr_debug("found existing empty buffer\n");
 			return 0;
 		}