diff --git a/rust/ares_pma/c-src/btest.c b/rust/ares_pma/c-src/btest.c
index 3c07779..0fd0ed1 100644
--- a/rust/ares_pma/c-src/btest.c
+++ b/rust/ares_pma/c-src/btest.c
@@ -307,11 +307,26 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     return errno;
   assert(SUCC(bt_state_open(state4, "./pmatest4", 0, 0644)));
 
+#define PMA_INITIAL_SIZE_p PMA_GROW_SIZE_p
   BYTE *t4a = bt_malloc(state4, PMA_GROW_SIZE_p * 2);
   BYTE *t4b = t4a;
   for (size_t i = 0; i < PMA_GROW_SIZE_b * 2; i++) {
     *t4b++ = rand();
   }
 
+  assert(state4->file_size_p == PMA_INITIAL_SIZE_p + PMA_GROW_SIZE_p * 2);
+  /* given the allocation pattern the head of the flist should also be the
+     tail. The hi page here should match the file size */
+  assert(state4->flist->hi == state4->file_size_p);
+
+  bt_state_close(state4);
+
+  bt_state_new(&state4);
+
+  assert(SUCC(bt_state_open(state4, "./pmatest4", 0, 0644)));
+
+  assert(state4->file_size_p == PMA_INITIAL_SIZE_p + PMA_GROW_SIZE_p * 2);
+  assert(state4->flist->hi == state4->file_size_p);
+
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/rust/ares_pma/c-src/btree.c b/rust/ares_pma/c-src/btree.c
index 17adf44..fc34a85 100644
--- a/rust/ares_pma/c-src/btree.c
+++ b/rust/ares_pma/c-src/btree.c
@@ -2374,6 +2374,14 @@ _bt_state_load(BT_state *state)
     assert(SUCC(_mlist_new(state)));
   }
   else {
+    /* Set the file length */
+    if (fstat(state->data_fd, &stat) != 0)
+      return errno;
+
+    /* the file size should be a multiple of our pagesize */
+    assert((stat.st_size % BT_PAGESIZE) == 0);
+    state->file_size_p = stat.st_size / BT_PAGESIZE;
+
     /* restore data memory maps */
     _bt_state_restore_maps(state);
 
@@ -2382,15 +2390,6 @@ _bt_state_load(BT_state *state)
 
     /* Dirty the metapage and root page */
     assert(SUCC(_bt_flip_meta(state)));
-
-    /* Set the file length */
-    // XX make sure the flist is updated with this!
-    if (fstat(state->data_fd, &stat) != 0)
-      return errno;
-
-    /* the file size should be a multiple of our pagesize */
-    assert((stat.st_size % BT_PAGESIZE) == 0);
-    state->file_size_p = stat.st_size / BT_PAGESIZE;
   }
 
   return BT_SUCC;