diff --git a/module/zfs/arc.c b/module/zfs/arc.c
index 056ebf5320..b864394b42 100644
--- a/module/zfs/arc.c
+++ b/module/zfs/arc.c
@@ -5917,17 +5917,24 @@ arc_read(zio_t *pio, spa_t *spa, const blkptr_t *bp,
 	 */
 	fstrans_cookie_t cookie = spl_fstrans_mark();
 top:
+	/*
+	 * Verify the block pointer contents are reasonable.  This should
+	 * always be the case since the blkptr is protected by a checksum.
+	 * However, if there is damage it's desirable to detect this early
+	 * and treat it as a checksum error.  This allows an alternate blkptr
+	 * to be tried when one is available (e.g. ditto blocks).
+	 */
+	if (!zfs_blkptr_verify(spa, bp, zio_flags & ZIO_FLAG_CONFIG_WRITER,
+	    BLK_VERIFY_LOG)) {
+		rc = SET_ERROR(ECKSUM);
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	if (!embedded_bp) {
 		/*
 		 * Embedded BP's have no DVA and require no I/O to "read".
 		 * Create an anonymous arc buf to back it.
 		 */
-		if (!zfs_blkptr_verify(spa, bp, zio_flags &
-		    ZIO_FLAG_CONFIG_WRITER, BLK_VERIFY_LOG)) {
-			rc = SET_ERROR(ECKSUM);
-			goto out;
-		}
-
 		hdr = buf_hash_find(guid, bp, &hash_lock);
 	}
 
diff --git a/module/zfs/zio.c b/module/zfs/zio.c
index 85e05ee6af..c016fa323b 100644
--- a/module/zfs/zio.c
+++ b/module/zfs/zio.c
@@ -1006,7 +1006,7 @@ zfs_blkptr_verify(spa_t *spa, const blkptr_t *bp, boolean_t config_held,
 	 * will be done once the zio is executed in vdev_mirror_map_alloc.
 	 */
 	if (!spa->spa_trust_config)
-		return (B_TRUE);
+		return (errors == 0);
 
 	if (!config_held)
 		spa_config_enter(spa, SCL_VDEV, bp, RW_READER);