diff --git a/src/mgmt/srv_target.c b/src/mgmt/srv_target.c
index 72c9c6384026..219c5564d603 100644
--- a/src/mgmt/srv_target.c
+++ b/src/mgmt/srv_target.c
@@ -1048,15 +1048,14 @@ tgt_create_preallocate(void *arg)
 		 * 16MB minimum per pmemobj file (SCM partition)
 		 */
 		D_ASSERT(dss_tgt_nr > 0);
+		D_ASSERT((tca->tca_scm_size / dss_tgt_nr) >= (1 << 24));
 		if (!bio_nvme_configured(SMD_DEV_TYPE_META)) {
-			rc = tgt_vos_preallocate_sequential(tca->tca_ptrec->dptr_uuid,
-							    max(tca->tca_scm_size / dss_tgt_nr,
-								1 << 24), dss_tgt_nr);
+			rc = tgt_vos_preallocate_sequential(
+			    tca->tca_ptrec->dptr_uuid, tca->tca_scm_size / dss_tgt_nr, dss_tgt_nr);
 		} else {
-			rc = tgt_vos_preallocate_parallel(tca->tca_ptrec->dptr_uuid,
-							  max(tca->tca_scm_size / dss_tgt_nr,
-							      1 << 24), dss_tgt_nr,
-							  &tca->tca_ptrec->cancel_create);
+			rc = tgt_vos_preallocate_parallel(
+			    tca->tca_ptrec->dptr_uuid, tca->tca_scm_size / dss_tgt_nr, dss_tgt_nr,
+			    &tca->tca_ptrec->cancel_create);
 		}
 		if (rc)
 			goto out;
@@ -1123,7 +1122,12 @@ ds_mgmt_hdlr_tgt_create(crt_rpc_t *tc_req)
 
 	tgt_scm_sz  = tc_in->tc_scm_size / dss_tgt_nr;
 	tgt_meta_sz = tc_in->tc_meta_size / dss_tgt_nr;
-	vos_pool_roundup_size(&tgt_scm_sz, &tgt_meta_sz);
+	rc          = vos_pool_roundup_size(&tgt_scm_sz, &tgt_meta_sz);
+	if (rc) {
+		D_ERROR(DF_UUID": failed to roundup the vos size: "DF_RC"\n",
+			DP_UUID(tc_in->tc_pool_uuid), DP_RC(rc));
+		goto out_rec;
+	}
 	tc_in->tc_scm_size  = tgt_scm_sz * dss_tgt_nr;
 	tc_in->tc_meta_size = tgt_meta_sz * dss_tgt_nr;
 
diff --git a/src/vos/vos_pool.c b/src/vos/vos_pool.c
index f8651210ccdd..f90a968043fe 100644
--- a/src/vos/vos_pool.c
+++ b/src/vos/vos_pool.c
@@ -753,6 +753,45 @@ init_umem_store(struct umem_store *store, struct bio_meta_context *mc)
 		store->store_type = DAOS_MD_BMEM;
 }
 
+static int
+vos_pool_store_type(daos_size_t scm_sz, daos_size_t meta_sz)
+{
+	int backend;
+
+	backend = umempobj_get_backend_type();
+	D_ASSERT((meta_sz != 0) || (backend == DAOS_MD_PMEM));
+
+	if (meta_sz && (scm_sz > meta_sz)) {
+		D_ERROR("memsize %lu is greater than metasize %lu", scm_sz, meta_sz);
+		return -DER_INVAL;
+	}
+
+	if ((scm_sz < meta_sz) && (backend == DAOS_MD_BMEM))
+		backend = DAOS_MD_BMEM_V2;
+
+	return backend;
+}
+
+int
+vos_pool_roundup_size(daos_size_t *scm_sz, daos_size_t *meta_sz)
+{
+	size_t alignsz;
+	int    rc;
+
+	rc = vos_pool_store_type(*scm_sz, *meta_sz);
+	if (rc < 0)
+		return rc;
+
+	/* Round up the size such that it is compatible with backend */
+	alignsz = umempobj_pgsz(rc);
+
+	*scm_sz = max(D_ALIGNUP(*scm_sz, alignsz), 1 << 24);
+	if (*meta_sz)
+		*meta_sz = max(D_ALIGNUP(*meta_sz, alignsz), 1 << 24);
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int
 vos_pmemobj_create(const char *path, uuid_t pool_id, const char *layout,
 		   size_t scm_sz, size_t nvme_sz, size_t wal_sz, size_t meta_sz,
@@ -794,9 +833,7 @@ vos_pmemobj_create(const char *path, uuid_t pool_id, const char *layout,
 	if (!meta_sz)
 		meta_sz = scm_sz_actual;
 
-	store.store_type = umempobj_get_backend_type();
-	if (store.store_type == DAOS_MD_BMEM && meta_sz > scm_sz_actual)
-		store.store_type = DAOS_MD_BMEM_V2;
+	store.store_type = vos_pool_store_type(scm_sz_actual, meta_sz);
 
 	D_DEBUG(DB_MGMT, "Create BIO meta context for xs:%p pool:"DF_UUID" "
 		"scm_sz: %zu meta_sz: %zu, nvme_sz: %zu wal_sz:%zu backend:%d\n",
@@ -1272,26 +1309,6 @@ vos_pool_create_ex(const char *path, uuid_t uuid, daos_size_t scm_sz, daos_size_
 	return rc;
 }
 
-int
-vos_pool_roundup_size(daos_size_t *scm_sz, daos_size_t *meta_sz)
-{
-	int    backend;
-	size_t alignsz;
-
-	backend = umempobj_get_backend_type();
-	if ((*scm_sz != *meta_sz) && (backend == DAOS_MD_BMEM))
-		backend = DAOS_MD_BMEM_V2;
-
-	/* Round up the size such that it is compatible with backend */
-	alignsz = umempobj_pgsz(backend);
-
-	*scm_sz = D_ALIGNUP(*scm_sz, alignsz);
-	if (*meta_sz)
-		*meta_sz = D_ALIGNUP(*meta_sz, alignsz);
-
-	return 0;
-}
-
 int
 vos_pool_create(const char *path, uuid_t uuid, daos_size_t scm_sz, daos_size_t data_sz,
 		daos_size_t meta_sz, unsigned int flags, uint32_t version, daos_handle_t *poh)