diff --git a/go/storage/needle.go b/go/storage/needle.go
index 31e8a267c..353ca6dd5 100644
--- a/go/storage/needle.go
+++ b/go/storage/needle.go
@@ -15,9 +15,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	NeedleHeaderSize   = 16 //should never change this
-	NeedlePaddingSize  = 8
-	NeedleChecksumSize = 4
+	NeedleHeaderSize      = 16 //should never change this
+	NeedlePaddingSize     = 8
+	NeedleChecksumSize    = 4
+	MaxPossibleVolumeSize = 4 * 1024 * 1024 * 1024 * 8
 )
 
 /*
diff --git a/go/storage/store.go b/go/storage/store.go
index cc9fef7d0..0f10331ca 100644
--- a/go/storage/store.go
+++ b/go/storage/store.go
@@ -262,15 +262,15 @@ func (s *Store) Write(i VolumeId, n *Needle) (size uint32, err error) {
 			err = fmt.Errorf("Volume %s is read only!", i)
 			return
 		} else {
-			if s.volumeSizeLimit >= v.ContentSize()+uint64(size) {
+			if MaxPossibleVolumeSize >= v.ContentSize()+uint64(size) {
 				size, err = v.write(n)
 			} else {
 				err = fmt.Errorf("Volume Size Limit %d Exceeded! Current size is %d", s.volumeSizeLimit, v.ContentSize())
 			}
-			if err != nil && s.volumeSizeLimit < v.ContentSize()+uint64(size) && s.volumeSizeLimit >= v.ContentSize() {
-				glog.V(0).Infoln("volume", i, "size is", v.ContentSize(), "close to", s.volumeSizeLimit)
-				if err = s.Join(); err != nil {
-					glog.V(0).Infoln("error with Join:", err)
+			if s.volumeSizeLimit < v.ContentSize()+uint64(size) {
+				glog.V(0).Infoln("volume", i, "size", v.ContentSize(), "will exceed limit", s.volumeSizeLimit)
+				if e = s.Join(); e != nil {
+					glog.V(0).Infoln("error when reporting size:", e)
 				}
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/go/weed/master.go b/go/weed/master.go
index 971d6ce96..146974166 100644
--- a/go/weed/master.go
+++ b/go/weed/master.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ var (
 	mport                 = cmdMaster.Flag.Int("port", 9333, "http listen port")
 	mip                   = cmdMaster.Flag.String("ip", "localhost", "http listen port")
 	metaFolder            = cmdMaster.Flag.String("mdir", os.TempDir(), "data directory to store meta data")
-	volumeSizeLimitMB     = cmdMaster.Flag.Uint("volumeSizeLimitMB", 32*1024, "Default Volume Size in MegaBytes")
+	volumeSizeLimitMB     = cmdMaster.Flag.Uint("volumeSizeLimitMB", 32*1000, "Default Volume Size in MegaBytes")
 	mpulse                = cmdMaster.Flag.Int("pulseSeconds", 5, "number of seconds between heartbeats")
 	confFile              = cmdMaster.Flag.String("conf", "/etc/weedfs/weedfs.conf", "xml configuration file")
 	defaultRepType        = cmdMaster.Flag.String("defaultReplicationType", "000", "Default replication type if not specified.")