diff --git a/weed/shell/command_ec_balance.go b/weed/shell/command_ec_balance.go
index 41077923a..17ba63cfe 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_ec_balance.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_ec_balance.go
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@ package shell
 import (
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
+
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/erasure_coding"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/needle"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/types"
 	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
-	"io"
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -184,7 +185,7 @@ func balanceEcVolumes(commandEnv *CommandEnv, collection string, allEcNodes []*E
 
 func deleteDuplicatedEcShards(commandEnv *CommandEnv, allEcNodes []*EcNode, collection string, applyBalancing bool) error {
 	// vid => []ecNode
-	vidLocations := collectVolumeIdToEcNodes(allEcNodes)
+	vidLocations := collectVolumeIdToEcNodes(allEcNodes, collection)
 	// deduplicate ec shards
 	for vid, locations := range vidLocations {
 		if err := doDeduplicateEcShards(commandEnv, collection, vid, locations, applyBalancing); err != nil {
@@ -230,7 +231,7 @@ func doDeduplicateEcShards(commandEnv *CommandEnv, collection string, vid needle
 
 func balanceEcShardsAcrossRacks(commandEnv *CommandEnv, allEcNodes []*EcNode, racks map[RackId]*EcRack, collection string, applyBalancing bool) error {
 	// collect vid => []ecNode, since previous steps can change the locations
-	vidLocations := collectVolumeIdToEcNodes(allEcNodes)
+	vidLocations := collectVolumeIdToEcNodes(allEcNodes, collection)
 	// spread the ec shards evenly
 	for vid, locations := range vidLocations {
 		if err := doBalanceEcShardsAcrossRacks(commandEnv, collection, vid, locations, racks, applyBalancing); err != nil {
@@ -309,7 +310,7 @@ func pickOneRack(rackToEcNodes map[RackId]*EcRack, rackToShardCount map[string]i
 
 func balanceEcShardsWithinRacks(commandEnv *CommandEnv, allEcNodes []*EcNode, racks map[RackId]*EcRack, collection string, applyBalancing bool) error {
 	// collect vid => []ecNode, since previous steps can change the locations
-	vidLocations := collectVolumeIdToEcNodes(allEcNodes)
+	vidLocations := collectVolumeIdToEcNodes(allEcNodes, collection)
 
 	// spread the ec shards evenly
 	for vid, locations := range vidLocations {
@@ -520,7 +521,7 @@ func pickNEcShardsToMoveFrom(ecNodes []*EcNode, vid needle.VolumeId, n int) map[
 	return picked
 }
 
-func collectVolumeIdToEcNodes(allEcNodes []*EcNode) map[needle.VolumeId][]*EcNode {
+func collectVolumeIdToEcNodes(allEcNodes []*EcNode, collection string) map[needle.VolumeId][]*EcNode {
 	vidLocations := make(map[needle.VolumeId][]*EcNode)
 	for _, ecNode := range allEcNodes {
 		diskInfo, found := ecNode.info.DiskInfos[string(types.HardDriveType)]
@@ -528,7 +529,10 @@ func collectVolumeIdToEcNodes(allEcNodes []*EcNode) map[needle.VolumeId][]*EcNod
 			continue
 		}
 		for _, shardInfo := range diskInfo.EcShardInfos {
-			vidLocations[needle.VolumeId(shardInfo.Id)] = append(vidLocations[needle.VolumeId(shardInfo.Id)], ecNode)
+			// ignore if not in current collection
+			if shardInfo.Collection == collection {
+				vidLocations[needle.VolumeId(shardInfo.Id)] = append(vidLocations[needle.VolumeId(shardInfo.Id)], ecNode)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	return vidLocations
diff --git a/weed/storage/disk_location_ec.go b/weed/storage/disk_location_ec.go
index 8315fe363..6d681d2c2 100644
--- a/weed/storage/disk_location_ec.go
+++ b/weed/storage/disk_location_ec.go
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@ package storage
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 	"os"
 	"path"
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 
+	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
+
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/erasure_coding"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/needle"
 )
@@ -163,7 +164,15 @@ func (l *DiskLocation) loadAllEcShards() (err error) {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if re.MatchString(ext) {
+		info, err := fileInfo.Info()
+
+		if err != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// 0 byte files should be only appearing erroneously for ec data files
+		// so we ignore them
+		if re.MatchString(ext) && info.Size() > 0 {
 			if prevVolumeId == 0 || volumeId == prevVolumeId {
 				sameVolumeShards = append(sameVolumeShards, fileInfo.Name())
 			} else {