diff --git a/block/src/formats/qcow/internal/header.rs b/block/src/formats/qcow/internal/header.rs
index 030815438..1989f25e3 100644
--- a/block/src/formats/qcow/internal/header.rs
+++ b/block/src/formats/qcow/internal/header.rs
@@ -335,6 +335,13 @@ impl QcowHeader {
             let cluster_size = 1u64
                 .checked_shl(header.cluster_bits)
                 .ok_or(Error::InvalidClusterSize)?;
+            if header.backing_file_offset < u64::from(header.header_size) {
+                return Err(Error::BackingFileOverlapsHeader(
+                    header.backing_file_offset,
+                    header.backing_file_size,
+                    header.header_size,
+                ));
+            }
             if header.backing_file_offset >= cluster_size
                 || header.backing_file_offset + u64::from(header.backing_file_size) > cluster_size
             {
diff --git a/block/src/formats/qcow/internal/mod.rs b/block/src/formats/qcow/internal/mod.rs
index a2da14318..8e436d0ea 100644
--- a/block/src/formats/qcow/internal/mod.rs
+++ b/block/src/formats/qcow/internal/mod.rs
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@ pub enum Error {
         "Backing file name at offset {0:#x} length {1:#x} lies outside first cluster of {2:#x}"
     )]
     BackingFileOutsideFirstCluster(u64, u32, u64),
+    #[error("Backing file name at offset {0:#x} length {1:#x} overlaps header of size {2:#x}")]
+    BackingFileOverlapsHeader(u64, u32, u32),
     #[error("Backing file support is disabled")]
     BackingFilesDisabled,
     #[error("Backing file name is too long: {0} bytes over")]