diff --git a/core/rawdb/freezer_table.go b/core/rawdb/freezer_table.go
index f87896f41a4c..79ddd44dcaf5 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/freezer_table.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/freezer_table.go
@@ -712,8 +712,8 @@ func (t *freezerTable) retrieveItems(start, count, maxBytes uint64) ([]byte, []i
 		size := int(offset2 - offset1)
 		// Crossing a file boundary?
 		if secondIndex.filenum != firstIndex.filenum {
+			// If we have unread data in the first file, we need to do that read now.
 			if unreadSize > 0 {
-				// If we have unread data in the first file, we need to do that read now.
 				if err := readData(firstIndex.filenum, readStart, unreadSize); err != nil {
 					return nil, nil, err
 				}
@@ -722,6 +722,13 @@ func (t *freezerTable) retrieveItems(start, count, maxBytes uint64) ([]byte, []i
 			readStart = 0
 		}
 		if i > 0 && uint64(totalSize+size) > maxBytes {
+			// About to break out due to byte limit being exceeded. We don't
+			// read this last item, but we need to do the deferred reads now.
+			if unreadSize > 0 {
+				if err := readData(secondIndex.filenum, readStart, unreadSize); err != nil {
+					return nil, nil, err
+				}
+			}
 			break
 		}
 		// Defer the read for later
diff --git a/core/rawdb/freezer_table_test.go b/core/rawdb/freezer_table_test.go
index b04ff309da5d..e8a8b5c46309 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/freezer_table_test.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/freezer_table_test.go
@@ -752,3 +752,58 @@ func TestSequentialRead(t *testing.T) {
 		f.Close()
 	}
 }
+
+// TestSequentialReadByteLimit does some more advanced tests on batch reads.
+// These tests check that when the byte limit hits, we correctly abort in time,
+// but also properly do all the deferred reads for the previous data, regardless
+// of whether the data crosses a file boundary or not.
+func TestSequentialReadByteLimit(t *testing.T) {
+	rm, wm, sg := metrics.NewMeter(), metrics.NewMeter(), metrics.NewGauge()
+	fname := fmt.Sprintf("batchread-2-%d", rand.Uint64())
+	{ // Fill table
+		f, err := newCustomTable(os.TempDir(), fname, rm, wm, sg, 100, true)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		// Write 10 bytes 30 times,
+		// Splitting it at every 100 bytes (10 items)
+		for x := 0; x < 30; x++ {
+			data := getChunk(10, x)
+			f.Append(uint64(x), data)
+		}
+		f.Close()
+	}
+	for i, tc := range []struct {
+		items uint64
+		limit uint64
+		want  int
+	}{
+		{9, 89, 8},
+		{10, 99, 9},
+		{11, 109, 10},
+		{100, 89, 8},
+		{100, 99, 9},
+		{100, 109, 10},
+	} {
+		{
+			f, err := newCustomTable(os.TempDir(), fname, rm, wm, sg, 100, true)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			items, err := f.RetrieveItems(0, tc.items, tc.limit)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			if have, want := len(items), tc.want; have != want {
+				t.Fatalf("test %d: want %d items, have %d ", i, want, have)
+			}
+			for ii, have := range items {
+				want := getChunk(10, ii)
+				if !bytes.Equal(want, have) {
+					t.Fatalf("test %d: data corruption item %d: have\n%x\n, want \n%x\n", i, ii, have, want)
+				}
+			}
+			f.Close()
+		}
+	}
+}