diff --git a/weed/server/filer_server_format.go b/weed/server/filer_server_format.go
index 8a156390d..2d98adaca 100644
--- a/weed/server/filer_server_format.go
+++ b/weed/server/filer_server_format.go
@@ -65,8 +65,9 @@ func formatChunkIdentity(chunks []*filer_pb.FileChunk) []byte {
 func repackSourceIdentity(entry *filer.Entry) []byte {
 	digest := md5.New()
 	digest.Write(formatChunkIdentity(entry.GetChunks()))
-	fmt.Fprintf(digest, "%d:%d:%d:%d:%t:%x:%t",
-		entry.FileSize, entry.TtlSec, entry.Crtime.UnixNano(), entry.Mtime.UnixNano(),
+	digest.Write(entry.Content)
+	fmt.Fprintf(digest, "%d:%d:%d:%d:%d:%t:%x:%t",
+		len(entry.Content), entry.FileSize, entry.TtlSec, entry.Crtime.UnixNano(), entry.Mtime.UnixNano(),
 		entry.IsExpireS3Enabled(), []byte(entry.HardLinkId), entry.Remote != nil)
 	return digest.Sum(nil)
 }
@@ -329,6 +330,11 @@ func (fs *FilerServer) formatRepack(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWriter,
 		writeJsonError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, errors.New("cannot repack hard-linked or remote entries"))
 		return
 	}
+	// the repack reader sees only chunks; inline content would be dropped
+	if len(entry.Content) != 0 {
+		writeJsonError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, errors.New("cannot repack entries with inline content"))
+		return
+	}
 	for _, chunk := range oldChunks {
 		if chunk.SseType != filer_pb.SSEType_NONE {
 			writeJsonError(w, r, http.StatusBadRequest, errors.New("cannot repack server-side encrypted entries"))
@@ -506,9 +512,11 @@ func (fs *FilerServer) serveFormatView(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWrite
 	}
 	// A write outside the format endpoints (offset writes, appends, mounts)
 	// changes the chunks but keeps Extended, so the layout no longer
-	// describes the bytes even when the total size still matches.
-	if !bytes.Equal(entry.Extended[formatLayoutChunksKey], formatChunkIdentity(entry.GetChunks())) {
-		glog.WarningfCtx(ctx, "format layout on %s no longer matches its chunks", entry.FullPath)
+	// describes the bytes even when the total size still matches. Inline
+	// content is disqualifying outright: format entries are never written
+	// with it, and reads would prefer it over the chunks the layout maps.
+	if len(entry.Content) != 0 || !bytes.Equal(entry.Extended[formatLayoutChunksKey], formatChunkIdentity(entry.GetChunks())) {
+		glog.WarningfCtx(ctx, "format layout on %s no longer matches its bytes", entry.FullPath)
 		http.Error(w, "format layout is stale", http.StatusNotFound)
 		return
 	}
@@ -569,10 +577,6 @@ func (fs *FilerServer) serveFormatView(ctx context.Context, w http.ResponseWrite
 	if r.Method == http.MethodHead {
 		return
 	}
-	if offset+extentSize <= int64(len(entry.Content)) {
-		_, _ = w.Write(entry.Content[offset : offset+extentSize])
-		return
-	}
 	streamCtx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	defer cancel()
 	streamFn, err := filer.PrepareStreamContentWithPrefetch(streamCtx, fs.filer.MasterClient, fs.maybeGetVolumeReadJwtAuthorizationToken, entry.GetChunks(), offset, extentSize, fs.option.DownloadMaxBytesPs, filer.DefaultPrefetchCount)
diff --git a/weed/server/filer_server_format_test.go b/weed/server/filer_server_format_test.go
index 77cae537b..47d071669 100644
--- a/weed/server/filer_server_format_test.go
+++ b/weed/server/filer_server_format_test.go
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ func TestRepackSourceIdentity(t *testing.T) {
 		"hard linked":  func(e *filer.Entry) { e.HardLinkId = []byte{1} },
 		"went remote":  func(e *filer.Entry) { e.Remote = &filer_pb.RemoteEntry{} },
 		"chunk moved":  func(e *filer.Entry) { e.Chunks[0].Offset = 1 },
+		"content set":  func(e *filer.Entry) { e.Content = []byte{0x47} },
 	}
 	for name, mutate := range mutations {
 		changed := base()