diff --git a/backend/compress/compress.go b/backend/compress/compress.go
index 3de158897..770421974 100644
--- a/backend/compress/compress.go
+++ b/backend/compress/compress.go
@@ -1085,6 +1085,35 @@ type ObjectMetadata struct {
 	CompressionMetadataZstd *SzstdMetadata      // Metadata for Zstd compression
 }
 
+// validate checks metadata read from the wrapped remote before it is used to
+// construct a compressed reader.
+func (meta *ObjectMetadata) validate() error {
+	if meta.Mode != Gzip {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if meta.CompressionMetadataGzip == nil {
+		return errors.New("missing gzip metadata")
+	}
+	if meta.CompressionMetadataGzip.BlockSize <= 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid gzip block size %d", meta.CompressionMetadataGzip.BlockSize)
+	}
+	if meta.Size != meta.CompressionMetadataGzip.Size {
+		return errors.New("gzip metadata size does not match object size")
+	}
+	if meta.Size < 0 {
+		return errors.New("invalid gzip object size")
+	}
+	blockSize := int64(meta.CompressionMetadataGzip.BlockSize)
+	blocks := meta.Size / blockSize
+	if meta.Size%blockSize != 0 {
+		blocks++
+	}
+	if int64(len(meta.CompressionMetadataGzip.BlockData)) < blocks {
+		return errors.New("gzip block data is incomplete")
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Object with external metadata
 type Object struct {
 	fs.Object                 // Wraps around data object for this object
@@ -1108,6 +1137,9 @@ func readMetadata(ctx context.Context, mo fs.Object) (meta *ObjectMetadata, err
 	if err = jr.Decode(meta); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if err = meta.validate(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	return meta, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/backend/compress/compress_test.go b/backend/compress/compress_test.go
index 000d70330..c78b3afb7 100644
--- a/backend/compress/compress_test.go
+++ b/backend/compress/compress_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/buengese/sgzip"
+
 	_ "github.com/rclone/rclone/backend/drive"
 	_ "github.com/rclone/rclone/backend/local"
 	_ "github.com/rclone/rclone/backend/s3"
@@ -14,6 +16,93 @@ import (
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fstest/fstests"
 )
 
+func TestObjectMetadataValidate(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		meta ObjectMetadata
+		want bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "nil gzip metadata",
+			meta: ObjectMetadata{Mode: Gzip},
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "zero block size",
+			meta: ObjectMetadata{
+				Mode: Gzip,
+				Size: 1024,
+				CompressionMetadataGzip: &sgzip.GzipMetadata{
+					BlockSize: 0,
+					Size:      1024,
+					BlockData: []uint32{0},
+				},
+			},
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "negative block size",
+			meta: ObjectMetadata{
+				Mode: Gzip,
+				Size: 1024,
+				CompressionMetadataGzip: &sgzip.GzipMetadata{
+					BlockSize: -1,
+					Size:      1024,
+					BlockData: []uint32{0},
+				},
+			},
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "mismatched sizes",
+			meta: ObjectMetadata{
+				Mode: Gzip,
+				Size: 1024,
+				CompressionMetadataGzip: &sgzip.GzipMetadata{
+					BlockSize: 512,
+					Size:      2048,
+					BlockData: []uint32{0, 1},
+				},
+			},
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "short block data",
+			meta: ObjectMetadata{
+				Mode: Gzip,
+				Size: 1025,
+				CompressionMetadataGzip: &sgzip.GzipMetadata{
+					BlockSize: 512,
+					Size:      1025,
+					BlockData: []uint32{0, 1},
+				},
+			},
+			want: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "valid",
+			meta: ObjectMetadata{
+				Mode: Gzip,
+				Size: 1025,
+				CompressionMetadataGzip: &sgzip.GzipMetadata{
+					BlockSize: 512,
+					Size:      1025,
+					BlockData: []uint32{0, 1, 2},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			err := test.meta.validate()
+			if (err != nil) != test.want {
+				t.Fatalf("validate() error = %v, want error: %v", err, test.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 var defaultOpt = fstests.Opt{
 	RemoteName: "TestCompress:",
 	NilObject:  (*Object)(nil),