diff --git a/mbfido/createf.c b/mbfido/createf.c
index 6b640aed..9031e145 100644
--- a/mbfido/createf.c
+++ b/mbfido/createf.c
@@ -230,9 +230,25 @@ int CheckTicGroup(char *Area, int SendUplink, faddr *f)
     fread(&areahdr, sizeof(areahdr), 1, fp);
     Syslog('f', "File area is open");
 
+    /*
+     * Verify the file is large enough
+     */
+    fseek(fp, 0, SEEK_END);
     offset = areahdr.hdrsize + ((fgroup.StartArea -1) * (areahdr.recsize));
+    Syslog('+', "file end at %ld, offset needed %ld", ftell(fp), offset);
+
+    if (ftell(fp) < offset) {
+	Syslog('f', "Database too small, expanding...");
+	memset(&area, 0, sizeof(area));
+	while (TRUE) {
+	    fwrite(&area, sizeof(area), 1, fp);
+	    if (ftell(fp) >= areahdr.hdrsize + ((fgroup.StartArea -1) * (areahdr.recsize)))
+		break;
+	}
+    } 
+
     if (fseek(fp, offset, SEEK_SET)) {
-	WriteError("$Can't seek in %s", temp);
+	WriteError("$Can't seek in %s to position %ld", temp, offset);
 	fclose(ap);
 	fclose(mp);
 	fclose(fp);
diff --git a/mbfido/createm.c b/mbfido/createm.c
index 1c7ba8d5..6eeb7431 100644
--- a/mbfido/createm.c
+++ b/mbfido/createm.c
@@ -140,6 +140,24 @@ int CheckEchoGroup(char *Area, int SendUplink, faddr *f)
 		}
 		fread(&msgshdr, sizeof(msgshdr), 1, mp);
 		offset = msgshdr.hdrsize + ((mgroup.StartArea -1) * (msgshdr.recsize + msgshdr.syssize));
+		Syslog('+', "file end at %ld, offset needed %ld", ftell(mp), offset);
+
+		/*
+		 * Verify the file is large enough
+		 */
+		if (ftell(mp) < offset) {
+		    Syslog('m', "Database too small, expanding...");
+		    memset(&msgs, 0, sizeof(msgs));
+		    memset(&System, 0, sizeof(System));
+		    while (TRUE) {
+			fwrite(&msgs, sizeof(msgs), 1, mp);
+			for (i = 0; i < (msgshdr.syssize / sizeof(System)); i++)
+			    fwrite(&System, sizeof(System), 1, mp);
+			if (ftell(mp) >= msgshdr.hdrsize + ((mgroup.StartArea -1) * (msgshdr.recsize + msgshdr.syssize)))
+			    break;
+		    }
+		}
+
 		if (fseek(mp, offset, SEEK_SET)) {
 		    WriteError("$Can't seek in %s", temp);
 		    fclose(ap);