diff --git a/lib/metadata/merge.c b/lib/metadata/merge.c
index a5cb9f3ce..3d82a05d2 100644
--- a/lib/metadata/merge.c
+++ b/lib/metadata/merge.c
@@ -328,6 +328,13 @@ static void _check_lv_segment(struct logical_volume *lv, struct lv_segment *seg,
 
 	if (seg_is_cache_pool(seg)) {
 		if (!dm_list_empty(&seg->lv->segs_using_this_lv)) {
+			switch (seg->cache_metadata_format) {
+			case CACHE_METADATA_FORMAT_2:
+			case CACHE_METADATA_FORMAT_1:
+				break;
+			default:
+				seg_error("has invalid cache metadata format");
+			}
 			switch (seg->cache_mode) {
 			case CACHE_MODE_WRITETHROUGH:
 			case CACHE_MODE_WRITEBACK:
@@ -341,13 +348,22 @@ static void _check_lv_segment(struct logical_volume *lv, struct lv_segment *seg,
 		}
 		if (!validate_cache_chunk_size(lv->vg->cmd, seg->chunk_size))
 			seg_error("has invalid chunk size.");
+		if (seg->lv->status & LV_METADATA_FORMAT) {
+			if (seg->cache_metadata_format != CACHE_METADATA_FORMAT_2)
+				seg_error("sets METADATA_FORMAT flag");
+		} else if (seg->cache_metadata_format == CACHE_METADATA_FORMAT_2)
+			seg_error("is missing METADATA_FORMAT flag");
 	} else { /* !cache_pool */
+		if (seg->cache_metadata_format)
+			seg_error("sets cache metadata format");
 		if (seg->cache_mode)
 			seg_error("sets cache mode");
 		if (seg->policy_name)
 			seg_error("sets policy name");
 		if (seg->policy_settings)
 			seg_error("sets policy settings");
+		if (seg->lv->status & LV_METADATA_FORMAT)
+			seg_error("sets METADATA_FORMAT flag");
 	}
 
 	if (!seg_can_error_when_full(seg) && lv_is_error_when_full(lv))