diff --git a/WHATS_NEW b/WHATS_NEW
index 7910cb832..31e35cd93 100644
--- a/WHATS_NEW
+++ b/WHATS_NEW
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 Version 2.02.30 -
 ===================================
+  Prevent pvcreate from overwriting MDA-less PVs belonging to active VGs.
   Fix a segfault if using pvs with --all argument. (2.02.29)
   Update --uuid argument description in man pages.
   Fix vgreduce PV list processing not to process every PV in the VG. (2.02.29)
diff --git a/tools/pvcreate.c b/tools/pvcreate.c
index 20fcdfdac..3e12c5c7b 100644
--- a/tools/pvcreate.c
+++ b/tools/pvcreate.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "tools.h"
+#include "metadata.h"
 
 struct pvcreate_params {
 	int zero;
@@ -43,6 +44,17 @@ static int pvcreate_check(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *name)
 	/* FIXME Use partial mode here? */
 	pv = pv_read(cmd, name, NULL, NULL, 0);
 
+	/*
+         * If a PV has no MDAs it may appear to be an orphan until the
+         * metadata is read off another PV in the same VG.  Detecting
+         * this means checking every VG by scanning every PV on the
+         * system.
+	 */
+	if (pv && is_orphan(pv)) {
+		(void) get_vgs(cmd, 1);
+		pv = pv_read(cmd, name, NULL, NULL, 0);
+	}
+
 	/* Allow partial & exported VGs to be destroyed. */
 	/* We must have -ff to overwrite a non orphan */
 	if (pv && !is_orphan(pv) && arg_count(cmd, force_ARG) != 2) {