diff --git a/ndctl/namespace.c b/ndctl/namespace.c
index 257b58c..4555a63 100644
--- a/ndctl/namespace.c
+++ b/ndctl/namespace.c
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ static int set_defaults(enum device_action action)
 			break;
 		}
 	} else if (action == ACTION_WRITE_INFOBLOCK) {
-		param.mode = "fsdax";
+		param.mode = "unknown";
 	} else if (!param.reconfig && param.type) {
 		if (strcmp(param.type, "pmem") == 0)
 			param.mode = "fsdax";
@@ -1750,70 +1750,105 @@ err:
 
 #define INFOBLOCK_SZ SZ_8K
 
-static int parse_namespace_infoblock(char *_buf, struct ndctl_namespace *ndns,
+static int ns_info_init(struct ns_info *ns_info)
+{
+	char *buf = NULL;
+
+	if (!ns_info)
+		return -EINVAL;
+	buf = calloc(1, INFOBLOCK_SZ);
+	if (!buf)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	ns_info->ns_sb_buf = buf;
+	ns_info->mode = NDCTL_NS_MODE_UNKNOWN;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void ns_info_destroy(struct ns_info *ns_info)
+{
+	if (ns_info && ns_info->ns_sb_buf)
+		free(ns_info->ns_sb_buf);
+}
+
+static int parse_namespace_infoblock(struct ns_info *ns_info, struct ndctl_namespace *ndns,
 		const char *path, struct read_infoblock_ctx *ri_ctx)
 {
 	int rc;
-	void *buf = _buf;
+	void *buf = ns_info->ns_sb_buf;
 	unsigned long flags = param.human ? UTIL_JSON_HUMAN : 0;
 	struct btt_sb *btt1_sb = buf + SZ_4K, *btt2_sb = buf;
-	struct json_object *jblock = NULL, *jblocks = ri_ctx->jblocks;
+	struct json_object *jblock = NULL, *jblocks = NULL;
 	struct pfn_sb *pfn_sb = buf + SZ_4K, *dax_sb = buf + SZ_4K;
 
-	if (!param.json && !param.human) {
-		rc = fwrite(buf, 1, INFOBLOCK_SZ, ri_ctx->f_out);
-		if (rc != INFOBLOCK_SZ)
-			return -EIO;
-		fflush(ri_ctx->f_out);
-		return 0;
-	}
+	if (ri_ctx) {
+		jblocks = ri_ctx->jblocks;
+
+		if (!param.json && !param.human) {
+			rc = fwrite(buf, 1, INFOBLOCK_SZ, ri_ctx->f_out);
+			if (rc != INFOBLOCK_SZ)
+				return -EIO;
+			fflush(ri_ctx->f_out);
+			return 0;
+		}
 
-	if (!jblocks) {
-		jblocks = json_object_new_array();
-		if (!jblocks)
-			return -ENOMEM;
-		ri_ctx->jblocks = jblocks;
+		if (!jblocks) {
+			jblocks = json_object_new_array();
+			if (!jblocks)
+				return -ENOMEM;
+			ri_ctx->jblocks = jblocks;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (memcmp(btt1_sb->signature, BTT_SIG, BTT_SIG_LEN) == 0) {
-		jblock = btt_parse(btt1_sb, ndns, path, flags);
-		if (jblock)
-			json_object_array_add(jblocks, jblock);
+		ns_info->offset = BTT1_START_OFFSET;
+		ns_info->mode = NDCTL_NS_MODE_SECTOR;
+		if (ri_ctx) {
+			jblock = btt_parse(btt1_sb, ndns, path, flags);
+			if (jblock)
+				json_object_array_add(jblocks, jblock);
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (memcmp(btt2_sb->signature, BTT_SIG, BTT_SIG_LEN) == 0) {
-		jblock = btt_parse(btt2_sb, ndns, path, flags);
-		if (jblock)
-			json_object_array_add(jblocks, jblock);
+		ns_info->offset = BTT2_START_OFFSET;
+		ns_info->mode = NDCTL_NS_MODE_SECTOR;
+		if (ri_ctx) {
+			jblock = btt_parse(btt2_sb, ndns, path, flags);
+			if (jblock)
+				json_object_array_add(jblocks, jblock);
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (memcmp(pfn_sb->signature, PFN_SIG, PFN_SIG_LEN) == 0) {
-		jblock = pfn_parse(pfn_sb, ndns, path, flags);
-		if (jblock)
-			json_object_array_add(jblocks, jblock);
+		ns_info->offset = SZ_4K;
+		ns_info->mode = NDCTL_NS_MODE_FSDAX;
+		if (ri_ctx) {
+			jblock = pfn_parse(pfn_sb, ndns, path, flags);
+			if (jblock)
+				json_object_array_add(jblocks, jblock);
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (memcmp(dax_sb->signature, DAX_SIG, PFN_SIG_LEN) == 0) {
-		jblock = pfn_parse(dax_sb, ndns, path, flags);
-		if (jblock)
-			json_object_array_add(jblocks, jblock);
+		ns_info->offset = SZ_4K;
+		ns_info->mode = NDCTL_NS_MODE_DEVDAX;
+		if (ri_ctx) {
+			jblock = pfn_parse(dax_sb, ndns, path, flags);
+			if (jblock)
+				json_object_array_add(jblocks, jblock);
+		}
 	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
 static int file_read_infoblock(const char *path, struct ndctl_namespace *ndns,
-		struct read_infoblock_ctx *ri_ctx)
+		struct read_infoblock_ctx *ri_ctx, struct ns_info *ns_info)
 {
 	const char *devname = ndns ? ndctl_namespace_get_devname(ndns) : "";
 	const char *cmd = "read-infoblock";
-	void *buf = NULL;
 	int fd = -1, rc;
 
-	buf = calloc(1, INFOBLOCK_SZ);
-	if (!buf)
-		return -ENOMEM;
-
 	if (!path) {
 		fd = STDIN_FILENO;
 		path = "<stdin>";
@@ -1827,7 +1862,7 @@ static int file_read_infoblock(const char *path, struct ndctl_namespace *ndns,
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	rc = read(fd, buf, INFOBLOCK_SZ);
+	rc = read(fd, ns_info->ns_sb_buf, INFOBLOCK_SZ);
 	if (rc < INFOBLOCK_SZ) {
 		pr_verbose("%s: %s failed to read %s: %s\n",
 				cmd, devname, path, strerror(errno));
@@ -1837,10 +1872,8 @@ static int file_read_infoblock(const char *path, struct ndctl_namespace *ndns,
 			rc = -EIO;
 		goto out;
 	}
-
-	rc = parse_namespace_infoblock(buf, ndns, path, ri_ctx);
+	rc = parse_namespace_infoblock(ns_info, ndns, path, ri_ctx);
 out:
-	free(buf);
 	if (fd >= 0 && fd != STDIN_FILENO)
 		close(fd);
 	return rc;
@@ -1857,10 +1890,10 @@ static unsigned long PHYS_PFN(unsigned long long phys)
 
 /* Derived from nd_pfn_init() in kernel version v5.5 */
 static int write_pfn_sb(int fd, unsigned long long size, const char *sig,
-		void *buf)
+		struct ns_info *ns_info)
 {
 	unsigned long npfns, align, pfn_align;
-	struct pfn_sb *pfn_sb = buf + SZ_4K;
+	struct pfn_sb *pfn_sb = ns_info->ns_sb_buf + SZ_4K;
 	unsigned long long start, offset;
 	uuid_t uuid, parent_uuid;
 	u32 end_trunc, start_pad;
@@ -1874,24 +1907,60 @@ static int write_pfn_sb(int fd, unsigned long long size, const char *sig,
 	align = max(pfn_align, SUBSECTION_SIZE);
 	if (param.uuid)
 		uuid_parse(param.uuid, uuid);
-	else
-		uuid_generate(uuid);
-
+	else {
+		switch (ns_info->mode) {
+		case NDCTL_NS_MODE_FSDAX:
+		case NDCTL_NS_MODE_DEVDAX:
+			memcpy(uuid,
+				((struct pfn_sb *)(ns_info->ns_sb_buf + ns_info->offset))->uuid,
+				sizeof(uuid_t));
+			break;
+		case NDCTL_NS_MODE_SECTOR:
+			memcpy(uuid,
+				((struct btt_sb *)(ns_info->ns_sb_buf + ns_info->offset))->uuid,
+				sizeof(uuid_t));
+			break;
+		default:
+			uuid_generate(uuid);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
 	if (param.parent_uuid)
 		uuid_parse(param.parent_uuid, parent_uuid);
-	else
-		memset(parent_uuid, 0, sizeof(uuid_t));
+	else {
+		switch (ns_info->mode) {
+		case NDCTL_NS_MODE_FSDAX:
+		case NDCTL_NS_MODE_DEVDAX:
+			memcpy(parent_uuid,
+				((struct pfn_sb *)(ns_info->ns_sb_buf + ns_info->offset))->
+				parent_uuid, sizeof(uuid_t));
+			break;
+		case NDCTL_NS_MODE_SECTOR:
+			memcpy(parent_uuid,
+				((struct btt_sb *)(ns_info->ns_sb_buf + ns_info->offset))->
+				parent_uuid, sizeof(uuid_t));
+			break;
+		default:
+			memset(parent_uuid, 0, sizeof(uuid_t));
+			break;
+		}
+	}
 
 	if (strcmp(param.map, "dev") == 0)
 		mode = PFN_MODE_PMEM;
 	else
 		mode = PFN_MODE_RAM;
 
+	// If originally the namespace was of sector type with backup
+	// infoblock offset 0, resetting those bits.
+	memset(ns_info->ns_sb_buf, 0, SZ_4K);
+
 	/*
 	 * Unlike the kernel implementation always set start_pad and
 	 * end_trunc relative to the specified --offset= option to allow
 	 * testing legacy / "buggy" configurations.
 	 */
+
 	start_pad = ALIGN(start, align) - start;
 	end_trunc = start + size - ALIGN_DOWN(start + size, align);
 	if (mode == PFN_MODE_PMEM) {
@@ -1933,17 +2002,16 @@ static int write_pfn_sb(int fd, unsigned long long size, const char *sig,
 	checksum = fletcher64(pfn_sb, sizeof(*pfn_sb), 0);
 	pfn_sb->checksum = cpu_to_le64(checksum);
 
-	rc = write(fd, buf, INFOBLOCK_SZ);
+	rc = write(fd, ns_info->ns_sb_buf, INFOBLOCK_SZ);
 	if (rc < INFOBLOCK_SZ)
 		return -EIO;
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int file_write_infoblock(const char *path)
+static int file_write_infoblock(const char *path, struct ns_info *ns_info)
 {
 	unsigned long long size = parse_size64(param.size);
 	int fd = -1, rc;
-	void *buf;
 
 	if (param.std_out)
 		fd = STDOUT_FILENO;
@@ -1980,25 +2048,30 @@ static int file_write_infoblock(const char *path)
 		}
 	}
 
-	buf = calloc(INFOBLOCK_SZ, 1);
-	if (!buf) {
-		rc = -ENOMEM;
-		goto out;
-	}
-
 	switch (util_nsmode(param.mode)) {
 	case NDCTL_NS_MODE_FSDAX:
-		rc = write_pfn_sb(fd, size, PFN_SIG, buf);
+		rc = write_pfn_sb(fd, size, PFN_SIG, ns_info);
 		break;
 	case NDCTL_NS_MODE_DEVDAX:
-		rc = write_pfn_sb(fd, size, DAX_SIG, buf);
+		rc = write_pfn_sb(fd, size, DAX_SIG, ns_info);
+		break;
+	case NDCTL_NS_MODE_UNKNOWN:
+		switch (ns_info->mode) {
+		case NDCTL_NS_MODE_FSDAX:
+			rc = write_pfn_sb(fd, size, PFN_SIG, ns_info);
+			break;
+		case NDCTL_NS_MODE_DEVDAX:
+			rc = write_pfn_sb(fd, size, DAX_SIG, ns_info);
+			break;
+		default:
+			rc = -EINVAL;
+			break;
+		}
 		break;
 	default:
 		rc = -EINVAL;
 		break;
 	}
-
-	free(buf);
 out:
 	if (fd >= 0 && fd != STDOUT_FILENO)
 		close(fd);
@@ -2029,9 +2102,9 @@ static int namespace_rw_infoblock(struct ndctl_namespace *ndns,
 	uuid_t uuid;
 	char str[40];
 	char path[50];
-	const char *save;
 	const char *cmd = write ? "write-infoblock" : "read-infoblock";
 	const char *devname = ndctl_namespace_get_devname(ndns);
+	struct ns_info ns_info;
 
 	if (ndctl_namespace_is_active(ndns)) {
 		pr_verbose("%s: %s enabled, must be disabled\n", cmd, devname);
@@ -2045,21 +2118,22 @@ static int namespace_rw_infoblock(struct ndctl_namespace *ndns,
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	save = param.parent_uuid;
-	if (!param.parent_uuid) {
-		ndctl_namespace_get_uuid(ndns, uuid);
-		uuid_unparse(uuid, str);
-		param.parent_uuid = str;
-	}
-
 	sprintf(path, "/dev/%s", ndctl_namespace_get_block_device(ndns));
-	if (write) {
+	if (ns_info_init(&ns_info) != 0)
+		goto out;
+
+	rc = file_read_infoblock(path, ndns, ri_ctx, &ns_info);
+	if (!rc && write) {
 		unsigned long long align;
 		bool align_provided = true;
 
 		if (!param.align) {
 			align = ndctl_get_default_alignment(ndns);
-
+			if (ns_info.mode == NDCTL_NS_MODE_FSDAX ||
+					ns_info.mode == NDCTL_NS_MODE_DEVDAX) {
+				align = ((struct pfn_sb *)(ns_info.ns_sb_buf + ns_info.offset))->
+					align;
+			}
 			if (asprintf((char **)&param.align, "%llu", align) < 0) {
 				rc = -EINVAL;
 				goto out;
@@ -2078,18 +2152,16 @@ static int namespace_rw_infoblock(struct ndctl_namespace *ndns,
 				rc = -EINVAL;
 			}
 		}
-
 		if (!rc)
-			rc = file_write_infoblock(path);
+			rc = file_write_infoblock(path, &ns_info);
 
 		if (!align_provided) {
 			free((char *)param.align);
 			param.align = NULL;
 		}
-	} else
-		rc = file_read_infoblock(path, ndns, ri_ctx);
-	param.parent_uuid = save;
+	}
 out:
+	ns_info_destroy(&ns_info);
 	ndctl_namespace_set_raw_mode(ndns, 0);
 	ndctl_namespace_disable_invalidate(ndns);
 	return rc;
@@ -2121,11 +2193,17 @@ static int do_xaction_namespace(const char *namespace,
 		}
 
 		if (param.infile || !namespace) {
-			rc = file_read_infoblock(param.infile, NULL, &ri_ctx);
-			if (ri_ctx.jblocks)
-				util_display_json_array(ri_ctx.f_out, ri_ctx.jblocks, 0);
-			if (rc >= 0)
-				(*processed)++;
+			struct ns_info ns_info;
+
+			rc = ns_info_init(&ns_info);
+			if (!rc) {
+				rc = file_read_infoblock(param.infile, NULL, &ri_ctx, &ns_info);
+				if (ri_ctx.jblocks)
+					util_display_json_array(ri_ctx.f_out, ri_ctx.jblocks, 0);
+				if (rc >= 0)
+					(*processed)++;
+			}
+			ns_info_destroy(&ns_info);
 			return rc;
 		}
 	}
@@ -2133,10 +2211,15 @@ static int do_xaction_namespace(const char *namespace,
 	if (action == ACTION_WRITE_INFOBLOCK && !namespace) {
 		if (!param.align)
 			param.align = "2M";
+		struct ns_info ns_info;
 
-		rc = file_write_infoblock(param.outfile);
-		if (rc >= 0)
-			(*processed)++;
+		rc = ns_info_init(&ns_info);
+		if (!rc) {
+			rc = file_write_infoblock(param.outfile, &ns_info);
+			if (rc >= 0)
+				(*processed)++;
+		}
+		ns_info_destroy(&ns_info);
 		return rc;
 	}
 
@@ -2447,3 +2530,5 @@ int cmd_write_infoblock(int argc, const char **argv, struct ndctl_ctx *ctx)
 	fprintf(stderr, "wrote %d infoblock%s\n", write, write == 1 ? "" : "s");
 	return rc;
 }
+
+
diff --git a/ndctl/namespace.h b/ndctl/namespace.h
index 57735eb..a406c18 100644
--- a/ndctl/namespace.h
+++ b/ndctl/namespace.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <util/fletcher.h>
 #include <ccan/endian/endian.h>
 #include <ccan/short_types/short_types.h>
+#include <ndctl/libndctl.h>
 
 enum {
 	NSINDEX_SIG_LEN = 16,
@@ -233,6 +234,12 @@ union info_block {
 	struct btt_sb btt_sb;
 };
 
+struct ns_info {
+	void *ns_sb_buf;
+	enum ndctl_namespace_mode mode;
+	size_t offset;
+};
+
 static inline bool verify_infoblock_checksum(union info_block *sb)
 {
 	uint64_t sum;
