diff --git a/block/commit.c b/block/commit.c
index 14e5bb3..62ca90b 100644
--- a/block/commit.c
+++ b/block/commit.c
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ static int coroutine_fn commit_run(Job *job, Error **errp)
             break;
         }
         /* Copy if allocated above the base */
-        ret = bdrv_is_allocated_above(blk_bs(s->top), blk_bs(s->base),
+        ret = bdrv_is_allocated_above(blk_bs(s->top), blk_bs(s->base), false,
                                       offset, COMMIT_BUFFER_SIZE, &n);
         copy = (ret == 1);
         trace_commit_one_iteration(s, offset, n, ret);
diff --git a/block/io.c b/block/io.c
index 3134a60..43cefc3 100644
--- a/block/io.c
+++ b/block/io.c
@@ -2287,10 +2287,11 @@ int coroutine_fn bdrv_is_allocated(BlockDriverState *bs, int64_t offset,
 /*
  * Given an image chain: ... -> [BASE] -> [INTER1] -> [INTER2] -> [TOP]
  *
- * Return true if (a prefix of) the given range is allocated in any image
- * between BASE and TOP (inclusive).  BASE can be NULL to check if the given
- * offset is allocated in any image of the chain.  Return false otherwise,
- * or negative errno on failure.
+ * Return 1 if (a prefix of) the given range is allocated in any image
+ * between BASE and TOP (BASE is only included if include_base is set).
+ * BASE can be NULL to check if the given offset is allocated in any
+ * image of the chain.  Return 0 otherwise, or negative errno on
+ * failure.
  *
  * 'pnum' is set to the number of bytes (including and immediately
  * following the specified offset) that are known to be in the same
@@ -2302,17 +2303,21 @@ int coroutine_fn bdrv_is_allocated(BlockDriverState *bs, int64_t offset,
  */
 int bdrv_is_allocated_above(BlockDriverState *top,
                             BlockDriverState *base,
-                            int64_t offset, int64_t bytes, int64_t *pnum)
+                            bool include_base, int64_t offset,
+                            int64_t bytes, int64_t *pnum)
 {
     BlockDriverState *intermediate;
     int ret;
     int64_t n = bytes;
 
+    assert(base || !include_base);
+
     intermediate = top;
-    while (intermediate && intermediate != base) {
+    while (include_base || intermediate != base) {
         int64_t pnum_inter;
         int64_t size_inter;
 
+        assert(intermediate);
         ret = bdrv_is_allocated(intermediate, offset, bytes, &pnum_inter);
         if (ret < 0) {
             return ret;
@@ -2331,6 +2336,10 @@ int bdrv_is_allocated_above(BlockDriverState *top,
             n = pnum_inter;
         }
 
+        if (intermediate == base) {
+            break;
+        }
+
         intermediate = backing_bs(intermediate);
     }
 
diff --git a/block/mirror.c b/block/mirror.c
index ec4bd9f..81c2967 100644
--- a/block/mirror.c
+++ b/block/mirror.c
@@ -807,7 +807,7 @@ static int coroutine_fn mirror_dirty_init(MirrorBlockJob *s)
             return 0;
         }
 
-        ret = bdrv_is_allocated_above(bs, base, offset, bytes, &count);
+        ret = bdrv_is_allocated_above(bs, base, false, offset, bytes, &count);
         if (ret < 0) {
             return ret;
         }
diff --git a/block/replication.c b/block/replication.c
index 3d4dedd..fc8d2ad 100644
--- a/block/replication.c
+++ b/block/replication.c
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ static coroutine_fn int replication_co_writev(BlockDriverState *bs,
     while (remaining_sectors > 0) {
         int64_t count;
 
-        ret = bdrv_is_allocated_above(top->bs, base->bs,
+        ret = bdrv_is_allocated_above(top->bs, base->bs, false,
                                       sector_num * BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE,
                                       remaining_sectors * BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE,
                                       &count);
diff --git a/block/stream.c b/block/stream.c
index 1a906fd..97fddb2 100644
--- a/block/stream.c
+++ b/block/stream.c
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ static int coroutine_fn stream_run(Job *job, Error **errp)
         } else if (ret >= 0) {
             /* Copy if allocated in the intermediate images.  Limit to the
              * known-unallocated area [offset, offset+n*BDRV_SECTOR_SIZE).  */
-            ret = bdrv_is_allocated_above(backing_bs(bs), base,
+            ret = bdrv_is_allocated_above(backing_bs(bs), base, false,
                                           offset, n, &n);
 
             /* Finish early if end of backing file has been reached */
diff --git a/include/block/block.h b/include/block/block.h
index 9b083e2..e19b972 100644
--- a/include/block/block.h
+++ b/include/block/block.h
@@ -443,7 +443,8 @@ int bdrv_block_status_above(BlockDriverState *bs, BlockDriverState *base,
 int bdrv_is_allocated(BlockDriverState *bs, int64_t offset, int64_t bytes,
                       int64_t *pnum);
 int bdrv_is_allocated_above(BlockDriverState *top, BlockDriverState *base,
-                            int64_t offset, int64_t bytes, int64_t *pnum);
+                            bool include_base, int64_t offset, int64_t bytes,
+                            int64_t *pnum);
 
 bool bdrv_is_read_only(BlockDriverState *bs);
 int bdrv_can_set_read_only(BlockDriverState *bs, bool read_only,
