diff --git a/safekeeper/src/wal_storage.rs b/safekeeper/src/wal_storage.rs
index cbc5900670..5c6b78a9f8 100644
--- a/safekeeper/src/wal_storage.rs
+++ b/safekeeper/src/wal_storage.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ use crate::state::TimelinePersistentState;
 use crate::wal_backup::{read_object, remote_timeline_path};
 use postgres_ffi::waldecoder::WalStreamDecoder;
 use postgres_ffi::XLogFileName;
-use postgres_ffi::XLOG_BLCKSZ;
 use pq_proto::SystemId;
 use utils::{id::TenantTimelineId, lsn::Lsn};
 
@@ -224,6 +223,15 @@ impl PhysicalStorage {
         )
     }
 
+    /// Call fsync if config requires so.
+    async fn fsync_file(&mut self, file: &File) -> Result<()> {
+        if !self.no_sync {
+            self.metrics
+                .observe_flush_seconds(time_io_closure(file.sync_all()).await?);
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     /// Call fdatasync if config requires so.
     async fn fdatasync_file(&mut self, file: &File) -> Result<()> {
         if !self.no_sync {
@@ -257,11 +265,15 @@ impl PhysicalStorage {
             // half initialized segment, first bake it under tmp filename and
             // then rename.
             let tmp_path = self.timeline_dir.join("waltmp");
-            let mut file = File::create(&tmp_path)
+            let file = File::create(&tmp_path)
                 .await
                 .with_context(|| format!("Failed to open tmp wal file {:?}", &tmp_path))?;
 
-            write_zeroes(&mut file, self.wal_seg_size).await?;
+            fail::fail_point!("sk-zero-segment", |_| {
+                info!("sk-zero-segment failpoint hit");
+                Err(anyhow::anyhow!("failpoint: sk-zero-segment"))
+            });
+            file.set_len(self.wal_seg_size as u64).await?;
 
             match durable_rename(&tmp_path, &wal_file_partial_path, !self.no_sync).await {
                 Ok(fsync_latencies) => {
@@ -494,12 +506,12 @@ impl Storage for PhysicalStorage {
         // Remove all segments after the given LSN.
         remove_segments_from_disk(&self.timeline_dir, self.wal_seg_size, |x| x > segno).await?;
 
-        let (mut file, is_partial) = self.open_or_create(segno).await?;
+        let (file, is_partial) = self.open_or_create(segno).await?;
 
         // Fill end with zeroes
-        file.seek(SeekFrom::Start(xlogoff as u64)).await?;
-        write_zeroes(&mut file, self.wal_seg_size - xlogoff).await?;
-        self.fdatasync_file(&file).await?;
+        file.set_len(xlogoff as u64).await?;
+        file.set_len(self.wal_seg_size as u64).await?;
+        self.fsync_file(&file).await?;
 
         if !is_partial {
             // Make segment partial once again
@@ -759,25 +771,6 @@ impl WalReader {
     }
 }
 
-/// Zero block for filling created WAL segments.
-const ZERO_BLOCK: &[u8] = &[0u8; XLOG_BLCKSZ];
-
-/// Helper for filling file with zeroes.
-async fn write_zeroes(file: &mut File, mut count: usize) -> Result<()> {
-    fail::fail_point!("sk-write-zeroes", |_| {
-        info!("write_zeroes hit failpoint");
-        Err(anyhow::anyhow!("failpoint: sk-write-zeroes"))
-    });
-
-    while count >= XLOG_BLCKSZ {
-        file.write_all(ZERO_BLOCK).await?;
-        count -= XLOG_BLCKSZ;
-    }
-    file.write_all(&ZERO_BLOCK[0..count]).await?;
-    file.flush().await?;
-    Ok(())
-}
-
 /// Helper function for opening WAL segment `segno` in `dir`. Returns file and
 /// whether it is .partial.
 pub(crate) async fn open_wal_file(
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_wal_acceptor_async.py b/test_runner/regress/test_wal_acceptor_async.py
index 92306469f8..f328974264 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_wal_acceptor_async.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_wal_acceptor_async.py
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ async def run_segment_init_failure(env: NeonEnv):
 
     sk = env.safekeepers[0]
     sk_http = sk.http_client()
-    sk_http.configure_failpoints([("sk-write-zeroes", "return")])
+    sk_http.configure_failpoints([("sk-zero-segment", "return")])
     conn = await ep.connect_async()
     ep.safe_psql("select pg_switch_wal()")  # jump to the segment boundary
     # next insertion should hang until failpoint is disabled.