diff --git a/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs b/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs
index 541704e8d6..762e903bf8 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline.rs
@@ -66,12 +66,12 @@ use std::{
     ops::{Deref, Range},
 };
 
-use crate::pgdatadir_mapping::MAX_AUX_FILE_V2_DELTAS;
 use crate::{
     aux_file::AuxFileSizeEstimator,
     tenant::{
         layer_map::{LayerMap, SearchResult},
         metadata::TimelineMetadata,
+        storage_layer::PersistentLayerDesc,
     },
 };
 use crate::{
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ use crate::{
     metrics::ScanLatencyOngoingRecording, tenant::timeline::logical_size::CurrentLogicalSize,
 };
 use crate::{pgdatadir_mapping::LsnForTimestamp, tenant::tasks::BackgroundLoopKind};
+use crate::{pgdatadir_mapping::MAX_AUX_FILE_V2_DELTAS, tenant::storage_layer::PersistentLayerKey};
 use crate::{
     pgdatadir_mapping::{AuxFilesDirectory, DirectoryKind},
     virtual_file::{MaybeFatalIo, VirtualFile},
@@ -4572,6 +4573,22 @@ impl Timeline {
                     start = img_range.end;
                     continue;
                 }
+            } else if let ImageLayerCreationMode::Force = mode {
+                // When forced to create image layers, we might try and create them where they already
+                // exist.  This mode is only used in tests/debug.
+                let layers = self.layers.read().await;
+                if layers.contains_key(&PersistentLayerKey {
+                    key_range: img_range.clone(),
+                    lsn_range: PersistentLayerDesc::image_layer_lsn_range(lsn),
+                    is_delta: false,
+                }) {
+                    tracing::info!(
+                        "Skipping image layer at {lsn} {}..{}, already exists",
+                        img_range.start,
+                        img_range.end
+                    );
+                    continue;
+                }
             }
 
             let image_layer_writer = ImageLayerWriter::new(
diff --git a/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline/layer_manager.rs b/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline/layer_manager.rs
index 948237e06a..a43ff873ac 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline/layer_manager.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/tenant/timeline/layer_manager.rs
@@ -339,6 +339,10 @@ impl LayerManager {
         self.layer_fmgr.contains(layer)
     }
 
+    pub(crate) fn contains_key(&self, key: &PersistentLayerKey) -> bool {
+        self.layer_fmgr.contains_key(key)
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn all_persistent_layers(&self) -> Vec<PersistentLayerKey> {
         self.layer_fmgr.0.keys().cloned().collect_vec()
     }
@@ -363,6 +367,10 @@ impl<T: AsLayerDesc + Clone> LayerFileManager<T> {
             .clone()
     }
 
+    fn contains_key(&self, key: &PersistentLayerKey) -> bool {
+        self.0.contains_key(key)
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn insert(&mut self, layer: T) {
         let present = self.0.insert(layer.layer_desc().key(), layer.clone());
         if present.is_some() && cfg!(debug_assertions) {
diff --git a/test_runner/regress/test_sharding.py b/test_runner/regress/test_sharding.py
index d414f986e6..4471237900 100644
--- a/test_runner/regress/test_sharding.py
+++ b/test_runner/regress/test_sharding.py
@@ -225,6 +225,12 @@ def test_sharding_split_compaction(neon_env_builder: NeonEnvBuilder, failpoint:
     workload.validate()
     workload.stop()
 
+    # Do a full image layer generation before splitting, so that when we compact after splitting
+    # we should only see sizes decrease (from post-split drops/rewrites), not increase (from image layer generation)
+    env.get_tenant_pageserver(tenant_id).http_client().timeline_compact(
+        tenant_id, timeline_id, force_image_layer_creation=True, wait_until_uploaded=True
+    )
+
     # Split one shard into two
     shards = env.storage_controller.tenant_shard_split(tenant_id, shard_count=2)