diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index 69517fced..b58a718b3 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ created by v1.90.0 or newer versions. The solution is to upgrade to v1.90.0 or n
 * BUGFIX: allow using dashes and dots in environment variables names referred in config files via `%{ENV-VAR.SYNTAX}`. See [these docs](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#environment-variables) and [this issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/3999).
 * BUGFIX: return back query performance scalability on hosts with big number of CPU cores. The scalability has been reduced in [v1.86.0](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/CHANGELOG.html#v1860). See [this issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/3966).
 * BUGFIX: [MetricsQL](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/MetricsQL.html): properly convert [VictoriaMetrics historgram buckets](https://valyala.medium.com/improving-histogram-usability-for-prometheus-and-grafana-bc7e5df0e350) to Prometheus histogram buckets when VictoriaMetrics histogram contain zero buckets. Previously these buckets were ignored, and this could lead to missing Prometheus histogram buckets after the conversion. Thanks to @zklapow for [the fix](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/pull/4021).
+* BUGFIX: prevent unexpected merges on start-up when `-storage.minFreeDiskSpaceBytes` is set. See [the issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/4023).
 * BUGFIX: properly support comma-separated filters inside [retention filters](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/#retention-filters). See [this issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/3915).
 * BUGFIX: verify response code when fetching configuration files via HTTP. See [this issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/4034).
 * BUGFIX: [vmalert](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/vmalert.html): replace empty labels with "" instead of "<no value>" during templating, as Prometheus does. See [this issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/4012).
diff --git a/lib/storage/storage.go b/lib/storage/storage.go
index eeb8e15bd..e29e9fa4c 100644
--- a/lib/storage/storage.go
+++ b/lib/storage/storage.go
@@ -252,6 +252,10 @@ func OpenStorage(path string, retentionMsecs int64, maxHourlySeries, maxDailySer
 	s.setDeletedMetricIDs(dmisCurr)
 	s.updateDeletedMetricIDs(dmisPrev)
 
+	// check for free disk space before opening the table
+	// to prevent unexpected part merges. See https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/4023
+	s.startFreeDiskSpaceWatcher()
+
 	// Load data
 	tablePath := filepath.Join(path, dataDirname)
 	tb, err := openTable(tablePath, s)
@@ -264,7 +268,6 @@ func OpenStorage(path string, retentionMsecs int64, maxHourlySeries, maxDailySer
 	s.startCurrHourMetricIDsUpdater()
 	s.startNextDayMetricIDsUpdater()
 	s.startRetentionWatcher()
-	s.startFreeDiskSpaceWatcher()
 
 	return s, nil
 }