diff --git a/pulpcore/app/models/upload.py b/pulpcore/app/models/upload.py
index 5e8a8981f3..90835a086a 100644
--- a/pulpcore/app/models/upload.py
+++ b/pulpcore/app/models/upload.py
@@ -30,11 +30,12 @@ def append(self, chunk, offset, sha256=None):
             offset (int): First byte position to write chunk to.
         """
         chunk_read = chunk.read()
-        current_sha256 = hashlib.sha256(chunk_read).hexdigest()
-        if sha256 and sha256 != current_sha256:
-            raise serializers.ValidationError("Checksum does not match chunk upload.")
+        if sha256:
+            current_sha256 = hashlib.sha256(chunk_read).hexdigest()
+            if sha256 != current_sha256:
+                raise serializers.ValidationError("Checksum does not match chunk upload.")
 
-        upload_chunk = UploadChunk(upload=self, offset=offset, size=len(chunk))
+        upload_chunk = UploadChunk(upload=self, offset=offset, size=len(chunk_read))
         filename = os.path.basename(upload_chunk.storage_path(""))
         upload_chunk.file.save(filename, ContentFile(chunk_read))