diff --git a/messaging/broker.go b/messaging/broker.go
index 73f13f602b..4d0408ca95 100644
--- a/messaging/broker.go
+++ b/messaging/broker.go
@@ -1260,7 +1260,7 @@ func (r *TopicReader) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
 		if err == ErrReaderClosed {
 			return 0, io.EOF
 		} else if err != nil {
-			return 0, fmt.Errorf("file: %s", err)
+			return 0, err
 		} else if f == nil {
 			if r.streaming {
 				time.Sleep(r.PollInterval)
@@ -1306,6 +1306,8 @@ func (r *TopicReader) File() (*os.File, error) {
 		segment, err := ReadSegmentByIndex(r.path, r.index)
 		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
 			return nil, nil
+		} else if err == ErrTopicTruncated {
+			return nil, err
 		} else if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("segment by index: %s", err)
 		} else if segment == nil {
@@ -1551,7 +1553,7 @@ func (dec *MessageDecoder) Decode(m *Message) error {
 		warnf("unexpected eof(0): len=%d, n=%d, err=%s", len(b[:]), n, err)
 		return err
 	} else if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("read header: %s", err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	// Read checksum.
diff --git a/messaging/broker_test.go b/messaging/broker_test.go
index 55c37750ec..b55316bd7a 100644
--- a/messaging/broker_test.go
+++ b/messaging/broker_test.go
@@ -797,6 +797,70 @@ func TestTopicReader_streaming(t *testing.T) {
 	r.Close()
 }
 
+// Ensure a topic reader correctly deals with truncated topics.
+func TestTopicReader_Truncated(t *testing.T) {
+	path, _ := ioutil.TempDir("", "")
+	defer os.RemoveAll(path)
+
+	// Generate segments in directory.
+	MustWriteFile(filepath.Join(path, "6"),
+		MustMarshalMessages([]*messaging.Message{
+			{Index: 6},
+			{Index: 7},
+			{Index: 10},
+		}),
+	)
+	MustWriteFile(filepath.Join(path, "12"),
+		MustMarshalMessages([]*messaging.Message{
+			{Index: 12},
+		}),
+	)
+
+	// Simulate a prior truncation.
+	MustWriteFile(filepath.Join(path, "tombstone"), []byte{})
+
+	// Execute table tests.
+	for i, tt := range []struct {
+		index   uint64   // starting index
+		results []uint64 // returned indices
+		err     error    // expected error. Ignored if not set.
+	}{
+		{index: 0, results: []uint64{}, err: messaging.ErrTopicTruncated},
+		{index: 6, results: []uint64{6, 7, 10, 12}},
+		{index: 7, results: []uint64{7, 10, 12}},
+		{index: 9, results: []uint64{10, 12}},
+		{index: 10, results: []uint64{10, 12}},
+		{index: 11, results: []uint64{12}},
+		{index: 12, results: []uint64{12}},
+		{index: 13, results: []uint64{}},
+	} {
+		// Start topic reader from an index.
+		r := messaging.NewTopicReader(path, tt.index, false)
+
+		// Slurp all message ids from the reader.
+		results := make([]uint64, 0)
+		dec := messaging.NewMessageDecoder(r)
+		for {
+			m := &messaging.Message{}
+			if err := dec.Decode(m); err == io.EOF {
+				break
+			} else if err != nil {
+				if tt.err != nil && tt.err == err {
+					break
+				}
+				t.Fatalf("%d. decode error: %s", i, err)
+			} else {
+				results = append(results, m.Index)
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Verify the retrieved indices match what's expected.
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(results, tt.results) {
+			t.Fatalf("%d. %v: result mismatch:\n\nexp=%#v\n\ngot=%#v", i, tt.index, tt.results, results)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // Ensure multiple topic readers can read from the same topic directory.
 func BenchmarkTopicReaderStreaming(b *testing.B) {
 	path, _ := ioutil.TempDir("", "")