diff --git a/pkg/blockstore/blockstore_cache.go b/pkg/blockstore/blockstore_cache.go
index dc6ba26bc..8b72fa5a8 100644
--- a/pkg/blockstore/blockstore_cache.go
+++ b/pkg/blockstore/blockstore_cache.go
@@ -43,6 +43,20 @@ type CacheEntry struct {
 	DataEntries []*DataCacheEntry
 }
 
+// for testing
+func (s *BlockStore) getCacheSize() int {
+	s.Lock.Lock()
+	defer s.Lock.Unlock()
+	return len(s.Cache)
+}
+
+// for testing
+func (s *BlockStore) clearCache() {
+	s.Lock.Lock()
+	defer s.Lock.Unlock()
+	s.Cache = make(map[cacheKey]*CacheEntry)
+}
+
 func (e *CacheEntry) ensurePart(partIdx int, create bool) *DataCacheEntry {
 	for len(e.DataEntries) <= partIdx {
 		e.DataEntries = append(e.DataEntries, nil)
diff --git a/pkg/blockstore/blockstore_test.go b/pkg/blockstore/blockstore_test.go
index 2fad077f1..4f4dec6a8 100644
--- a/pkg/blockstore/blockstore_test.go
+++ b/pkg/blockstore/blockstore_test.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ func cleanupDb(t *testing.T) {
 	globalDBErr = nil
 	useTestingDb = false
 	partDataSize = DefaultPartDataSize
+	GBS.clearCache()
 }
 
 func TestCreate(t *testing.T) {
@@ -77,3 +78,45 @@ func TestCreate(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("opts not empty")
 	}
 }
+
+func checkMapsEqual(t *testing.T, m1 map[string]any, m2 map[string]any, msg string) {
+	if len(m1) != len(m2) {
+		t.Errorf("%s: map length mismatch", msg)
+	}
+	for k, v := range m1 {
+		if m2[k] != v {
+			t.Errorf("%s: value mismatch for key %q", msg, k)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSetMeta(t *testing.T) {
+	initDb(t)
+	defer cleanupDb(t)
+
+	ctx, cancelFn := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancelFn()
+	blockId := uuid.New().String()
+	err := GBS.MakeFile(ctx, blockId, "testfile", nil, FileOptsType{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error creating file: %v", err)
+	}
+	if GBS.getCacheSize() != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("cache size mismatch -- should have 0 entries after create")
+	}
+	err = GBS.WriteMeta(ctx, blockId, "testfile", map[string]any{"a": 5, "b": "hello"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error setting meta: %v", err)
+	}
+	file, err := GBS.Stat(ctx, blockId, "testfile")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error stating file: %v", err)
+	}
+	if file == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("file not found")
+	}
+	checkMapsEqual(t, map[string]any{"a": 5, "b": "hello"}, file.Meta, "meta")
+	if GBS.getCacheSize() != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("cache size mismatch")
+	}
+}