diff --git a/server/filestore.go b/server/filestore.go
index 6925b294..baf39642 100644
--- a/server/filestore.go
+++ b/server/filestore.go
@@ -341,9 +341,10 @@ func newFileStoreWithCreated(fcfg FileStoreConfig, cfg StreamConfig, created tim
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Write our meta data iff does not exist.
+	// Write our meta data if it does not exist or is zero'd out.
 	meta := filepath.Join(fcfg.StoreDir, JetStreamMetaFile)
-	if _, err := os.Stat(meta); err != nil && os.IsNotExist(err) {
+	fi, err := os.Stat(meta)
+	if err != nil && os.IsNotExist(err) || fi != nil && fi.Size() == 0 {
 		if err := fs.writeStreamMeta(); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/server/jetstream_test.go b/server/jetstream_test.go
index 74b645ec..71c519f9 100644
--- a/server/jetstream_test.go
+++ b/server/jetstream_test.go
@@ -19136,3 +19136,80 @@ func TestJetStreamStreamUpdateSubjectsOverlapOthers(t *testing.T) {
 	require_Error(t, err)
 	require_Contains(t, err.Error(), "overlap")
 }
+
+func TestJetStreamMetaDataFailOnKernelFault(t *testing.T) {
+	s := RunBasicJetStreamServer(t)
+	defer s.Shutdown()
+
+	nc, js := jsClientConnect(t, s)
+	defer nc.Close()
+
+	_, err := js.AddStream(&nats.StreamConfig{
+		Name:     "TEST",
+		Subjects: []string{"foo"},
+	})
+	require_NoError(t, err)
+
+	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
+		js.Publish("foo", []byte("OK"))
+	}
+
+	sd := s.JetStreamConfig().StoreDir
+	sdir := filepath.Join(sd, "$G", "streams", "TEST")
+	s.Shutdown()
+
+	// Emulate if the kernel did not flush out to disk the meta information.
+	// so we will zero out both meta.inf and meta.sum.
+	err = os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(sdir, JetStreamMetaFile), nil, defaultFilePerms)
+	require_NoError(t, err)
+
+	err = os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(sdir, JetStreamMetaFileSum), nil, defaultFilePerms)
+	require_NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Restart.
+	s = RunJetStreamServerOnPort(-1, sd)
+	defer s.Shutdown()
+
+	nc, js = jsClientConnect(t, s)
+	defer nc.Close()
+
+	// The stream will have not been recovered. So err is normal.
+	_, err = js.StreamInfo("TEST")
+	require_Error(t, err)
+
+	// Make sure we are signaled here from healthz
+	hs := s.healthz(nil)
+	const expected = "JetStream stream '$G > TEST' could not be recovered"
+	if hs.Status != "unavailable" || hs.Error == _EMPTY_ {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected healthz to return an error")
+	} else if hs.Error != expected {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected healthz error %q got %q", expected, hs.Error)
+	}
+
+	// If we add it back, this should recover the msgs.
+	_, err = js.AddStream(&nats.StreamConfig{
+		Name:     "TEST",
+		Subjects: []string{"foo"},
+	})
+	require_NoError(t, err)
+
+	// Make sure we recovered.
+	si, err := js.StreamInfo("TEST")
+	require_NoError(t, err)
+	require_True(t, si.State.Msgs == 10)
+
+	// Now if we restart the server, meta should be correct,
+	// and the stream should be restored.
+	s.Shutdown()
+
+	s = RunJetStreamServerOnPort(-1, sd)
+	defer s.Shutdown()
+
+	nc, js = jsClientConnect(t, s)
+	defer nc.Close()
+
+	// Make sure we recovered the stream correctly after re-adding.
+	si, err = js.StreamInfo("TEST")
+	require_NoError(t, err)
+	require_True(t, si.State.Msgs == 10)
+}
diff --git a/server/monitor.go b/server/monitor.go
index 427b2581..62beb564 100644
--- a/server/monitor.go
+++ b/server/monitor.go
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
@@ -3044,8 +3046,30 @@ func (s *Server) healthz(opts *HealthzOptions) *HealthStatus {
 
 	cc := js.cluster
 
-	// Currently single server mode this is a no-op.
+	const na = "unavailable"
+
+	// Currently single server we make sure the streams were recovered.
 	if cc == nil || cc.meta == nil {
+		sdir := js.config.StoreDir
+		// Whip through account folders and pull each stream name.
+		fis, _ := os.ReadDir(sdir)
+		for _, fi := range fis {
+			acc, err := s.LookupAccount(fi.Name())
+			if err != nil {
+				health.Status = na
+				health.Error = fmt.Sprintf("JetStream account '%s' could not be resolved", fi.Name())
+				return health
+			}
+			sfis, _ := os.ReadDir(filepath.Join(sdir, fi.Name(), "streams"))
+			for _, sfi := range sfis {
+				stream := sfi.Name()
+				if _, err := acc.lookupStream(stream); err != nil {
+					health.Status = na
+					health.Error = fmt.Sprintf("JetStream stream '%s > %s' could not be recovered", acc, stream)
+					return health
+				}
+			}
+		}
 		return health
 	}
 
@@ -3055,13 +3079,13 @@ func (s *Server) healthz(opts *HealthzOptions) *HealthStatus {
 
 	// If no meta leader.
 	if meta.GroupLeader() == _EMPTY_ {
-		health.Status = "unavailable"
+		health.Status = na
 		health.Error = "JetStream has not established contact with a meta leader"
 		return health
 	}
 	// If we are not current with the meta leader.
 	if !meta.Current() {
-		health.Status = "unavailable"
+		health.Status = na
 		health.Error = "JetStream is not current with the meta leader"
 		return health
 	}
@@ -3078,7 +3102,7 @@ func (s *Server) healthz(opts *HealthzOptions) *HealthStatus {
 			if sa.Group.isMember(ourID) {
 				// Make sure we can look up
 				if !cc.isStreamCurrent(acc, stream) {
-					health.Status = "unavailable"
+					health.Status = na
 					health.Error = fmt.Sprintf("JetStream stream '%s > %s' is not current", acc, stream)
 					return health
 				}
@@ -3086,7 +3110,7 @@ func (s *Server) healthz(opts *HealthzOptions) *HealthStatus {
 				for consumer, ca := range sa.consumers {
 					if ca.Group.isMember(ourID) {
 						if !cc.isConsumerCurrent(acc, stream, consumer) {
-							health.Status = "unavailable"
+							health.Status = na
 							health.Error = fmt.Sprintf("JetStream consumer '%s > %s > %s' is not current", acc, stream, consumer)
 							return health
 						}