diff --git a/fs/accounting/accounting.go b/fs/accounting/accounting.go
index 587683e49..36602568a 100644
--- a/fs/accounting/accounting.go
+++ b/fs/accounting/accounting.go
@@ -521,9 +521,17 @@ type accountWriteTo struct {
 func (awt *accountWriteTo) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	bytesUntilLimit, err := awt.acc.checkReadBefore()
 	if err == nil {
+		// Truncate the write to the transfer limit
+		truncated := int64(len(p)) > bytesUntilLimit
+		if truncated {
+			p = p[:bytesUntilLimit]
+		}
 		n, err = awt.w.Write(p)
 		n, err = awt.acc.checkReadAfter(bytesUntilLimit, n, err)
 		awt.acc.accountRead(n)
+		if truncated && err == nil {
+			err = ErrorMaxTransferLimitReachedFatal
+		}
 	}
 	return n, err
 }
diff --git a/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go b/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go
index c8c933d37..af01b0f79 100644
--- a/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go
+++ b/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go
@@ -321,6 +321,8 @@ func TestAccountMaxTransferWriteTo(t *testing.T) {
 	n, err := acc.WriteTo(&b)
 	assert.Equal(t, int64(15), n)
 	assert.Equal(t, ErrorMaxTransferLimitReachedFatal, err)
+	// Nothing past the limit must reach the writer
+	assert.Equal(t, 15, b.Len())
 }
 
 func TestAccountReadCtx(t *testing.T) {