diff --git a/storagenode/piecestore/endpoint.go b/storagenode/piecestore/endpoint.go
index 56d8a1faa..df3c37fc4 100644
--- a/storagenode/piecestore/endpoint.go
+++ b/storagenode/piecestore/endpoint.go
@@ -407,14 +407,110 @@ func (endpoint *Endpoint) Upload(stream pb.DRPCPiecestore_UploadStream) (err err
 		limit: endpoint.config.MinUploadSpeed,
 	}
 
-	for {
+	handleMessage := func(ctx context.Context, message *pb.PieceUploadRequest) (done bool, err error) {
+		if message.Order != nil {
+			if err := endpoint.VerifyOrder(ctx, limit, message.Order, largestOrder.Amount); err != nil {
+				return true, err
+			}
+			largestOrder = *message.Order
+		}
 
+		if message.Chunk != nil {
+			if message.Chunk.Offset != pieceWriter.Size() {
+				return true, rpcstatus.Error(rpcstatus.InvalidArgument, "chunk out of order")
+			}
+
+			chunkSize := int64(len(message.Chunk.Data))
+			if largestOrder.Amount < pieceWriter.Size()+chunkSize {
+				// TODO: should we write currently and give a chance for uplink to remedy the situation?
+				return true, rpcstatus.Errorf(rpcstatus.InvalidArgument,
+					"not enough allocated, allocated=%v writing=%v",
+					largestOrder.Amount, pieceWriter.Size()+int64(len(message.Chunk.Data)))
+			}
+
+			availableSpace -= chunkSize
+			if availableSpace < 0 {
+				return true, rpcstatus.Error(rpcstatus.Internal, "out of space")
+			}
+			if _, err := pieceWriter.Write(message.Chunk.Data); err != nil {
+				return true, rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
+			}
+		}
+
+		if message.Done == nil {
+			return false, nil
+		}
+
+		if message.Done.HashAlgorithm != hashAlgorithm {
+			return true, rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, errs.New("Hash algorithm in the first and last upload message are different %s %s", hashAlgorithm, message.Done.HashAlgorithm))
+		}
+
+		calculatedHash := pieceWriter.Hash()
+		if err := endpoint.VerifyPieceHash(ctx, limit, message.Done, calculatedHash); err != nil {
+			return true, rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
+		}
+		if message.Done.PieceSize != pieceWriter.Size() {
+			return true, rpcstatus.Errorf(rpcstatus.InvalidArgument,
+				"Size of finished piece does not match size declared by uplink! %d != %d",
+				message.Done.PieceSize, pieceWriter.Size())
+		}
+
+		{
+			info := &pb.PieceHeader{
+				Hash:          calculatedHash,
+				HashAlgorithm: hashAlgorithm,
+				CreationTime:  message.Done.Timestamp,
+				Signature:     message.Done.GetSignature(),
+				OrderLimit:    *limit,
+			}
+			if err := pieceWriter.Commit(ctx, info); err != nil {
+				return true, rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
+			}
+			committed = true
+			if !limit.PieceExpiration.IsZero() {
+				err := endpoint.store.SetExpiration(ctx, limit.SatelliteId, limit.PieceId, limit.PieceExpiration)
+				if err != nil {
+					return true, rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		storageNodeHash, err := signing.SignPieceHash(ctx, signing.SignerFromFullIdentity(endpoint.ident), &pb.PieceHash{
+			PieceId:       limit.PieceId,
+			Hash:          calculatedHash,
+			HashAlgorithm: hashAlgorithm,
+			PieceSize:     pieceWriter.Size(),
+			Timestamp:     time.Now(),
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			return true, rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
+		}
+
+		closeErr := rpctimeout.Run(ctx, endpoint.config.StreamOperationTimeout, func(_ context.Context) (err error) {
+			return stream.SendAndClose(&pb.PieceUploadResponse{
+				Done:          storageNodeHash,
+				NodeCertchain: identity.EncodePeerIdentity(endpoint.ident.PeerIdentity())})
+		})
+		if errs.Is(closeErr, io.EOF) {
+			closeErr = nil
+		}
+		if closeErr != nil {
+			return true, rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, closeErr)
+		}
+		return true, nil
+	}
+
+	// handle any data in the first message we already received.
+	if done, err := handleMessage(ctx, message); err != nil || done {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	for {
 		if err := speedEstimate.EnsureLimit(memory.Size(pieceWriter.Size()), endpoint.isCongested(), time.Now()); err != nil {
 			return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Aborted, err)
 		}
 
 		// TODO: reuse messages to avoid allocations
-
 		// N.B.: we are only allowed to use message if the returned error is nil. it would be
 		// a race condition otherwise as Run does not wait for the closure to exit.
 		err = rpctimeout.Run(ctx, endpoint.config.StreamOperationTimeout, func(_ context.Context) (err error) {
@@ -426,101 +522,12 @@ func (endpoint *Endpoint) Upload(stream pb.DRPCPiecestore_UploadStream) (err err
 		} else if err != nil {
 			return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
 		}
-
 		if message == nil {
 			return rpcstatus.Error(rpcstatus.InvalidArgument, "expected a message")
 		}
-		if message.Order == nil && message.Chunk == nil && message.Done == nil {
-			return rpcstatus.Error(rpcstatus.InvalidArgument, "expected a message")
-		}
 
-		if message.Order != nil {
-			if err := endpoint.VerifyOrder(ctx, limit, message.Order, largestOrder.Amount); err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			largestOrder = *message.Order
-		}
-
-		if message.Chunk != nil {
-			if message.Chunk.Offset != pieceWriter.Size() {
-				return rpcstatus.Error(rpcstatus.InvalidArgument, "chunk out of order")
-			}
-
-			chunkSize := int64(len(message.Chunk.Data))
-			if largestOrder.Amount < pieceWriter.Size()+chunkSize {
-				// TODO: should we write currently and give a chance for uplink to remedy the situation?
-				return rpcstatus.Errorf(rpcstatus.InvalidArgument,
-					"not enough allocated, allocated=%v writing=%v",
-					largestOrder.Amount, pieceWriter.Size()+int64(len(message.Chunk.Data)))
-			}
-
-			availableSpace -= chunkSize
-			if availableSpace < 0 {
-				return rpcstatus.Error(rpcstatus.Internal, "out of space")
-			}
-			if _, err := pieceWriter.Write(message.Chunk.Data); err != nil {
-				return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
-			}
-		}
-
-		if message.Done != nil {
-			if message.Done.HashAlgorithm != hashAlgorithm {
-				return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, errs.New("Hash algorithm in the first and last upload message are different %s %s", hashAlgorithm, message.Done.HashAlgorithm))
-			}
-
-			calculatedHash := pieceWriter.Hash()
-			if err := endpoint.VerifyPieceHash(ctx, limit, message.Done, calculatedHash); err != nil {
-				return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
-			}
-			if message.Done.PieceSize != pieceWriter.Size() {
-				return rpcstatus.Errorf(rpcstatus.InvalidArgument,
-					"Size of finished piece does not match size declared by uplink! %d != %d",
-					message.Done.PieceSize, pieceWriter.Size())
-			}
-
-			{
-				info := &pb.PieceHeader{
-					Hash:          calculatedHash,
-					HashAlgorithm: hashAlgorithm,
-					CreationTime:  message.Done.Timestamp,
-					Signature:     message.Done.GetSignature(),
-					OrderLimit:    *limit,
-				}
-				if err := pieceWriter.Commit(ctx, info); err != nil {
-					return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
-				}
-				committed = true
-				if !limit.PieceExpiration.IsZero() {
-					err := endpoint.store.SetExpiration(ctx, limit.SatelliteId, limit.PieceId, limit.PieceExpiration)
-					if err != nil {
-						return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
-					}
-				}
-			}
-
-			storageNodeHash, err := signing.SignPieceHash(ctx, signing.SignerFromFullIdentity(endpoint.ident), &pb.PieceHash{
-				PieceId:       limit.PieceId,
-				Hash:          calculatedHash,
-				HashAlgorithm: hashAlgorithm,
-				PieceSize:     pieceWriter.Size(),
-				Timestamp:     time.Now(),
-			})
-			if err != nil {
-				return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, err)
-			}
-
-			closeErr := rpctimeout.Run(ctx, endpoint.config.StreamOperationTimeout, func(_ context.Context) (err error) {
-				return stream.SendAndClose(&pb.PieceUploadResponse{
-					Done:          storageNodeHash,
-					NodeCertchain: identity.EncodePeerIdentity(endpoint.ident.PeerIdentity())})
-			})
-			if errs.Is(closeErr, io.EOF) {
-				closeErr = nil
-			}
-			if closeErr != nil {
-				return rpcstatus.Wrap(rpcstatus.Internal, closeErr)
-			}
-			return nil
+		if done, err := handleMessage(ctx, message); err != nil || done {
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 }