diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
index 9617297..b2e0b4c 100644
--- a/api.go
+++ b/api.go
@@ -55,8 +55,12 @@ type Options struct {
 	AutoSync bool
 	// At what segment size it will rollover to a new segment. Defaults to 1MB.
 	Rollover int64
-	// CheckAndRecover check the head segment for integrity. If it fails in write mode will recover the data.
-	CheckAndRecover bool
+	// Check the head segment for integrity, before opening it for reading/writing.
+	Check bool
+	// Recover any good prefix from the head segment, before opening it for reading/writing. If the whole
+	// segment is readable and passing the integrity checks, Recover is a noop. If both Check and Recover are set,
+	// Open will directly try to recover the segment in read-write mode.
+	Recover bool
 	// Upgrade specifies how to upgrade the versions
 	Version VersionOptions
 }
diff --git a/log.go b/log.go
index fca3d61..7c35362 100644
--- a/log.go
+++ b/log.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func Open(dir string, opts Options) (result Log, err error) {
 		rdr := reopenReader(segment.New(dir, 0, opts.AutoSync), params, opts.Version.NewSegmentsVersion, ix)
 		l.readers = []*reader{rdr}
 	case opts.Readonly:
-		if opts.CheckAndRecover {
+		if opts.Check || opts.Recover {
 			head := segments[len(segments)-1]
 			if err := head.Check(params); err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("open check: %w", err)
@@ -101,11 +101,17 @@ func Open(dir string, opts Options) (result Log, err error) {
 		l.writer = w
 		l.readers = []*reader{w.reader}
 	default:
-		if opts.CheckAndRecover {
+		switch {
+		case opts.Recover:
 			head := segments[len(segments)-1]
 			if err := head.Recover(params); err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("open recover: %w", err)
 			}
+		case opts.Check:
+			head := segments[len(segments)-1]
+			if err := head.Check(params); err != nil {
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("open check: %w", err)
+			}
 		}
 
 		if opts.Version.EagerVersionMigrate {
diff --git a/log_test.go b/log_test.go
index 54172e0..10afbe6 100644
--- a/log_test.go
+++ b/log_test.go
@@ -1524,10 +1524,10 @@ func TestConcurrent(t *testing.T) {
 func testConcurrentPubsubRecent(t *testing.T) {
 	defer os.RemoveAll("test_pubsub")
 	s, err := Open("test_pubsub", Options{
-		CreateDirs:      true,
-		AutoSync:        true,
-		CheckAndRecover: true,
-		Rollover:        1024 * 64,
+		CreateDirs: true,
+		AutoSync:   true,
+		Check:      true,
+		Rollover:   1024 * 64,
 	})
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer s.Close()