diff --git a/vma.py b/vma.py
index 820323c..7ceb470 100755
--- a/vma.py
+++ b/vma.py
@@ -84,6 +84,23 @@ class VmaHeader():
         # make sure the file object points at the end of the vma header
         fo.seek(self.header_size, os.SEEK_SET)
 
+        # reread the header and generate a md5 checksum of the data
+        self.__gen_md5sum(fo)
+
+
+    def __gen_md5sum(self, fo):
+        p = fo.tell()
+        fo.seek(0, os.SEEK_SET)
+        h = hashlib.md5()
+
+        data = fo.read(self.header_size)
+        data = data[:32] + b'\0' * 16 + data[48:]
+        h.update(data)
+
+        self.generated_md5sum = h.digest()
+
+        fo.seek(p, os.SEEK_SET)
+
 
 class VmaDeviceInfoHeader():
     def __init__(self, fo, vma_header):
@@ -109,6 +126,8 @@ class VmaDeviceInfoHeader():
 
 class VmaExtentHeader():
     def __init__(self, fo, vma_header):
+        self.pos_start = fo.tell()
+
         # 0 -  3:   magic
         #     VMA extent magic string ("VMAE")
         magic = fo.read(4)
@@ -135,6 +154,24 @@ class VmaExtentHeader():
         for i in range(59):
             self.blockinfo.append(Blockinfo(fo, vma_header))
 
+        self.pos_end = fo.tell()
+
+        self.__gen_md5sum(fo)
+
+
+    def __gen_md5sum(self, fo):
+        p = fo.tell()
+        fo.seek(self.pos_start, os.SEEK_SET)
+        h = hashlib.md5()
+
+        data = fo.read(self.pos_end - self.pos_start)
+        data = data[:24] + b'\0' * 16 + data[40:]
+        h.update(data)
+
+        self.generated_md5sum = h.digest()
+
+        fo.seek(p, os.SEEK_SET)
+
 
 class Blob():
     def __init__(self, fo):
@@ -201,6 +238,11 @@ def extract(fo, args):
 
     vma_header = VmaHeader(fo)
 
+    # check the md5 checksum given in the header with the value calculated from
+    # the file
+    if not args.skip_hash:
+        assert vma_header.md5sum == vma_header.generated_md5sum
+
     extract_configs(fo, args, vma_header)
 
     # extract_configs may move the read head somewhere into the blob buffer
@@ -228,6 +270,11 @@ def extract(fo, args):
         extent_header = VmaExtentHeader(fo, vma_header)
         assert vma_header.uuid == extent_header.uuid
 
+        # check the md5 checksum given in the header with the value calculated from
+        # the file
+        if not args.skip_hash:
+            assert extent_header.md5sum == extent_header.generated_md5sum
+
         for blockinfo in extent_header.blockinfo:
             if blockinfo.dev_id == 0: continue
 
@@ -283,7 +330,10 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument('filename', type=str)
     parser.add_argument('destination', type=str)
     parser.add_argument('-v', '--verbose', default=False, action='store_true')
-    parser.add_argument('-f', '--force', default=False, action='store_true')
+    parser.add_argument('-f', '--force', default=False, action='store_true',
+            help='overwrite target file if it exists')
+    parser.add_argument('--skip-hash', default=False, action='store_true',
+            help='do not perform md5 checksum test of data')
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     if(not os.path.exists(args.filename)):