diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_balance.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_balance.go
index 8351415e2..7b2fc7472 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_balance.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_balance.go
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 type commandVolumeBalance struct {
+	volumeSizeLimitMb uint64
+	commandEnv        *CommandEnv
+	writable          bool
+	applyBalancing    bool
 }
 
 func (c *commandVolumeBalance) Name() string {
@@ -76,12 +80,13 @@ func (c *commandVolumeBalance) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, writer
 	dc := balanceCommand.String("dataCenter", "", "only apply the balancing for this dataCenter")
 	racks := balanceCommand.String("racks", "", "only apply the balancing for this racks")
 	nodes := balanceCommand.String("nodes", "", "only apply the balancing for this nodes")
+	c.writable = *(balanceCommand.Bool("writable", false, "only apply the balancing for writable volumes"))
 	noLock := balanceCommand.Bool("noLock", false, "do not lock the admin shell at one's own risk")
-	applyBalancing := balanceCommand.Bool("force", false, "apply the balancing plan.")
+	c.applyBalancing = *(balanceCommand.Bool("force", false, "apply the balancing plan."))
 	if err = balanceCommand.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	infoAboutSimulationMode(writer, *applyBalancing, "-force")
+	infoAboutSimulationMode(writer, c.applyBalancing, "-force")
 
 	if *noLock {
 		commandEnv.noLock = true
@@ -90,9 +95,11 @@ func (c *commandVolumeBalance) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, writer
 			return
 		}
 	}
+	c.commandEnv = commandEnv
 
 	// collect topology information
-	topologyInfo, _, err := collectTopologyInfo(commandEnv, 5*time.Second)
+	var topologyInfo *master_pb.TopologyInfo
+	topologyInfo, c.volumeSizeLimitMb, err = collectTopologyInfo(commandEnv, 5*time.Second)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -106,13 +113,13 @@ func (c *commandVolumeBalance) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, writer
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		for _, c := range collections {
-			if err = balanceVolumeServers(commandEnv, diskTypes, volumeReplicas, volumeServers, c, *applyBalancing); err != nil {
+		for _, col := range collections {
+			if err = c.balanceVolumeServers(diskTypes, volumeReplicas, volumeServers, col); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
 	} else {
-		if err = balanceVolumeServers(commandEnv, diskTypes, volumeReplicas, volumeServers, *collection, *applyBalancing); err != nil {
+		if err = c.balanceVolumeServers(diskTypes, volumeReplicas, volumeServers, *collection); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -120,10 +127,10 @@ func (c *commandVolumeBalance) Do(args []string, commandEnv *CommandEnv, writer
 	return nil
 }
 
-func balanceVolumeServers(commandEnv *CommandEnv, diskTypes []types.DiskType, volumeReplicas map[uint32][]*VolumeReplica, nodes []*Node, collection string, applyBalancing bool) error {
+func (c *commandVolumeBalance) balanceVolumeServers(diskTypes []types.DiskType, volumeReplicas map[uint32][]*VolumeReplica, nodes []*Node, collection string) error {
 
 	for _, diskType := range diskTypes {
-		if err := balanceVolumeServersByDiskType(commandEnv, diskType, volumeReplicas, nodes, collection, applyBalancing); err != nil {
+		if err := c.balanceVolumeServersByDiskType(diskType, volumeReplicas, nodes, collection); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -131,7 +138,7 @@ func balanceVolumeServers(commandEnv *CommandEnv, diskTypes []types.DiskType, vo
 
 }
 
-func balanceVolumeServersByDiskType(commandEnv *CommandEnv, diskType types.DiskType, volumeReplicas map[uint32][]*VolumeReplica, nodes []*Node, collection string, applyBalancing bool) error {
+func (c *commandVolumeBalance) balanceVolumeServersByDiskType(diskType types.DiskType, volumeReplicas map[uint32][]*VolumeReplica, nodes []*Node, collection string) error {
 
 	for _, n := range nodes {
 		n.selectVolumes(func(v *master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage) bool {
@@ -140,10 +147,16 @@ func balanceVolumeServersByDiskType(commandEnv *CommandEnv, diskType types.DiskT
 					return false
 				}
 			}
-			return v.DiskType == string(diskType)
+			if v.DiskType != string(diskType) {
+				return false
+			}
+			if c.writable && v.Size > c.volumeSizeLimitMb {
+				return false
+			}
+			return true
 		})
 	}
-	if err := balanceSelectedVolume(commandEnv, diskType, volumeReplicas, nodes, sortWritableVolumes, applyBalancing); err != nil {
+	if err := balanceSelectedVolume(c.commandEnv, diskType, volumeReplicas, nodes, sortWritableVolumes, c.applyBalancing); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_balance_test.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_balance_test.go
index 6c4b2a818..3dffb1d7d 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_balance_test.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_balance_test.go
@@ -255,8 +255,8 @@ func TestBalance(t *testing.T) {
 	volumeServers := collectVolumeServersByDcRackNode(topologyInfo, "", "", "")
 	volumeReplicas, _ := collectVolumeReplicaLocations(topologyInfo)
 	diskTypes := collectVolumeDiskTypes(topologyInfo)
-
-	if err := balanceVolumeServers(nil, diskTypes, volumeReplicas, volumeServers, "ALL_COLLECTIONS", false); err != nil {
+	c := &commandVolumeBalance{}
+	if err := c.balanceVolumeServers(diskTypes, volumeReplicas, volumeServers, "ALL_COLLECTIONS"); err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("balance: %v", err)
 	}