diff --git a/blivet/devices/lvm.py b/blivet/devices/lvm.py
index 39d245c2e..bc4cef376 100644
--- a/blivet/devices/lvm.py
+++ b/blivet/devices/lvm.py
@@ -351,12 +351,8 @@ def reservedSpace(self):
         return self.align(reserved, roundup=True)
 
     @property
-    def size(self):
-        """ The size of this VG """
-        # TODO: just ask lvm if isModified returns False
-
-        # sum up the sizes of the PVs, subtract the unusable (meta data) space
-        # and align to pesize
+    def lvm_metadata_size(self):
+        """The amount of the space reserved for LVM metadata in this VG's PVs"""
         # NOTE: we either specify data alignment in a PV or the default is used
         #       which is both handled by pv.format.peStart, but LVM takes into
         #       account also the underlying block device which means that e.g.
@@ -366,14 +362,25 @@ def size(self):
         # TODO: move this to either LVMPhysicalVolume's peStart property once
         #       formats know about their devices or to a new LVMPhysicalVolumeDevice
         #       class once it exists
-        avail = Size(0)
+        diff = Size(0)
         for pv in self.pvs:
             if isinstance(pv, MDRaidArrayDevice):
-                avail += self.align(pv.size - 2 * pv.format.peStart)
+                diff += self.align(pv.size) - self.align(pv.size - 2 * pv.format.peStart)
             else:
-                avail += self.align(pv.size - pv.format.peStart)
+                diff += self.align(pv.size) - self.align(pv.size - pv.format.peStart)
+
+        return diff
+
+    @property
+    def size(self):
+        """ The size of this VG """
+        # TODO: just ask lvm if isModified returns False
 
-        return avail
+        # sum up the sizes of the PVs, subtract the unusable (meta data) space
+        size = sum(pv.size for pv in self.pvs)
+        size -= self.lvm_metadata_size
+
+        return size
 
     @property
     def extents(self):