diff --git a/storage/local/persistence.go b/storage/local/persistence.go
index da4ebfde2a..9e0859224e 100644
--- a/storage/local/persistence.go
+++ b/storage/local/persistence.go
@@ -349,7 +349,26 @@ func (p *persistence) recoverFromCrash(fingerprintToSeries map[clientmodel.Finge
 	return nil
 }
 
-// TODO: Document.
+// sanitizeSeries sanitizes a series based on its series file as defined by the provided directory and FileInfo.
+// The method returns the fingerprint as derived from the directory and file name, and whether the provided
+// file has been sanatizide. A file that failed to be sanitized is deleted, if possible.
+//
+// The following steps are performed:
+//
+// - A file whose name doesn't comply with the naming scheme of a series file is simply deleted.
+//
+// - If the size of the series file isn't a multiple of the chunk size, extraneous bytes are truncated.
+//   If the truncation fails, the file is deleted instead.
+//
+// - A file that is empty (after truncation) is deleted.
+//
+// - A series that is not archived (i.e. it is in the fingerprintToSeries map) is checked for consistency of
+//   its various parameters (like head-chunk persistence state, offset of chunkDescs etc.). In particular,
+//   overlap between an in-memory head chunk with the most recent persisted chunk is checked. Inconsistencies
+//   are rectified.
+//
+// - A series this in archived (i.e. it is not in the fingerprintToSeries map) is checked for its presence
+//   in the index of archived series. If it cannot be found there, it is deleted.
 func (p *persistence) sanitizeSeries(dirname string, fi os.FileInfo, fingerprintToSeries map[clientmodel.Fingerprint]*memorySeries) (clientmodel.Fingerprint, bool) {
 	filename := path.Join(dirname, fi.Name())
 	purge := func() {
@@ -364,7 +383,11 @@ func (p *persistence) sanitizeSeries(dirname string, fi os.FileInfo, fingerprint
 		purge()
 		return fp, false
 	}
-	fp.LoadFromString(path.Base(dirname) + fi.Name()[:fpLen-seriesDirNameLen]) // TODO: Panics if that doesn't parse as hex.
+	if err := fp.LoadFromString(path.Base(dirname) + fi.Name()[:fpLen-seriesDirNameLen]); err != nil {
+		glog.Warningf("Error parsing file name %s: %s", filename, err)
+		purge()
+		return fp, false
+	}
 
 	bytesToTrim := fi.Size() % int64(p.chunkLen+chunkHeaderLen)
 	chunksInFile := int(fi.Size()) / (p.chunkLen + chunkHeaderLen)
@@ -676,9 +699,6 @@ func (p *persistence) persistChunk(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, c chunk) (int, er
 // each index in indexes. It is the caller's responsibility to not persist or
 // drop anything for the same fingerprint concurrently.
 func (p *persistence) loadChunks(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, indexes []int, indexOffset int) ([]chunk, error) {
-	// TODO: we need to verify at some point that file length is a multiple of
-	// the chunk size. When is the best time to do this, and where to remember
-	// it? Right now, we only do it when loading chunkDescs.
 	f, err := p.openChunkFileForReading(fp)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -731,15 +751,11 @@ func (p *persistence) loadChunkDescs(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, beforeTime clie
 	}
 	totalChunkLen := chunkHeaderLen + p.chunkLen
 	if fi.Size()%int64(totalChunkLen) != 0 {
-		// TODO: record number of encountered corrupt series files in a metric?
-
-		// Truncate the file size to the nearest multiple of chunkLen.
-		truncateTo := fi.Size() - fi.Size()%int64(totalChunkLen)
-		glog.Infof("Bad series file size for %s: %d bytes (no multiple of %d). Truncating to %d bytes.", fp, fi.Size(), totalChunkLen, truncateTo)
-		// TODO: this doesn't work, as this is a read-only file handle.
-		if err := f.Truncate(truncateTo); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+		p.setDirty(true)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf(
+			"size of series file for fingerprint %v is %d, which is not a multiple of the chunk length %d",
+			fp, fi.Size(), totalChunkLen,
+		)
 	}
 
 	numChunks := int(fi.Size()) / totalChunkLen
@@ -773,6 +789,42 @@ func (p *persistence) loadChunkDescs(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, beforeTime clie
 // checkpointSeriesMapAndHeads persists the fingerprint to memory-series mapping
 // and all open (non-full) head chunks. Do not call concurrently with
 // loadSeriesMapAndHeads.
+//
+// Description of the file format:
+//
+// (1) Magic string (const headsMagicString).
+//
+// (2) Varint-encoded format version (const headsFormatVersion).
+//
+// (3) Number of series in checkpoint as big-endian uint64.
+//
+// (4) Repeated once per series:
+//
+// (4.1) A flag byte, see flag constants above.
+//
+// (4.2) The fingerprint as big-endian uint64.
+//
+// (4.3) The metric as defined by codable.Metric.
+//
+// (4.4) The varint-encoded chunkDescsOffset.
+//
+// (4.5) The varint-encoded savedFirstTime.
+//
+// (4.6) The varint-encoded number of chunk descriptors.
+//
+// (4.7) Repeated once per chunk descriptor, oldest to most recent:
+//
+// (4.7.1) The varint-encoded first time.
+//
+// (4.7.2) The varint-encoded last time.
+//
+// (4.8) Exception to 4.7: If the most recent chunk is a non-persisted head chunk,
+// the following is persisted instead of the most recent chunk descriptor:
+//
+// (4.8.1) A byte defining the chunk type.
+//
+// (4.8.2) The head chunk itself, marshaled with the marshal() method.
+//
 func (p *persistence) checkpointSeriesMapAndHeads(fingerprintToSeries *seriesMap, fpLocker *fingerprintLocker) (err error) {
 	glog.Info("Checkpointing in-memory metrics and head chunks...")
 	begin := time.Now()
@@ -1328,7 +1380,18 @@ func (p *persistence) openChunkFileForWriting(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint) (*os.F
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(p.dirNameForFingerprint(fp), 0700); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return os.OpenFile(p.fileNameForFingerprint(fp), os.O_WRONLY|os.O_APPEND|os.O_CREATE, 0640)
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(p.fileNameForFingerprint(fp), os.O_WRONLY|os.O_APPEND|os.O_CREATE, 0640)
+	if err != nil {
+		return f, err
+	}
+	offset, err := f.Seek(0, os.SEEK_CUR)
+	if offset%int64(chunkHeaderLen+p.chunkLen) != 0 {
+		return f, fmt.Errorf(
+			"size of series file for fingerprint %v is %d, which is not a multiple of the chunk length %d",
+			fp, offset, chunkHeaderLen+p.chunkLen,
+		)
+	}
+	return f, err
 }
 
 func (p *persistence) openChunkFileForReading(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint) (*os.File, error) {
diff --git a/storage/local/preload.go b/storage/local/preload.go
index 1e1cd6c96b..ef5f110e07 100644
--- a/storage/local/preload.go
+++ b/storage/local/preload.go
@@ -99,10 +99,6 @@ func (p *memorySeriesPreloader) GetMetricRangeAtInterval(fp clientmodel.Fingerpr
 
 // Close implements Preloader.
 func (p *memorySeriesPreloader) Close() {
-	// TODO: Idea about a primitive but almost free heuristic to not evict
-	// "recently used" chunks: Do not unpin the chunks right here, but hand
-	// over the pinnedChunkDescs to a manager that will delay the unpinning
-	// based on time and memory pressure.
 	for _, cd := range p.pinnedChunkDescs {
 		cd.unpin(p.storage.evictRequests)
 	}
diff --git a/storage/local/series.go b/storage/local/series.go
index 62dc84e019..9d2286067a 100644
--- a/storage/local/series.go
+++ b/storage/local/series.go
@@ -281,8 +281,7 @@ func (s *memorySeries) preloadChunks(indexes []int, mss *memorySeriesStorage) ([
 			panic("requested loading chunks from persistence in a situation where we must not have persisted data for chunk descriptors in memory")
 		}
 		fp := s.metric.Fingerprint()
-		// TODO: Remove law-of-Demeter violation?
-		chunks, err := mss.persistence.loadChunks(fp, loadIndexes, s.chunkDescsOffset)
+		chunks, err := mss.loadChunks(fp, loadIndexes, s.chunkDescsOffset)
 		if err != nil {
 			// Unpin the chunks since we won't return them as pinned chunks now.
 			for _, cd := range pinnedChunkDescs {
@@ -343,8 +342,7 @@ func (s *memorySeries) preloadChunksForRange(
 		firstChunkDescTime = s.chunkDescs[0].firstTime()
 	}
 	if s.chunkDescsOffset != 0 && from.Before(firstChunkDescTime) {
-		// TODO: Remove law-of-demeter violation?
-		cds, err := mss.persistence.loadChunkDescs(fp, firstChunkDescTime)
+		cds, err := mss.loadChunkDescs(fp, firstChunkDescTime)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/storage/local/storage.go b/storage/local/storage.go
index f19808eb0f..7544e0149a 100644
--- a/storage/local/storage.go
+++ b/storage/local/storage.go
@@ -774,6 +774,16 @@ func (s *memorySeriesStorage) purgeSeries(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, beforeTime
 	s.persistence.updateArchivedTimeRange(fp, newFirstTime, lastTime)
 }
 
+// See persistence.loadChunks for detailed explanation.
+func (s *memorySeriesStorage) loadChunks(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, indexes []int, indexOffset int) ([]chunk, error) {
+	return s.persistence.loadChunks(fp, indexes, indexOffset)
+}
+
+// See persistence.loadChunkDescs for detailed explanation.
+func (s *memorySeriesStorage) loadChunkDescs(fp clientmodel.Fingerprint, beforeTime clientmodel.Timestamp) ([]*chunkDesc, error) {
+	return s.persistence.loadChunkDescs(fp, beforeTime)
+}
+
 // To expose persistQueueCap as metric:
 var (
 	persistQueueCapDesc = prometheus.NewDesc(