diff --git a/gstlal-burst/python/fxtools/multichannel_datasource.py b/gstlal-burst/python/fxtools/multichannel_datasource.py
index 7e76edb3dd90a3ade73969d9065be41f60ea5cbf..d94363211706fcd4aef723cc96c7936055aa55ff 100644
--- a/gstlal-burst/python/fxtools/multichannel_datasource.py
+++ b/gstlal-burst/python/fxtools/multichannel_datasource.py
@@ -463,6 +463,11 @@ class DataSourceInfo(object):
 		## Data source, one of python.datasource.DataSourceInfo.data_sources
 		self.data_source = options.data_source
 
+		# FIXME: this is ugly, but we have to protect against busted shared memory partitions
+		if self.data_source == "lvshm":
+			import subprocess
+			subprocess.call(["smrepair", "-bufmode", "5", self.shm_part_dict[self.instrument]])
+
 def append_options(parser):
 	"""!
 	Append generic data source options to an OptionParser object in order