diff --git a/table/sst_file_dumper.cc b/table/sst_file_dumper.cc
index da91c1130..85a264d59 100644
--- a/table/sst_file_dumper.cc
+++ b/table/sst_file_dumper.cc
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ Status SstFileDumper::NewTableReader(
 }
 
 Status SstFileDumper::VerifyChecksum() {
+  assert(read_options_.verify_checksums);
   // We could pass specific readahead setting into read options if needed.
   return table_reader_->VerifyChecksum(read_options_,
                                        TableReaderCaller::kSSTDumpTool);
diff --git a/tools/sst_dump_tool.cc b/tools/sst_dump_tool.cc
index 87577ab8e..1b269043a 100644
--- a/tools/sst_dump_tool.cc
+++ b/tools/sst_dump_tool.cc
@@ -419,6 +419,10 @@ int SSTDumpTool::Run(int argc, char const* const* argv, Options options) {
       filename = std::string(dir_or_file) + "/" + filename;
     }
 
+    if (command == "verify") {
+      verify_checksum = true;
+    }
+
     ROCKSDB_NAMESPACE::SstFileDumper dumper(
         options, filename, Temperature::kUnknown, readahead_size,
         verify_checksum, output_hex, decode_blob_index);