diff --git a/scripts/strip_vision_weights.py b/scripts/strip_vision_weights.py
index ce87800..1990855 100644
--- a/scripts/strip_vision_weights.py
+++ b/scripts/strip_vision_weights.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ def main() -> int:
         return 0
 
     shards = sorted({wm[k] for k in vs})
+    total_saved = 0
     for shard_name in shards:
         path = d / shard_name
         hdr, data_start = read_shard(path)
@@ -77,11 +78,16 @@ def main() -> int:
             f.write(out)
         saved = sum(hdr[k]["data_offsets"][1] - hdr[k]["data_offsets"][0]
                     for k in drop)
+        total_saved += saved
         print(f"{shard_name}: dropped {len(drop)} tensors, "
               f"{saved/1e9:.2f} GB, new size {path.stat().st_size/1e9:.2f} GB")
 
-    # index: remove vision keys
+    # index: remove vision keys and recompute total_size by the same
+    # amount actually dropped from the shards above (untouched shards'
+    # bytes are unaffected, so this equals recomputing from scratch)
     idx["weight_map"] = {k: v for k, v in wm.items() if k not in vs}
+    if "total_size" in idx.get("metadata", {}):
+        idx["metadata"]["total_size"] -= total_saved
     if not args.no_backup:
         shutil.copy2(idx_path, idx_path.with_suffix(".json.bak_vision"))
     json.dump(idx, open(idx_path, "w"), indent=2)
diff --git a/tests/test_strip_vision_weights.py b/tests/test_strip_vision_weights.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b12da8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_strip_vision_weights.py
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+"""scripts/strip_vision_weights.py: index bookkeeping after stripping.
+
+Builds a minimal two-tensor safetensors shard (one vision, one text) by
+hand so the test needs neither MLX nor a real checkpoint.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import importlib.util
+import json
+import struct
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+
+
+def _load_strip_vision_weights():
+    spec = importlib.util.spec_from_file_location(
+        "strip_vision_weights", ROOT / "scripts" / "strip_vision_weights.py")
+    mod = importlib.util.module_from_spec(spec)
+    sys.modules[spec.name] = mod
+    spec.loader.exec_module(mod)
+    return mod
+
+
+def _write_shard(path: Path, hdr: dict, data: bytes) -> None:
+    hdr_bytes = json.dumps(hdr).encode()
+    pad = (8 - (len(hdr_bytes) % 8)) % 8
+    hdr_bytes += b" " * pad
+    with open(path, "wb") as f:
+        f.write(struct.pack("<Q", len(hdr_bytes)))
+        f.write(hdr_bytes)
+        f.write(data)
+
+
+def _make_checkpoint(model_dir: Path) -> None:
+    # 4 bytes of vision tensor, 4 bytes of text tensor.
+    hdr = {
+        "__metadata__": {"format": "pt"},
+        "vision_tower.a": {"dtype": "F32", "shape": [1],
+                            "data_offsets": [0, 4]},
+        "model.layers.0.w": {"dtype": "F32", "shape": [1],
+                              "data_offsets": [4, 8]},
+    }
+    _write_shard(model_dir / "model.safetensors", hdr, b"\x00" * 8)
+    idx = {
+        "metadata": {"total_size": 8},
+        "weight_map": {
+            "vision_tower.a": "model.safetensors",
+            "model.layers.0.w": "model.safetensors",
+        },
+    }
+    (model_dir / "model.safetensors.index.json").write_text(json.dumps(idx))
+
+
+def test_total_size_shrinks_by_dropped_bytes(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    _make_checkpoint(tmp_path)
+    mod = _load_strip_vision_weights()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        sys, "argv", ["strip_vision_weights.py", str(tmp_path)])
+    assert mod.main() == 0
+
+    idx = json.loads(
+        (tmp_path / "model.safetensors.index.json").read_text())
+    assert "vision_tower.a" not in idx["weight_map"]
+    assert idx["metadata"]["total_size"] == 4  # 8 - 4 dropped vision bytes
+
+
+def test_no_vision_weights_leaves_total_size_untouched(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    hdr = {"model.layers.0.w": {"dtype": "F32", "shape": [1],
+                                 "data_offsets": [0, 4]}}
+    _write_shard(tmp_path / "model.safetensors", hdr, b"\x00" * 4)
+    idx = {
+        "metadata": {"total_size": 4},
+        "weight_map": {"model.layers.0.w": "model.safetensors"},
+    }
+    (tmp_path / "model.safetensors.index.json").write_text(json.dumps(idx))
+
+    mod = _load_strip_vision_weights()
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        sys, "argv", ["strip_vision_weights.py", str(tmp_path)])
+    assert mod.main() == 0
+
+    idx_after = json.loads(
+        (tmp_path / "model.safetensors.index.json").read_text())
+    assert idx_after == idx  # untouched: nothing to strip