diff --git a/bedboss/_version.py b/bedboss/_version.py
index d69d16e..a2fecb4 100644
--- a/bedboss/_version.py
+++ b/bedboss/_version.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = "0.9.1"
+__version__ = "0.9.2"
diff --git a/bedboss/bbuploader/main.py b/bedboss/bbuploader/main.py
index 7af38ce..08cc1b0 100644
--- a/bedboss/bbuploader/main.py
+++ b/bedboss/bbuploader/main.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 )
 from bedboss.bedboss import run_all
 from bedboss.bedbuncher.bedbuncher import run_bedbuncher
+from bedboss.const import MAX_FILE_SIZE
 from bedboss.exceptions import BedBossException, QualityException
 from bedboss.skipper import Skipper
 from bedboss.refgenome_validator.main import ReferenceValidator
@@ -693,11 +694,19 @@ def _upload_gse(
                 )
 
             # to speed up the process, we can run initial QC on the file
-            run_initial_qc(project_sample.file_url)
+            qc_file_size = run_initial_qc(project_sample.file_url)
+            if qc_file_size > 0:
+                sample_status.file_size = min(
+                    qc_file_size, MAX_FILE_SIZE
+                )  # we need to limit file size to MAX_FILE_SIZE for DB storage
         except QualityException as err:
             _LOGGER.error(f"Processing of '{sample_gsm}' failed with error: {str(err)}")
             sample_status.status = STATUS.FAIL
             sample_status.error = str(err)
+            if err.file_size > 0:
+                sample_status.file_size = min(
+                    err.file_size, MAX_FILE_SIZE
+                )  # we need to limit file size to MAX_FILE_SIZE for DB storage
             project_status.number_of_failed += 1
 
             if skipper_obj:
diff --git a/bedboss/const.py b/bedboss/const.py
index 12ce79b..115cf03 100644
--- a/bedboss/const.py
+++ b/bedboss/const.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 # bedqc
 MAX_FILE_SIZE = 1024 * 1024 * 1024 * 2
+MAX_FILE_SIZE_QC = 1024 * 1024 * 25  # 25 MB
 MAX_REGION_NUMBER = 5000000
 MIN_REGION_WIDTH = 10
 
diff --git a/bedboss/exceptions.py b/bedboss/exceptions.py
index 84a52bd..3d1502d 100644
--- a/bedboss/exceptions.py
+++ b/bedboss/exceptions.py
@@ -27,13 +27,15 @@ def __init__(self, reason: str = ""):
 class QualityException(BedBossException):
     """Exception, when quality test of the bed file didn't pass."""
 
-    def __init__(self, reason: str = ""):
+    def __init__(self, reason: str = "", file_size: int = 0):
         """
         Optionally provide explanation for exceptional condition.
 
         :param str reason: reason why quality control wasn't successful
+        :param int file_size: file size in bytes (if available)
         """
         self.reason = reason
+        self.file_size = file_size
         super(QualityException, self).__init__(reason)
 
 
diff --git a/bedboss/utils.py b/bedboss/utils.py
index b8d4c57..7888e9b 100644
--- a/bedboss/utils.py
+++ b/bedboss/utils.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 from bedboss.refgenome_validator.main import ReferenceValidator
 from bedboss.exceptions import QualityException
-from bedboss.const import MIN_REGION_WIDTH
+from bedboss.const import MIN_REGION_WIDTH, MAX_FILE_SIZE_QC
 
 _LOGGER = logging.getLogger("bedboss")
 
@@ -242,18 +242,40 @@ def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
     return wrapper
 
 
-def run_initial_qc(url: str, min_region_width: int = MIN_REGION_WIDTH) -> bool:
+def run_initial_qc(url: str, min_region_width: int = MIN_REGION_WIDTH) -> int:
     """
     Run initial QC on the bed file
 
     :param url: URL of the file
     :param min_region_width: Minimum region width threshold to pass the quality check. Default is 20
 
-    :return: bool. Returns True if QC passed, False if unable to open in pandas
-    :raises: QualityException
+    :return: int. File size in bytes (0 if unable to determine)
+    :raises: QualityException (includes file_size attribute)
     """
     _LOGGER.info(f"Running initial QC on the bed file: {url}")
 
+    file_size = 0
+
+    # Check file size before downloading content
+    try:
+        # Convert ftp:// to https:// for the HEAD request (e.g., NCBI FTP supports HTTPS)
+        check_url = (
+            url.replace("ftp://", "https://") if url.startswith("ftp://") else url
+        )
+        response = requests.head(check_url, allow_redirects=True)
+        content_length = response.headers.get("Content-Length")
+        if content_length:
+            file_size = int(content_length)
+        if file_size > MAX_FILE_SIZE_QC:
+            file_size_mb = file_size / (1024 * 1024)
+            max_size_mb = MAX_FILE_SIZE_QC / (1024 * 1024)
+            raise QualityException(
+                f"Initial QC failed for '{url}'. File size is '{file_size_mb:.2f} MB', where max file size is set to: '{max_size_mb:.0f} MB'",
+                file_size=file_size,
+            )
+    except requests.RequestException as err:
+        _LOGGER.warning(f"Unable to check file size: {err}. Continuing with QC...")
+
     try:
         with urllib.request.urlopen(url) as response:
             with gzip.GzipFile(fileobj=response) as f:
@@ -267,12 +289,13 @@ def run_initial_qc(url: str, min_region_width: int = MIN_REGION_WIDTH) -> bool:
             "Unable to read the file, initial QC failed, but continuing anyway..."
             f"Error: {str(err)}"
         )
-        return False
+        return file_size
 
     if mean_width < min_region_width:
         raise QualityException(
-            f"Initial QC failed for '{url}'. Mean region width is '{mean_width}', where min region width is set to: '{min_region_width}'"
+            f"Initial QC failed for '{url}'. Mean region width is '{mean_width}', where min region width is set to: '{min_region_width}'",
+            file_size=file_size,
         )
 
     _LOGGER.info(f"Initial QC passed for {url}")
-    return True
+    return file_size
diff --git a/requirements/requirements-all.txt b/requirements/requirements-all.txt
index 1c930b9..31f7a3a 100644
--- a/requirements/requirements-all.txt
+++ b/requirements/requirements-all.txt
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ peppy>=0.40.7
 yacman>=0.8.4
 requests>=2.28.2
 piper>=v0.14.3
-bbconf>=0.14.2
+bbconf>=0.14.3
 # bbconf @ git+https://github.com/databio/bbconf.git@comp_search#egg=bbconf
 refgenconf>=0.12.2
 pandas>=2.0.0
diff --git a/scripts/all/qc_initial.py b/scripts/all/qc_initial.py
index 2cf8f93..6ce6089 100644
--- a/scripts/all/qc_initial.py
+++ b/scripts/all/qc_initial.py
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@
     # url = "ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/samples/GSM8669nnn/GSM8669735/suppl/GSM8669735_ATAC-M1-1.narrowPeak.gz"
     # url = "ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/samples/GSM8669nnn/GSM8669759/suppl/GSM8669759_H3K27ac-M2-1.narrowPeak.gz"
     url = "ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/samples/GSM7163nnn/GSM7163568/suppl/GSM7163568_IRF3-ChIP-seq_HL_SVI_3h_exp1_2023_Total_peaks.bed.gz"
-    run_initial_qc(url)
+    file_size = run_initial_qc(url)
+    print(f"QC passed, File size: {file_size} bytes")
diff --git a/scripts/bbuploader/main.py b/scripts/bbuploader/main.py
index 46728d3..81e949b 100644
--- a/scripts/bbuploader/main.py
+++ b/scripts/bbuploader/main.py
@@ -57,8 +57,9 @@ def run_gse():
         # gse="gse157732",  # series + samples test
         # gse="gse209400",  # series + samples test
         # gse="gse206280",
-        gse="gse113157",
-        geo_tag="samples",
+        # gse="gse113157",
+        gse="gse174226",  # too big series file - shoiuld fail
+        geo_tag="series",
         bedbase_config="/home/bnt4me/virginia/repos/bedboss/config.yaml",
         outfolder="/home/bnt4me/virginia/repos/bbuploader/data",
         # genome="HG38",