A processing device in a memory sub-system initiates a partial block handling protocol for a closed block of a memory device, the block comprising a plurality of wordlines. The processing device further sends a first programming command to the memory device to program one or more wordlines of the block with first padding data having a first data pattern, wherein the one or more wordlines are adjacent to a last wordline of the block programmed before the block was closed. In addition, the processing device sends a second programming command to the memory device to program all of a set of remaining wordlines of the block with second padding data having a second data pattern comprising fewer bits of data per cell than the first data pattern.