Described embodiments provide a media controller to read data stored in a media. The media controller determines a value for each bit of a shortened codeword from the media. The shortened codeword includes a plurality of non-shortened bits of a full codeword, where the full codeword includes the plurality of non-shortened bits and one or more shortened bits. Shortened bits correspond to bits unused in the shortened codeword. The media controller converts the determined values for each bit of the shortened codeword into a first set of log-likelihood ratio (LLR) values. The full codeword is decoded using the first set of LLR values for the shortened codeword. The media controller dampens one or more LLR values corresponding to non-shortened bits of the codeword to produce a second set of LLR values and decodes the second set of LLR values.