A processing device in a memory sub-system initiates a partial block handling protocol for a closed block of a memory device. The block includes 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. 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 concurrently program a remaining set of the plurality of wordlines of the block to a threshold voltage.