diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1951,7 +1951,7 @@
               nMempoolSizeMax * (1.0 / 1024 / 1024));
 
     bool fLoaded = false;
-    while (!fLoaded) {
+    while (!fLoaded && !fRequestShutdown) {
         bool fReset = fReindex;
         std::string strLoadError;
 
@@ -1984,6 +1984,7 @@
                     strLoadError = _("Error upgrading chainstate database");
                     break;
                 }
+                if (fRequestShutdown) break;
 
                 if (!LoadBlockIndex(chainparams)) {
                     strLoadError = _("Error loading block database");
@@ -2076,7 +2077,7 @@
             fLoaded = true;
         } while (false);
 
-        if (!fLoaded) {
+        if (!fLoaded && !fRequestShutdown) {
             // first suggest a reindex
             if (!fReset) {
                 bool fRet = uiInterface.ThreadSafeQuestion(
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -634,6 +634,7 @@
     //   http://qt-project.org/doc/qt-5/qmetatype.html#qRegisterMetaType)
     //   IMPORTANT if it is no longer a typedef use the normal variant above
     qRegisterMetaType<Amount>("Amount");
+    qRegisterMetaType<std::function<void(void)>>("std::function<void(void)>");
 
     // Need to register any types Qt doesn't know about if you intend
     // to use them with the signal/slot mechanism Qt provides. Even pointers.
diff --git a/src/qt/splashscreen.h b/src/qt/splashscreen.h
--- a/src/qt/splashscreen.h
+++ b/src/qt/splashscreen.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #define BITCOIN_QT_SPLASHSCREEN_H
 
 #include <QSplashScreen>
+#include <functional>
 
 class CWallet;
 class NetworkStyle;
@@ -35,6 +36,12 @@
     void showMessage(const QString &message, int alignment,
                      const QColor &color);
 
+    /** Sets the break action */
+    void setBreakAction(const std::function<void(void)> &action);
+
+protected:
+    bool eventFilter(QObject *obj, QEvent *ev);
+
 private:
     /** Connect core signals to splash screen */
     void subscribeToCoreSignals();
@@ -49,6 +56,8 @@
     int curAlignment;
 
     QList<CWallet *> connectedWallets;
+
+    std::function<void(void)> breakAction;
 };
 
 #endif // BITCOIN_QT_SPLASHSCREEN_H
diff --git a/src/qt/splashscreen.cpp b/src/qt/splashscreen.cpp
--- a/src/qt/splashscreen.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/splashscreen.cpp
@@ -146,12 +146,23 @@
     move(QApplication::desktop()->screenGeometry().center() - r.center());
 
     subscribeToCoreSignals();
+    installEventFilter(this);
 }
 
 SplashScreen::~SplashScreen() {
     unsubscribeFromCoreSignals();
 }
 
+bool SplashScreen::eventFilter(QObject *obj, QEvent *ev) {
+    if (ev->type() == QEvent::KeyPress) {
+        QKeyEvent *keyEvent = static_cast<QKeyEvent *>(ev);
+        if (keyEvent->text()[0] == 'q' && breakAction != nullptr) {
+            breakAction();
+        }
+    }
+    return QObject::eventFilter(obj, ev);
+}
+
 void SplashScreen::slotFinish(QWidget *mainWin) {
     Q_UNUSED(mainWin);
 
@@ -174,6 +185,16 @@
     InitMessage(splash, title + strprintf("%d", nProgress) + "%");
 }
 
+void SplashScreen::setBreakAction(const std::function<void(void)> &action) {
+    breakAction = action;
+}
+
+static void SetProgressBreakAction(SplashScreen *splash,
+                                   const std::function<void(void)> &action) {
+    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(splash, "setBreakAction", Qt::QueuedConnection,
+                              Q_ARG(std::function<void(void)>, action));
+}
+
 #ifdef ENABLE_WALLET
 void SplashScreen::ConnectWallet(CWallet *wallet) {
     wallet->ShowProgress.connect(boost::bind(ShowProgress, this, _1, _2));
@@ -185,6 +206,8 @@
     // Connect signals to client
     uiInterface.InitMessage.connect(boost::bind(InitMessage, this, _1));
     uiInterface.ShowProgress.connect(boost::bind(ShowProgress, this, _1, _2));
+    uiInterface.SetProgressBreakAction.connect(
+        boost::bind(SetProgressBreakAction, this, _1));
 #ifdef ENABLE_WALLET
     uiInterface.LoadWallet.connect(
         boost::bind(&SplashScreen::ConnectWallet, this, _1));
diff --git a/src/txdb.cpp b/src/txdb.cpp
--- a/src/txdb.cpp
+++ b/src/txdb.cpp
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@
 #include "chainparams.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include "hash.h"
+#include "init.h"
 #include "pow.h"
+#include "ui_interface.h"
 #include "uint256.h"
 
 #include <boost/thread.hpp>
@@ -334,16 +336,39 @@
         return true;
     }
 
-    LogPrintf("Upgrading database...\n");
+    int64_t count = 0;
+    LogPrintf("Upgrading utxo-set database...\n");
+    LogPrintf("[0%%]...");
     size_t batch_size = 1 << 24;
     CDBBatch batch(db);
+    uiInterface.SetProgressBreakAction(StartShutdown);
+    int reportDone = 0;
     while (pcursor->Valid()) {
         boost::this_thread::interruption_point();
+        if (ShutdownRequested()) {
+            break;
+        }
+
         std::pair<uint8_t, uint256> key;
         if (!pcursor->GetKey(key) || key.first != DB_COINS) {
             break;
         }
 
+        if (count++ % 256 == 0) {
+            uint32_t high =
+                0x100 * *key.second.begin() + *(key.second.begin() + 1);
+            int percentageDone = (int)(high * 100.0 / 65536.0 + 0.5);
+            uiInterface.ShowProgress(
+                _("Upgrading UTXO database") + "\n" +
+                    _("(press q to shutdown and continue later)") + "\n",
+                percentageDone);
+            if (reportDone < percentageDone / 10) {
+                // report max. every 10% step
+                LogPrintf("[%d%%]...", percentageDone);
+                reportDone = percentageDone / 10;
+            }
+        }
+
         CCoins old_coins;
         if (!pcursor->GetValue(old_coins)) {
             return error("%s: cannot parse CCoins record", __func__);
@@ -371,5 +396,7 @@
     }
 
     db.WriteBatch(batch);
-    return true;
+    uiInterface.SetProgressBreakAction(std::function<void(void)>());
+    LogPrintf("[%s].\n", ShutdownRequested() ? "CANCELLED" : "DONE");
+    return !ShutdownRequested();
 }
diff --git a/src/ui_interface.h b/src/ui_interface.h
--- a/src/ui_interface.h
+++ b/src/ui_interface.h
@@ -115,6 +115,11 @@
     boost::signals2::signal<void(const std::string &title, int nProgress)>
         ShowProgress;
 
+    /** Set progress break action (possible "cancel button" triggers that
+     * action) */
+    boost::signals2::signal<void(std::function<void(void)> action)>
+        SetProgressBreakAction;
+
     /** New block has been accepted */
     boost::signals2::signal<void(bool, const CBlockIndex *)> NotifyBlockTip;