diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -2482,7 +2482,8 @@
             }
         }
 
-        if (status == node::ChainstateLoadStatus::FAILURE_INCOMPATIBLE_DB ||
+        if (status == node::ChainstateLoadStatus::FAILURE_FATAL ||
+            status == node::ChainstateLoadStatus::FAILURE_INCOMPATIBLE_DB ||
             status ==
                 node::ChainstateLoadStatus::FAILURE_INSUFFICIENT_DBCACHE) {
             return InitError(error);
diff --git a/src/node/chainstate.h b/src/node/chainstate.h
--- a/src/node/chainstate.h
+++ b/src/node/chainstate.h
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@
 //! and exit cleanly in the interrupted case.
 enum class ChainstateLoadStatus {
     SUCCESS,
+    //! Generic failure which reindexing may fix
     FAILURE,
+    //! Fatal error which should not prompt to reindex
+    FAILURE_FATAL,
     FAILURE_INCOMPATIBLE_DB,
     FAILURE_INSUFFICIENT_DBCACHE,
     INTERRUPTED
diff --git a/src/node/chainstate.cpp b/src/node/chainstate.cpp
--- a/src/node/chainstate.cpp
+++ b/src/node/chainstate.cpp
@@ -221,7 +221,9 @@
         LogPrintf("[snapshot] cleaning up unneeded background chainstate, then "
                   "reinitializing\n");
         if (!chainman.ValidatedSnapshotCleanup()) {
-            AbortNode("Background chainstate cleanup failed unexpectedly.");
+            return {ChainstateLoadStatus::FAILURE_FATAL,
+                    Untranslated(
+                        "Background chainstate cleanup failed unexpectedly.")};
         }
 
         // Because ValidatedSnapshotCleanup() has torn down chainstates with
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include <txmempool.h> // For CTxMemPool::cs
 #include <uint256.h>
 #include <util/check.h>
+#include <util/result.h>
 #include <util/translation.h>
 
 #include <atomic>
@@ -1086,7 +1087,8 @@
      * In case of an invalid snapshot, rename the coins leveldb directory so
      * that it can be examined for issue diagnosis.
      */
-    void InvalidateCoinsDBOnDisk() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(::cs_main);
+    [[nodiscard]] util::Result<void> InvalidateCoinsDBOnDisk()
+        EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(::cs_main);
 
     friend ChainstateManager;
 };
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -6227,7 +6227,7 @@
               "the chain height from %d to %d. On the next restart, the node "
               "will resume syncing from %d without using any snapshot data. "
               "Please report this incident to %s, including how you obtained "
-              "the snapshot. The invalid snapshot chainstate has been left on "
+              "the snapshot. The invalid snapshot chainstate will be left on "
               "disk in case it is helpful in diagnosing the issue that caused "
               "this error."),
             PACKAGE_NAME, snapshot_tip_height, snapshot_base_height,
@@ -6242,7 +6242,11 @@
         assert(!this->IsUsable(m_snapshot_chainstate.get()));
         assert(this->IsUsable(m_ibd_chainstate.get()));
 
-        m_snapshot_chainstate->InvalidateCoinsDBOnDisk();
+        auto rename_result = m_snapshot_chainstate->InvalidateCoinsDBOnDisk();
+        if (!rename_result) {
+            user_error = strprintf(Untranslated("%s\n%s"), user_error,
+                                   util::ErrorString(rename_result));
+        }
 
         shutdown_fnc(user_error);
     };
@@ -6439,7 +6443,7 @@
     return *m_snapshot_chainstate;
 }
 
-void Chainstate::InvalidateCoinsDBOnDisk() {
+util::Result<void> Chainstate::InvalidateCoinsDBOnDisk() {
     AssertLockHeld(::cs_main);
     // Should never be called on a non-snapshot chainstate.
     assert(m_from_snapshot_blockhash);
@@ -6468,14 +6472,15 @@
 
         LogPrintf("%s: error renaming file '%s' -> '%s': %s\n", __func__,
                   src_str, dest_str, e.what());
-        AbortNode(strprintf("Rename of '%s' -> '%s' failed. "
-                            "You should resolve this by manually moving or "
-                            "deleting the invalid "
-                            "snapshot directory %s, otherwise you will "
-                            "encounter the same error again "
-                            "on the next startup.",
-                            src_str, dest_str, src_str));
-    }
+        return util::Error{strprintf(_("Rename of '%s' -> '%s' failed. "
+                                       "You should resolve this by manually "
+                                       "moving or deleting the invalid "
+                                       "snapshot directory %s, otherwise you "
+                                       "will encounter the same error again "
+                                       "on the next startup."),
+                                     src_str, dest_str, src_str)};
+    }
+    return {};
 }
 
 const CBlockIndex *ChainstateManager::GetSnapshotBaseBlock() const {