diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index a306449dbd..3fed590dfb 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1215,12 +1215,21 @@ static ChainstateLoadResult InitAndLoadChainstate(
         },
     };
     Assert(ApplyArgsManOptions(args, blockman_opts)); // no error can happen, already checked in AppInitParameterInteraction
+
+    // Creating the chainstate manager internally creates a BlockManager, opens
+    // the blocks tree db, and wipes existing block files in case of a reindex.
+    // The coinsdb is opened at a later point on LoadChainstate.
     try {
         node.chainman = std::make_unique<ChainstateManager>(*Assert(node.shutdown_signal), chainman_opts, blockman_opts);
+    } catch (dbwrapper_error& e) {
+        LogError("%s", e.what());
+        return {ChainstateLoadStatus::FAILURE, _("Error opening block database")};
     } catch (std::exception& e) {
         return {ChainstateLoadStatus::FAILURE_FATAL, Untranslated(strprintf("Failed to initialize ChainstateManager: %s", e.what()))};
     }
     ChainstateManager& chainman = *node.chainman;
+    if (chainman.m_interrupt) return {ChainstateLoadStatus::INTERRUPTED, {}};
+
     // This is defined and set here instead of inline in validation.h to avoid a hard
     // dependency between validation and index/base, since the latter is not in
     // libbitcoinkernel.
diff --git a/src/node/blockstorage.cpp b/src/node/blockstorage.cpp
index 07878a5602..f26b0e7380 100644
--- a/src/node/blockstorage.cpp
+++ b/src/node/blockstorage.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include <util/translation.h>
 #include <validation.h>
 
+#include <cstddef>
 #include <map>
 #include <ranges>
 #include <unordered_map>
@@ -1183,7 +1184,19 @@ BlockManager::BlockManager(const util::SignalInterrupt& interrupt, Options opts)
       m_opts{std::move(opts)},
       m_block_file_seq{FlatFileSeq{m_opts.blocks_dir, "blk", m_opts.fast_prune ? 0x4000 /* 16kB */ : BLOCKFILE_CHUNK_SIZE}},
       m_undo_file_seq{FlatFileSeq{m_opts.blocks_dir, "rev", UNDOFILE_CHUNK_SIZE}},
-      m_interrupt{interrupt} {}
+      m_interrupt{interrupt}
+{
+    m_block_tree_db = std::make_unique<BlockTreeDB>(m_opts.block_tree_db_params);
+
+    if (m_opts.block_tree_db_params.wipe_data) {
+        m_block_tree_db->WriteReindexing(true);
+        m_blockfiles_indexed = false;
+        // If we're reindexing in prune mode, wipe away unusable block files and all undo data files
+        if (m_prune_mode) {
+            CleanupBlockRevFiles();
+        }
+    }
+}
 
 class ImportingNow
 {
diff --git a/src/node/blockstorage.h b/src/node/blockstorage.h
index 9db80c26c5..ac6db0558d 100644
--- a/src/node/blockstorage.h
+++ b/src/node/blockstorage.h
@@ -268,8 +268,6 @@ public:
     using Options = kernel::BlockManagerOpts;
 
     explicit BlockManager(const util::SignalInterrupt& interrupt, Options opts);
-    auto MakeBlockTreeDb() { return std::make_unique<BlockTreeDB>(m_opts.block_tree_db_params); }
-    auto OptsWipeBlockTreeDb() { return m_opts.block_tree_db_params.wipe_data; }
 
     const util::SignalInterrupt& m_interrupt;
     std::atomic<bool> m_importing{false};
diff --git a/src/node/chainstate.cpp b/src/node/chainstate.cpp
index 4fc7a851cd..c88bd5bad2 100644
--- a/src/node/chainstate.cpp
+++ b/src/node/chainstate.cpp
@@ -23,10 +23,7 @@
 #include <validation.h>
 
 #include <algorithm>
-#include <atomic>
 #include <cassert>
-#include <limits>
-#include <memory>
 #include <vector>
 
 using kernel::CacheSizes;
@@ -38,26 +35,6 @@ static ChainstateLoadResult CompleteChainstateInitialization(
     ChainstateManager& chainman,
     const ChainstateLoadOptions& options) EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(::cs_main)
 {
-    auto& pblocktree{chainman.m_blockman.m_block_tree_db};
-    // new BlockTreeDB tries to delete the existing file, which
-    // fails if it's still open from the previous loop. Close it first:
-    pblocktree.reset();
-    try {
-        pblocktree = chainman.m_blockman.MakeBlockTreeDb();
-    } catch (dbwrapper_error& err) {
-        LogError("%s\n", err.what());
-        return {ChainstateLoadStatus::FAILURE, _("Error opening block database")};
-    }
-
-    if (chainman.m_blockman.OptsWipeBlockTreeDb()) {
-        pblocktree->WriteReindexing(true);
-        chainman.m_blockman.m_blockfiles_indexed = false;
-        //If we're reindexing in prune mode, wipe away unusable block files and all undo data files
-        if (options.prune) {
-            chainman.m_blockman.CleanupBlockRevFiles();
-        }
-    }
-
     if (chainman.m_interrupt) return {ChainstateLoadStatus::INTERRUPTED, {}};
 
     // LoadBlockIndex will load m_have_pruned if we've ever removed a
diff --git a/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp b/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp
index 83b78d7b5a..30db579f0b 100644
--- a/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp
+++ b/src/test/util/setup_common.cpp
@@ -257,8 +257,6 @@ ChainTestingSetup::ChainTestingSetup(const ChainType chainType, TestOpts opts)
             },
         };
         m_node.chainman = std::make_unique<ChainstateManager>(*Assert(m_node.shutdown_signal), chainman_opts, blockman_opts);
-        LOCK(m_node.chainman->GetMutex());
-        m_node.chainman->m_blockman.m_block_tree_db = m_node.chainman->m_blockman.MakeBlockTreeDb();
     };
     m_make_chainman();
 }