diff --git a/compact.go b/compact.go
index 33cd20adfb..ab0d9aab65 100644
--- a/compact.go
+++ b/compact.go
@@ -412,10 +412,11 @@ func (c *LeveledCompactor) Compact(dest string, dirs []string, open []*Block) (u
 
 	var merr MultiError
 	merr.Add(err)
-
-	for _, b := range bs {
-		if err := b.setCompactionFailed(); err != nil {
-			merr.Add(errors.Wrapf(err, "setting compaction failed for block: %s", b.Dir()))
+	if err != ErrCompactionCanceled {
+		for _, b := range bs {
+			if err := b.setCompactionFailed(); err != nil {
+				merr.Add(errors.Wrapf(err, "setting compaction failed for block: %s", b.Dir()))
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -472,6 +473,9 @@ func (w *instrumentedChunkWriter) WriteChunks(chunks ...chunks.Meta) error {
 	return w.ChunkWriter.WriteChunks(chunks...)
 }
 
+// ErrCompactionCanceled is returned when the compaction was canceled during shutdown.
+var ErrCompactionCanceled = errors.New("compaction cancelled")
+
 // write creates a new block that is the union of the provided blocks into dir.
 // It cleans up all files of the old blocks after completing successfully.
 func (c *LeveledCompactor) write(dest string, meta *BlockMeta, blocks ...BlockReader) (err error) {
@@ -539,7 +543,7 @@ func (c *LeveledCompactor) write(dest string, meta *BlockMeta, blocks ...BlockRe
 		if err := os.RemoveAll(tmp); err != nil {
 			level.Error(c.logger).Log("msg", "removed tmp folder after canceled compaction", "err", err.Error())
 		}
-		return
+		return ErrCompactionCanceled
 	default:
 	}
 
diff --git a/compact_test.go b/compact_test.go
index c89c86c257..f8a16cef40 100644
--- a/compact_test.go
+++ b/compact_test.go
@@ -753,8 +753,8 @@ func TestCancelCompactions(t *testing.T) {
 		testutil.Ok(t, err)
 
 		// Create some blocks to fall within the compaction range.
-		createBlock(t, tmpdir, 4000, 0, 1000)
-		createBlock(t, tmpdir, 4000, 1000, 2000)
+		createBlock(t, tmpdir, 10000, 0, 1000)
+		createBlock(t, tmpdir, 10000, 1000, 2000)
 		createBlock(t, tmpdir, 1, 2000, 2001) // The most recent block is ignored so can be e small one.
 		db, err := Open(tmpdir, log.NewNopLogger(), nil, &Options{BlockRanges: []int64{1, 2000}})
 		testutil.Ok(t, err)