diff --git a/src/evo/deterministicmns.cpp b/src/evo/deterministicmns.cpp
index 490a44f05c..deacb1d2ce 100644
--- a/src/evo/deterministicmns.cpp
+++ b/src/evo/deterministicmns.cpp
@@ -1077,7 +1077,7 @@ void CDeterministicMNManager::CleanupCache(int nHeight)
     }
 }
 
-bool CDeterministicMNManager::UpgradeDiff(CDBBatch& batch, const CBlockIndex* pindexNext, const CDeterministicMNList& curMNList, CDeterministicMNList& newMNList)
+void CDeterministicMNManager::UpgradeDiff(CDBBatch& batch, const CBlockIndex* pindexNext, const CDeterministicMNList& curMNList, CDeterministicMNList& newMNList)
 {
     CDataStream oldDiffData(SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
     if (!evoDb.GetRawDB().ReadDataStream(std::make_pair(DB_LIST_DIFF, pindexNext->GetBlockHash()), oldDiffData)) {
@@ -1085,7 +1085,7 @@ bool CDeterministicMNManager::UpgradeDiff(CDBBatch& batch, const CBlockIndex* pi
         newMNList = curMNList;
         newMNList.SetBlockHash(pindexNext->GetBlockHash());
         newMNList.SetHeight(pindexNext->nHeight);
-        return false;
+        return;
     }
 
     CDeterministicMNListDiff_OldFormat oldDiff;
@@ -1125,27 +1125,27 @@ bool CDeterministicMNManager::UpgradeDiff(CDBBatch& batch, const CBlockIndex* pi
 
     batch.Write(std::make_pair(DB_LIST_DIFF, pindexNext->GetBlockHash()), newDiff);
 
-    return true;
+    return;
 }
 
 // TODO this can be completely removed in a future version
-void CDeterministicMNManager::UpgradeDBIfNeeded()
+bool CDeterministicMNManager::UpgradeDBIfNeeded()
 {
     LOCK(cs_main);
 
     if (chainActive.Tip() == nullptr) {
-        return;
+        return true;
     }
 
     if (evoDb.GetRawDB().Exists(EVODB_BEST_BLOCK)) {
-        return;
+        return true;
     }
 
     // Removing the old EVODB_BEST_BLOCK value early results in older version to crash immediately, even if the upgrade
     // process is cancelled in-between. But if the new version sees that the old EVODB_BEST_BLOCK is already removed,
     // then we must assume that the upgrade process was already running before but was interrupted.
     if (chainActive.Height() > 1 && !evoDb.GetRawDB().Exists(std::string("b_b"))) {
-        LogPrintf("CDeterministicMNManager::%s -- ERROR, upgrade process was interrupted and can't be continued. You need to reindex now.\n", __func__);
+        return false;
     }
     evoDb.GetRawDB().Erase(std::string("b_b"));
 
@@ -1154,7 +1154,7 @@ void CDeterministicMNManager::UpgradeDBIfNeeded()
         auto dbTx = evoDb.BeginTransaction();
         evoDb.WriteBestBlock(chainActive.Tip()->GetBlockHash());
         dbTx->Commit();
-        return;
+        return true;
     }
 
     LogPrintf("CDeterministicMNManager::%s -- upgrading DB to use compact diffs\n", __func__);
@@ -1190,4 +1190,6 @@ void CDeterministicMNManager::UpgradeDBIfNeeded()
     dbTx->Commit();
 
     evoDb.GetRawDB().CompactFull();
+
+    return true;
 }
diff --git a/src/evo/deterministicmns.h b/src/evo/deterministicmns.h
index a65013fb06..c5dfe60b4a 100644
--- a/src/evo/deterministicmns.h
+++ b/src/evo/deterministicmns.h
@@ -673,8 +673,8 @@ public:
 
 public:
     // TODO these can all be removed in a future version
-    bool UpgradeDiff(CDBBatch& batch, const CBlockIndex* pindexNext, const CDeterministicMNList& curMNList, CDeterministicMNList& newMNList);
-    void UpgradeDBIfNeeded();
+    void UpgradeDiff(CDBBatch& batch, const CBlockIndex* pindexNext, const CDeterministicMNList& curMNList, CDeterministicMNList& newMNList);
+    bool UpgradeDBIfNeeded();
 
 private:
     void CleanupCache(int nHeight);
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 1159b057fa..94b3fb5949 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1944,7 +1944,10 @@ bool AppInitMain()
                     assert(chainActive.Tip() != NULL);
                 }
 
-                deterministicMNManager->UpgradeDBIfNeeded();
+                if (!deterministicMNManager->UpgradeDBIfNeeded()) {
+                    strLoadError = _("Error upgrading evo database");
+                    break;
+                }
 
                 if (!is_coinsview_empty) {
                     uiInterface.InitMessage(_("Verifying blocks..."));