diff --git a/src/chain.h b/src/chain.h
index 7b65c76d7b4..459a83aae66 100644
--- a/src/chain.h
+++ b/src/chain.h
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ enum BlockStatus : uint32_t {
     BLOCK_HAVE_MASK          =   BLOCK_HAVE_DATA | BLOCK_HAVE_UNDO,
 
     BLOCK_FAILED_VALID       =   32, //!< stage after last reached validness failed
-    BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD       =   64, //!< descends from failed block
+    BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD       =   64, //!< Unused flag that was previously set when descending from failed block
     BLOCK_FAILED_MASK        =   BLOCK_FAILED_VALID | BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD,
 
     BLOCK_OPT_WITNESS        =   128, //!< block data in blk*.dat was received with a witness-enforcing client
diff --git a/src/node/blockstorage.cpp b/src/node/blockstorage.cpp
index ddaaad19c76..62abcbc007d 100644
--- a/src/node/blockstorage.cpp
+++ b/src/node/blockstorage.cpp
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ bool BlockManager::LoadBlockIndex(const std::optional<uint256>& snapshot_blockha
             }
         }
         if (!(pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_FAILED_MASK) && pindex->pprev && (pindex->pprev->nStatus & BLOCK_FAILED_MASK)) {
-            pindex->nStatus |= BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD;
+            pindex->nStatus |= BLOCK_FAILED_VALID;
             m_dirty_blockindex.insert(pindex);
         }
         if (pindex->pprev) {
diff --git a/src/test/blockchain_tests.cpp b/src/test/blockchain_tests.cpp
index c6b35e32d8a..8c2979758f2 100644
--- a/src/test/blockchain_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/blockchain_tests.cpp
@@ -130,7 +130,6 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE(invalidate_block, TestChain100Setup)
 
     // tip_to_invalidate just got invalidated, so it's BLOCK_FAILED_VALID
     WITH_LOCK(::cs_main, assert(tip_to_invalidate->nStatus & BLOCK_FAILED_VALID));
-    WITH_LOCK(::cs_main, assert((tip_to_invalidate->nStatus & BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD) == 0));
 
     // check all ancestors of the invalidated block are validated up to BLOCK_VALID_TRANSACTIONS and are not invalid
     auto pindex = tip_to_invalidate->pprev;
@@ -140,18 +139,12 @@ BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE(invalidate_block, TestChain100Setup)
         pindex = pindex->pprev;
     }
 
-    // check all descendants of the invalidated block are BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD
+    // check all descendants of the invalidated block are BLOCK_FAILED_VALID
     pindex = orig_tip;
     while (pindex && pindex != tip_to_invalidate) {
-        WITH_LOCK(::cs_main, assert((pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_FAILED_VALID) == 0));
-        WITH_LOCK(::cs_main, assert(pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD));
+        WITH_LOCK(::cs_main, assert(pindex->nStatus & BLOCK_FAILED_VALID));
         pindex = pindex->pprev;
     }
-
-    // don't mark already invalidated block (orig_tip is BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD) with BLOCK_FAILED_VALID again
-    m_node.chainman->ActiveChainstate().InvalidateBlock(state, orig_tip);
-    WITH_LOCK(::cs_main, assert(orig_tip->nStatus & BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD));
-    WITH_LOCK(::cs_main, assert((orig_tip->nStatus & BLOCK_FAILED_VALID) == 0));
 }
 
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()
diff --git a/src/test/fuzz/chain.cpp b/src/test/fuzz/chain.cpp
index 23499dd0797..2c294fd5684 100644
--- a/src/test/fuzz/chain.cpp
+++ b/src/test/fuzz/chain.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ FUZZ_TARGET(chain)
             BlockStatus::BLOCK_HAVE_UNDO,
             BlockStatus::BLOCK_HAVE_MASK,
             BlockStatus::BLOCK_FAILED_VALID,
-            BlockStatus::BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD,
             BlockStatus::BLOCK_FAILED_MASK,
             BlockStatus::BLOCK_OPT_WITNESS,
         });
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 93b7dc372ae..7dee16d997d 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -3184,7 +3184,7 @@ CBlockIndex* Chainstate::FindMostWorkChain()
                 // Remove the entire chain from the set.
                 while (pindexTest != pindexFailed) {
                     if (fFailedChain) {
-                        pindexFailed->nStatus |= BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD;
+                        pindexFailed->nStatus |= BLOCK_FAILED_VALID;
                         m_blockman.m_dirty_blockindex.insert(pindexFailed);
                     } else if (fMissingData) {
                         // If we're missing data, then add back to m_blocks_unlinked,
@@ -3740,7 +3740,7 @@ void Chainstate::SetBlockFailureFlags(CBlockIndex* invalid_block)
 
     for (auto& [_, block_index] : m_blockman.m_block_index) {
         if (invalid_block != &block_index && block_index.GetAncestor(invalid_block->nHeight) == invalid_block) {
-            block_index.nStatus = (block_index.nStatus & ~BLOCK_FAILED_VALID) | BLOCK_FAILED_CHILD;
+            block_index.nStatus |= BLOCK_FAILED_VALID;
             m_blockman.m_dirty_blockindex.insert(&block_index);
         }
     }