diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 4d526bd0dee..97ce3c3909a 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@
 #endif
 
 using kernel::DumpMempool;
+using kernel::LoadMempool;
 using kernel::ValidationCacheSizes;
 
 using node::ApplyArgsManOptions;
@@ -1675,7 +1676,10 @@ bool AppInitMain(NodeContext& node, interfaces::BlockAndHeaderTipInfo* tip_info)
             return;
         }
         // Load mempool from disk
-        chainman.ActiveChainstate().LoadMempool(ShouldPersistMempool(args) ? MempoolPath(args) : fs::path{});
+        if (auto* pool{chainman.ActiveChainstate().GetMempool()}) {
+            LoadMempool(*pool, ShouldPersistMempool(args) ? MempoolPath(args) : fs::path{}, chainman.ActiveChainstate());
+            pool->SetLoadTried(!chainman.m_interrupt);
+        }
     });
 
     // Wait for genesis block to be processed
diff --git a/src/test/fuzz/validation_load_mempool.cpp b/src/test/fuzz/validation_load_mempool.cpp
index c203dd4e390..bfbede5094b 100644
--- a/src/test/fuzz/validation_load_mempool.cpp
+++ b/src/test/fuzz/validation_load_mempool.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 using kernel::DumpMempool;
+using kernel::LoadMempool;
 
 using node::MempoolPath;
 
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ FUZZ_TARGET(validation_load_mempool, .init = initialize_validation_load_mempool)
     auto fuzzed_fopen = [&](const fs::path&, const char*) {
         return fuzzed_file_provider.open();
     };
-    (void)chainstate.LoadMempool(MempoolPath(g_setup->m_args), fuzzed_fopen);
+    (void)LoadMempool(pool, MempoolPath(g_setup->m_args), chainstate, fuzzed_fopen);
+    pool.SetLoadTried(true);
     (void)DumpMempool(pool, MempoolPath(g_setup->m_args), fuzzed_fopen, true);
 }
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index cd6654abe48..7b8f57a79e7 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@
 using kernel::CCoinsStats;
 using kernel::CoinStatsHashType;
 using kernel::ComputeUTXOStats;
-using kernel::LoadMempool;
 using kernel::Notifications;
 
 using fsbridge::FopenFn;
@@ -4126,13 +4125,6 @@ void PruneBlockFilesManual(Chainstate& active_chainstate, int nManualPruneHeight
     }
 }
 
-void Chainstate::LoadMempool(const fs::path& load_path, FopenFn mockable_fopen_function)
-{
-    if (!m_mempool) return;
-    ::LoadMempool(*m_mempool, load_path, *this, mockable_fopen_function);
-    m_mempool->SetLoadTried(!m_chainman.m_interrupt);
-}
-
 bool Chainstate::LoadChainTip()
 {
     AssertLockHeld(cs_main);
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
index d7ad86a5e85..4c9f807f5da 100644
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -712,9 +712,6 @@ public:
     /** Find the last common block of this chain and a locator. */
     const CBlockIndex* FindForkInGlobalIndex(const CBlockLocator& locator) const EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(cs_main);
 
-    /** Load the persisted mempool from disk */
-    void LoadMempool(const fs::path& load_path, fsbridge::FopenFn mockable_fopen_function = fsbridge::fopen);
-
     /** Update the chain tip based on database information, i.e. CoinsTip()'s best block. */
     bool LoadChainTip() EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(cs_main);