diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 0e72443cc33..290f0936807 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -2045,10 +2045,16 @@ bool AppInitMain(NodeContext& node, interfaces::BlockAndHeaderTipInfo* tip_info)
     }
 
     /// \anchor initload
-    node.background_init_thread = std::thread(&util::TraceThread, "initload", [=, &chainman, &args, &node] {
+    node.background_init_thread = std::thread(&util::TraceThread, "initload", [=, &chainman, &args, &kernel_notifications, &node] {
         ScheduleBatchPriority();
         // Import blocks and ActivateBestChain()
         ImportBlocks(chainman, vImportFiles);
+        // An interrupted import may return without activating genesis. Wake
+        // the init thread's genesis wait, which is otherwise only notified
+        // on blockTip, and that never fires when the import was interrupted
+        // before activating genesis. This wakeup lets the wait observe the
+        // shutdown request.
+        WITH_LOCK(kernel_notifications.m_tip_block_mutex, kernel_notifications.m_tip_block_cv.notify_all());
         WITH_LOCK(::cs_main, chainman.UpdateIBDStatus());
         if (args.GetBoolArg("-stopafterblockimport", DEFAULT_STOPAFTERBLOCKIMPORT)) {
             LogInfo("Stopping after block import");
diff --git a/test/functional/feature_init.py b/test/functional/feature_init.py
index ad20e39cda8..18faba33b3b 100755
--- a/test/functional/feature_init.py
+++ b/test/functional/feature_init.py
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ class InitTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
                 node.process.terminate()
             assert_equal(0, node.process.wait())
 
+        reindex_log_line = b'Reindexing block file blk00000.dat'
         lines_to_terminate_after = [
             b'Validating signatures for all blocks',
             b'scheduler thread start',
@@ -87,16 +88,20 @@ class InitTest(BitcoinTestFramework):
         ]
         if self.is_wallet_compiled():
             lines_to_terminate_after.append(b'Verifying wallet')
+        lines_to_terminate_after.append(reindex_log_line)
 
         for terminate_line in lines_to_terminate_after:
             self.log.info(f"Starting node and will terminate after line {terminate_line}")
             with node.busy_wait_for_debug_log([terminate_line]):
+                extra_args = [*ALL_INDEX_ARGS]
+                if terminate_line == reindex_log_line:
+                    extra_args += ['-reindex']
                 if platform.system() == 'Windows':
                     # CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP is required in order to be able
                     # to terminate the child without terminating the test.
-                    node.start(extra_args=ALL_INDEX_ARGS, creationflags=subprocess.CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP)
+                    node.start(extra_args=extra_args, creationflags=subprocess.CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP)
                 else:
-                    node.start(extra_args=ALL_INDEX_ARGS)
+                    node.start(extra_args=extra_args)
             self.log.debug("Terminating node after terminate line was found")
             sigterm_node()