diff --git a/channeldb/channel.go b/channeldb/channel.go
index bc2054886..0914f2424 100644
--- a/channeldb/channel.go
+++ b/channeldb/channel.go
@@ -2382,8 +2382,12 @@ type ChannelCloseSummary struct {
 // entails deleting all saved state within the database concerning this
 // channel. This method also takes a struct that summarizes the state of the
 // channel at closing, this compact representation will be the only component
-// of a channel left over after a full closing.
-func (c *OpenChannel) CloseChannel(summary *ChannelCloseSummary) error {
+// of a channel left over after a full closing. It takes an optional set of
+// channel statuses which will be written to the historical channel bucket.
+// These statuses are used to record close initiators.
+func (c *OpenChannel) CloseChannel(summary *ChannelCloseSummary,
+	statuses ...ChannelStatus) error {
+
 	c.Lock()
 	defer c.Unlock()
 
@@ -2461,6 +2465,11 @@ func (c *OpenChannel) CloseChannel(summary *ChannelCloseSummary) error {
 			return err
 		}
 
+		// Apply any additional statuses to the channel state.
+		for _, status := range statuses {
+			chanState.chanStatus |= status
+		}
+
 		err = putOpenChannel(historicalChanBucket, chanState)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/channeldb/channel_test.go b/channeldb/channel_test.go
index ad7a69755..bd2ab8b73 100644
--- a/channeldb/channel_test.go
+++ b/channeldb/channel_test.go
@@ -1357,3 +1357,39 @@ func TestCloseInitiator(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+// TestCloseChannelStatus tests setting of a channel status on the historical
+// channel on channel close.
+func TestCloseChannelStatus(t *testing.T) {
+	cdb, cleanUp, err := makeTestDB()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to make test database: %v",
+			err)
+	}
+	defer cleanUp()
+
+	// Create an open channel.
+	channel := createTestChannel(
+		t, cdb, openChannelOption(),
+	)
+
+	if err := channel.CloseChannel(
+		&ChannelCloseSummary{
+			ChanPoint: channel.FundingOutpoint,
+			RemotePub: channel.IdentityPub,
+		}, ChanStatusRemoteCloseInitiator,
+	); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	histChan, err := channel.Db.FetchHistoricalChannel(
+		&channel.FundingOutpoint,
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if !histChan.HasChanStatus(ChanStatusRemoteCloseInitiator) {
+		t.Fatalf("channel should have status")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/channeldb/db.go b/channeldb/db.go
index 6377df63a..c1cf46ba8 100644
--- a/channeldb/db.go
+++ b/channeldb/db.go
@@ -1159,8 +1159,9 @@ func (d *DB) AbandonChannel(chanPoint *wire.OutPoint, bestHeight uint32) error {
 	}
 
 	// Finally, we'll close the channel in the DB, and return back to the
-	// caller.
-	return dbChan.CloseChannel(summary)
+	// caller. We set ourselves as the close initiator because we abandoned
+	// the channel.
+	return dbChan.CloseChannel(summary, ChanStatusLocalCloseInitiator)
 }
 
 // syncVersions function is used for safe db version synchronization. It
diff --git a/fundingmanager.go b/fundingmanager.go
index 8484b9455..7913a11f6 100644
--- a/fundingmanager.go
+++ b/fundingmanager.go
@@ -1009,7 +1009,11 @@ func (f *fundingManager) advancePendingChannelState(
 			LocalChanConfig:         ch.LocalChanCfg,
 		}
 
-		if err := ch.CloseChannel(closeInfo); err != nil {
+		// Close the channel with us as the initiator because we are
+		// timing the channel out.
+		if err := ch.CloseChannel(
+			closeInfo, channeldb.ChanStatusLocalCloseInitiator,
+		); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed closing channel "+
 				"%v: %v", ch.FundingOutpoint, err)
 		}
@@ -1639,7 +1643,11 @@ func (f *fundingManager) handleFundingCreated(fmsg *fundingCreatedMsg) {
 			LocalChanConfig:         completeChan.LocalChanCfg,
 		}
 
-		if err := completeChan.CloseChannel(closeInfo); err != nil {
+		// Close the channel with us as the initiator because we are
+		// deciding to exit the funding flow due to an internal error.
+		if err := completeChan.CloseChannel(
+			closeInfo, channeldb.ChanStatusLocalCloseInitiator,
+		); err != nil {
 			fndgLog.Errorf("Failed closing channel %v: %v",
 				completeChan.FundingOutpoint, err)
 		}