diff --git a/database.cc b/database.cc
index 9ba37fb2cd..25c0f0fefd 100644
--- a/database.cc
+++ b/database.cc
@@ -777,19 +777,6 @@ column_family::compact_sstables(sstables::compaction_descriptor descriptor, bool
         return sstables::compact_sstables(*sstables_to_compact, *this,
                 create_sstable, descriptor.max_sstable_bytes, descriptor.level, cleanup).then([this, new_tables, sstables_to_compact] {
             this->rebuild_sstable_list(*new_tables, *sstables_to_compact);
-        }).then_wrapped([this, new_tables] (future<> f) {
-            try {
-                f.get();
-            } catch (...) {
-                // Delete either partially or fully written sstables of a compaction that
-                // was either stopped abruptly (e.g. out of disk space) or deliberately
-                // (e.g. nodetool stop COMPACTION).
-                for (auto& sst : *new_tables) {
-                    dblog.debug("Deleting sstable {} of interrupted compaction for {}/{}", sst->get_filename(), _schema->ks_name(), _schema->cf_name());
-                    sst->mark_for_deletion();
-                }
-                throw;
-            }
         });
     });
 }
diff --git a/sstables/compaction.cc b/sstables/compaction.cc
index 9712c1725f..bec829d163 100644
--- a/sstables/compaction.cc
+++ b/sstables/compaction.cc
@@ -272,6 +272,7 @@ future<> compact_sstables(std::vector<shared_sstable> sstables, column_family& c
             output_reader->unread(std::move(*mut));
 
             auto newtab = creator();
+            info->new_sstables.push_back(newtab);
             newtab->get_metadata_collector().set_replay_position(rp);
             newtab->get_metadata_collector().sstable_level(sstable_level);
             for (auto ancestor : *ancestors) {
@@ -283,7 +284,6 @@ future<> compact_sstables(std::vector<shared_sstable> sstables, column_family& c
             auto&& priority = service::get_local_compaction_priority();
             return newtab->write_components(std::move(mutation_queue_reader), partitions_per_sstable, schema, max_sstable_size, backup, priority).then([newtab, info] {
                 return newtab->open_data().then([newtab, info] {
-                    info->new_sstables.push_back(newtab);
                     info->end_size += newtab->data_size();
                     return make_ready_future<stop_iteration>(stop_iteration::no);
                 });
@@ -310,6 +310,14 @@ future<> compact_sstables(std::vector<shared_sstable> sstables, column_family& c
         }
 
         if (ex.size()) {
+            // Delete either partially or fully written sstables of a compaction that
+            // was either stopped abruptly (e.g. out of disk space) or deliberately
+            // (e.g. nodetool stop COMPACTION).
+            for (auto& sst : info->new_sstables) {
+                logger.debug("Deleting sstable {} of interrupted compaction for {}/{}", sst->get_filename(), info->ks, info->cf);
+                sst->mark_for_deletion();
+            }
+
             throw std::runtime_error(ex);
         }
     }).then([start_time, info, cleanup] {