diff --git a/compact.go b/compact.go
index bb5d53e2e..80d33dff8 100644
--- a/compact.go
+++ b/compact.go
@@ -412,7 +412,7 @@ func (c *LeveledCompactor) Compact(dest string, dirs []string, open []*Block) (u
 
 	var merr MultiError
 	merr.Add(err)
-	if err != ErrCompactionCanceled {
+	if err != context.Canceled {
 		for _, b := range bs {
 			if err := b.setCompactionFailed(); err != nil {
 				merr.Add(errors.Wrapf(err, "setting compaction failed for block: %s", b.Dir()))
@@ -481,20 +481,19 @@ func (w *instrumentedChunkWriter) WriteChunks(chunks ...chunks.Meta) error {
 	return w.ChunkWriter.WriteChunks(chunks...)
 }
 
-// ErrCompactionCanceled is returned when the compaction was canceled during shutdown.
-var ErrCompactionCanceled = errors.New("compaction cancelled")
-
 // write creates a new block that is the union of the provided blocks into dir.
 // It cleans up all files of the old blocks after completing successfully.
 func (c *LeveledCompactor) write(dest string, meta *BlockMeta, blocks ...BlockReader) (err error) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(dest, meta.ULID.String())
 	tmp := dir + ".tmp"
 	var writers []io.Closer
+	var merr MultiError
 	defer func(t time.Time) {
+		merr.Add(err)
 		for _, w := range writers {
-			w.Close()
+			merr.Add(w.Close())
 		}
-		if err != nil {
+		if merr.Err() != nil {
 			c.metrics.failed.Inc()
 			// TODO(gouthamve): Handle error how?
 			if err := os.RemoveAll(tmp); err != nil {
@@ -542,16 +541,9 @@ func (c *LeveledCompactor) write(dest string, meta *BlockMeta, blocks ...BlockRe
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "write compaction")
 	}
 
-	// Compaction was canceled so remove tmp folders and return early.
 	select {
 	case <-c.ctx.Done():
-		for _, w := range writers {
-			w.Close()
-		}
-		if err := os.RemoveAll(tmp); err != nil {
-			level.Error(c.logger).Log("msg", "removed tmp folder after canceled compaction", "err", err.Error())
-		}
-		return ErrCompactionCanceled
+		return c.ctx.Err()
 	default:
 	}
 
@@ -560,9 +552,11 @@ func (c *LeveledCompactor) write(dest string, meta *BlockMeta, blocks ...BlockRe
 	// you cannot delete these unless they are closed and the defer is to
 	// make sure they are closed if the function exits due to an error above.
 	for _, w := range writers {
-		if err := w.Close(); err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+		merr.Add(w.Close())
+	}
+	writers = writers[:0] // Avoid closing the writers twice in the defer.
+	if merr.Err() != nil {
+		return merr.Err()
 	}
 
 	// Populated block is empty, so cleanup and exit.
@@ -632,7 +626,7 @@ func (c *LeveledCompactor) populateBlock(blocks []BlockReader, meta *BlockMeta,
 	for i, b := range blocks {
 		select {
 		case <-c.ctx.Done():
-			return nil
+			return c.ctx.Err()
 		default:
 		}
 
@@ -694,7 +688,7 @@ func (c *LeveledCompactor) populateBlock(blocks []BlockReader, meta *BlockMeta,
 	for set.Next() {
 		select {
 		case <-c.ctx.Done():
-			return nil
+			return c.ctx.Err()
 		default:
 		}
 
diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index 9436809b7..8bec75447 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ type DB struct {
 	autoCompact    bool
 
 	// Cancel a running compaction when a shutdown is initiated.
-	compactCnl func()
+	compactCancel context.CancelFunc
 }
 
 type dbMetrics struct {
@@ -275,13 +275,13 @@ func Open(dir string, l log.Logger, r prometheus.Registerer, opts *Options) (db
 		db.lockf = lockf
 	}
 
-	ctx, cnl := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	db.compactor, err = NewLeveledCompactor(ctx, r, l, opts.BlockRanges, db.chunkPool)
 	if err != nil {
-		cnl()
+		cancel()
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "create leveled compactor")
 	}
-	db.compactCnl = cnl
+	db.compactCancel = cancel
 
 	segmentSize := wal.DefaultSegmentSize
 	if opts.WALSegmentSize > 0 {
@@ -819,7 +819,7 @@ func (db *DB) Head() *Head {
 // Close the partition.
 func (db *DB) Close() error {
 	close(db.stopc)
-	db.compactCnl()
+	db.compactCancel()
 	<-db.donec
 
 	db.mtx.Lock()