diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index a213dacbe..3e2ee4d42 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -708,6 +708,10 @@ static void ThreadImport(std::vector<fs::path> vImportFiles)
                 break; // This error is logged in OpenBlockFile
             LogPrintf("Reindexing block file blk%05u.dat...\n", (unsigned int)nFile);
             LoadExternalBlockFile(chainparams, file, &pos);
+            if (ShutdownRequested()) {
+                LogPrintf("Shutdown requested. Exit %s\n", __func__);
+                return;
+            }
             nFile++;
         }
         pblocktree->WriteReindexing(false);
@@ -723,6 +727,10 @@ static void ThreadImport(std::vector<fs::path> vImportFiles)
         if (file) {
             LogPrintf("Importing blocks file %s...\n", path.string());
             LoadExternalBlockFile(chainparams, file);
+            if (ShutdownRequested()) {
+                LogPrintf("Shutdown requested. Exit %s\n", __func__);
+                return;
+            }
         } else {
             LogPrintf("Warning: Could not open blocks file %s\n", path.string());
         }
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 259397051..dac1ad40d 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -4644,7 +4644,7 @@ bool LoadGenesisBlock(const CChainParams& chainparams)
     return ::ChainstateActive().LoadGenesisBlock(chainparams);
 }
 
-bool LoadExternalBlockFile(const CChainParams& chainparams, FILE* fileIn, FlatFilePos *dbp)
+void LoadExternalBlockFile(const CChainParams& chainparams, FILE* fileIn, FlatFilePos* dbp)
 {
     // Map of disk positions for blocks with unknown parent (only used for reindex)
     static std::multimap<uint256, FlatFilePos> mapBlocksUnknownParent;
@@ -4656,7 +4656,7 @@ bool LoadExternalBlockFile(const CChainParams& chainparams, FILE* fileIn, FlatFi
         CBufferedFile blkdat(fileIn, 2*MAX_BLOCK_SERIALIZED_SIZE, MAX_BLOCK_SERIALIZED_SIZE+8, SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
         uint64_t nRewind = blkdat.GetPos();
         while (!blkdat.eof()) {
-            boost::this_thread::interruption_point();
+            if (ShutdownRequested()) return;
 
             blkdat.SetPos(nRewind);
             nRewind++; // start one byte further next time, in case of failure
@@ -4761,9 +4761,7 @@ bool LoadExternalBlockFile(const CChainParams& chainparams, FILE* fileIn, FlatFi
     } catch (const std::runtime_error& e) {
         AbortNode(std::string("System error: ") + e.what());
     }
-    if (nLoaded > 0)
-        LogPrintf("Loaded %i blocks from external file in %dms\n", nLoaded, GetTimeMillis() - nStart);
-    return nLoaded > 0;
+    LogPrintf("Loaded %i blocks from external file in %dms\n", nLoaded, GetTimeMillis() - nStart);
 }
 
 void CChainState::CheckBlockIndex(const Consensus::Params& consensusParams)
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
index 016936276..c4a5cc459 100644
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ FILE* OpenBlockFile(const FlatFilePos &pos, bool fReadOnly = false);
 /** Translation to a filesystem path */
 fs::path GetBlockPosFilename(const FlatFilePos &pos);
 /** Import blocks from an external file */
-bool LoadExternalBlockFile(const CChainParams& chainparams, FILE* fileIn, FlatFilePos *dbp = nullptr);
+void LoadExternalBlockFile(const CChainParams& chainparams, FILE* fileIn, FlatFilePos* dbp = nullptr);
 /** Ensures we have a genesis block in the block tree, possibly writing one to disk. */
 bool LoadGenesisBlock(const CChainParams& chainparams);
 /** Load the block tree and coins database from disk,