diff --git a/chainregistry.go b/chainregistry.go
index 55fba4f33..cc3b05ea8 100644
--- a/chainregistry.go
+++ b/chainregistry.go
@@ -730,14 +730,15 @@ func initNeutrinoBackend(chainDir string) (*neutrino.ChainService, func(), error
 			"client: %v", err)
 	}
 
+	if err := neutrinoCS.Start(); err != nil {
+		db.Close()
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+
 	cleanUp := func() {
 		db.Close()
 		neutrinoCS.Stop()
 	}
-	if err := neutrinoCS.Start(); err != nil {
-		cleanUp()
-		return nil, nil, err
-	}
 
 	return neutrinoCS, cleanUp, nil
 }