diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 82aafd97f87..30b3dde74f0 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -5185,6 +5185,14 @@ bool ChainstateManager::ActivateSnapshot(
         return false;
     }
 
+    {
+        LOCK(::cs_main);
+        if (Assert(m_active_chainstate->GetMempool())->size() > 0) {
+            LogPrintf("[snapshot] can't activate a snapshot when mempool not empty\n");
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     int64_t current_coinsdb_cache_size{0};
     int64_t current_coinstip_cache_size{0};