diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index a3e36ff872..0333738887 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -3084,6 +3084,7 @@ bool LoadExternalBlockFile(FILE* fileIn, CDiskBlockPos *dbp)
 
     int nLoaded = 0;
     try {
+        // This takes over fileIn and calls fclose() on it in the CBufferedFile destructor
         CBufferedFile blkdat(fileIn, 2*MAX_BLOCK_SIZE, MAX_BLOCK_SIZE+8, SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
         uint64_t nStartByte = 0;
         if (dbp) {
@@ -3140,7 +3141,6 @@ bool LoadExternalBlockFile(FILE* fileIn, CDiskBlockPos *dbp)
                 LogPrintf("%s : Deserialize or I/O error - %s", __func__, e.what());
             }
         }
-        fclose(fileIn);
     } catch(std::runtime_error &e) {
         AbortNode(_("Error: system error: ") + e.what());
     }
diff --git a/src/serialize.h b/src/serialize.h
index 68501facf2..f56dce1481 100644
--- a/src/serialize.h
+++ b/src/serialize.h
@@ -1256,13 +1256,19 @@ public:
     }
 };
 
-/** Wrapper around a FILE* that implements a ring buffer to
- *  deserialize from. It guarantees the ability to rewind
- *  a given number of bytes. */
+/** Non-refcounted RAII wrapper around a FILE* that implements a ring buffer to
+ *  deserialize from. It guarantees the ability to rewind a given number of bytes. */
 class CBufferedFile
 {
 private:
-    FILE *src;          // source file
+    // Disallow copies
+    CBufferedFile(const CBufferedFile&);
+    CBufferedFile& operator=(const CBufferedFile&);
+
+    int nType;
+    int nVersion;
+
+    FILE *src;            // source file
     uint64_t nSrcPos;     // how many bytes have been read from source
     uint64_t nReadPos;    // how many bytes have been read from this
     uint64_t nReadLimit;  // up to which position we're allowed to read
@@ -1289,12 +1295,18 @@ protected:
     }
 
 public:
-    int nType;
-    int nVersion;
-
     CBufferedFile(FILE *fileIn, uint64_t nBufSize, uint64_t nRewindIn, int nTypeIn, int nVersionIn) :
-        src(fileIn), nSrcPos(0), nReadPos(0), nReadLimit((uint64_t)(-1)), nRewind(nRewindIn), vchBuf(nBufSize, 0),
-        nType(nTypeIn), nVersion(nVersionIn) {
+        nSrcPos(0), nReadPos(0), nReadLimit((uint64_t)(-1)), nRewind(nRewindIn), vchBuf(nBufSize, 0)
+    {
+        src = fileIn;
+        nType = nTypeIn;
+        nVersion = nVersionIn;
+    }
+
+    ~CBufferedFile()
+    {
+        if (src)
+            fclose(src);
     }
 
     // check whether we're at the end of the source file