diff --git a/blockdev.c b/blockdev.c
index 0690cc8..d43df5e 100644
--- a/blockdev.c
+++ b/blockdev.c
@@ -574,9 +574,12 @@ int do_snapshot_blkdev(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data)
     const char *filename = qdict_get_try_str(qdict, "snapshot_file");
     const char *format = qdict_get_try_str(qdict, "format");
     BlockDriverState *bs;
-    BlockDriver *drv, *proto_drv;
+    BlockDriver *drv, *old_drv, *proto_drv;
     int ret = 0;
     int flags;
+    char old_filename[1024];
+
+    old_filename[1023] = '\0';
 
     if (!filename) {
         qerror_report(QERR_MISSING_PARAMETER, "snapshot_file");
@@ -591,6 +594,10 @@ int do_snapshot_blkdev(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data)
         goto out;
     }
 
+    strncpy(old_filename, bs->filename, 1024);
+    old_drv = bs->drv;
+    flags = bs->open_flags;
+
     if (!format) {
         format = "qcow2";
     }
@@ -610,7 +617,7 @@ int do_snapshot_blkdev(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data)
     }
 
     ret = bdrv_img_create(filename, format, bs->filename,
-                          bs->drv->format_name, NULL, -1, bs->open_flags);
+                          bs->drv->format_name, NULL, -1, flags);
     if (ret) {
         goto out;
     }
@@ -618,15 +625,26 @@ int do_snapshot_blkdev(Monitor *mon, const QDict *qdict, QObject **ret_data)
     qemu_aio_flush();
     bdrv_flush(bs);
 
-    flags = bs->open_flags;
     bdrv_close(bs);
     ret = bdrv_open(bs, filename, flags, drv);
     /*
-     * If reopening the image file we just created fails, we really
-     * are in trouble :(
+     * If reopening the image file we just created fails, fall back
+     * and try to re-open the original image. If that fails too, we
+     * are in serious trouble.
      */
     if (ret != 0) {
-        abort();
+        qerror_report(QERR_OPEN_FILE_FAILED, filename);
+        error_printf("do_snapshot_blkdev(): Unable to open newly created "
+                     "snapshot file: \n");
+        error_printf(" %s. Attempting to revert to original image %s\n",
+                     filename, old_filename);
+        ret = bdrv_open(bs, old_filename, flags, old_drv);
+        if (ret != 0) {
+            error_printf("do_snapshot_blkdev(): Unable to re-open "
+                         "original image - aborting!\n");
+            qerror_report(QERR_OPEN_FILE_FAILED, old_filename);
+            abort();
+        }
     }
 out:
     if (ret) {