diff --git a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.c b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.c
index c30d14cbf2..55b79e4c03 100644
--- a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.c
+++ b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.c
@@ -562,15 +562,17 @@ int write_node_raw(struct connection *conn, TDB_DATA *key, struct node *node,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Write the node. If the node is written, caller can find the key used in
+ * node->key. This can later be used if the change needs to be reverted.
+ */
 static int write_node(struct connection *conn, struct node *node,
 		      bool no_quota_check)
 {
-	TDB_DATA key;
-
-	if (access_node(conn, node, NODE_ACCESS_WRITE, &key))
+	if (access_node(conn, node, NODE_ACCESS_WRITE, &node->key))
 		return errno;
 
-	return write_node_raw(conn, &key, node, no_quota_check);
+	return write_node_raw(conn, &node->key, node, no_quota_check);
 }
 
 unsigned int perm_for_conn(struct connection *conn,
@@ -1086,16 +1088,21 @@ nomem:
 
 static int destroy_node(struct connection *conn, struct node *node)
 {
-	TDB_DATA key;
-
 	if (streq(node->name, "/"))
 		corrupt(NULL, "Destroying root node!");
 
-	set_tdb_key(node->name, &key);
-	tdb_delete(tdb_ctx, key);
+	tdb_delete(tdb_ctx, node->key);
 
 	domain_entry_dec(conn, node);
 
+	/*
+	 * It is not possible to easily revert the changes in a transaction.
+	 * So if the failure happens in a transaction, mark it as fail to
+	 * prevent any commit.
+	 */
+	if ( conn->transaction )
+		fail_transaction(conn->transaction);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.h b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.h
index 742812a974..7d0fe77e79 100644
--- a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.h
+++ b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_core.h
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ struct node_perms {
 
 struct node {
 	const char *name;
+	/* Key used to update TDB */
+	TDB_DATA key;
 
 	/* Parent (optional) */
 	struct node *parent;
diff --git a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_transaction.c b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_transaction.c
index cd07fb0f21..faf6c930e4 100644
--- a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_transaction.c
+++ b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_transaction.c
@@ -580,6 +580,11 @@ void transaction_entry_dec(struct transaction *trans, unsigned int domid)
 	list_add_tail(&d->list, &trans->changed_domains);
 }
 
+void fail_transaction(struct transaction *trans)
+{
+	trans->fail = true;
+}
+
 void conn_delete_all_transactions(struct connection *conn)
 {
 	struct transaction *trans;
diff --git a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_transaction.h b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_transaction.h
index 43a162bea3..14062730e3 100644
--- a/tools/xenstore/xenstored_transaction.h
+++ b/tools/xenstore/xenstored_transaction.h
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ int access_node(struct connection *conn, struct node *node,
 int transaction_prepend(struct connection *conn, const char *name,
                         TDB_DATA *key);
 
+/* Mark the transaction as failed. This will prevent it to be committed. */
+void fail_transaction(struct transaction *trans);
+
 void conn_delete_all_transactions(struct connection *conn);
 int check_transactions(struct hashtable *hash);