diff --git a/go/store/chunks/chunk_store.go b/go/store/chunks/chunk_store.go
index 82c52cac656..19bf4d07f96 100644
--- a/go/store/chunks/chunk_store.go
+++ b/go/store/chunks/chunk_store.go
@@ -172,7 +172,9 @@ type MarkAndSweeper interface {
 	// chunks is accessed and copied.
 	SaveHashes(context.Context, []hash.Hash) error
 
-	Close(context.Context) (GCFinalizer, error)
+	Finalize(context.Context) (GCFinalizer, error)
+
+	Close(context.Context) error
 }
 
 // A GCFinalizer is returned from a MarkAndSweeper after it is closed.
diff --git a/go/store/chunks/memory_store.go b/go/store/chunks/memory_store.go
index 93643c17c17..a7fd1ae5725 100644
--- a/go/store/chunks/memory_store.go
+++ b/go/store/chunks/memory_store.go
@@ -398,10 +398,14 @@ func (i *msvMarkAndSweeper) SaveHashes(ctx context.Context, hashes []hash.Hash)
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (i *msvMarkAndSweeper) Close(context.Context) (GCFinalizer, error) {
+func (i *msvMarkAndSweeper) Finalize(context.Context) (GCFinalizer, error) {
 	return msvGcFinalizer{i.ms, i.keepers}, nil
 }
 
+func (i *msvMarkAndSweeper) Close(context.Context) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (ms *MemoryStoreView) MarkAndSweepChunks(ctx context.Context, getAddrs GetAddrsCurry, filter HasManyFunc, dest ChunkStore, mode GCMode) (MarkAndSweeper, error) {
 	if dest != ms {
 		panic("unsupported")
diff --git a/go/store/nbs/cmp_chunk_table_writer.go b/go/store/nbs/cmp_chunk_table_writer.go
index 905154463ea..28cdde95630 100644
--- a/go/store/nbs/cmp_chunk_table_writer.go
+++ b/go/store/nbs/cmp_chunk_table_writer.go
@@ -173,6 +173,21 @@ func (tw *CmpChunkTableWriter) Remove() error {
 	return os.Remove(tw.path)
 }
 
+// Cancel the inprogress write and attempt to cleanup any
+// resources associated with it. It is an error to call
+// Flush{,ToFile} or Reader after canceling the writer.
+func (tw *CmpChunkTableWriter) Cancel() error {
+	closer, err := tw.sink.Reader()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = closer.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return tw.Remove()
+}
+
 func containsDuplicates(prefixes prefixIndexSlice) bool {
 	if len(prefixes) == 0 {
 		return false
diff --git a/go/store/nbs/gc_copier.go b/go/store/nbs/gc_copier.go
index 5092a5deeae..44c02df8ef7 100644
--- a/go/store/nbs/gc_copier.go
+++ b/go/store/nbs/gc_copier.go
@@ -45,21 +45,28 @@ func (ea gcErrAccum) Error() string {
 
 type gcCopier struct {
 	writer *CmpChunkTableWriter
+	tfp    tableFilePersister
 }
 
-func newGarbageCollectionCopier() (*gcCopier, error) {
+func newGarbageCollectionCopier(tfp tableFilePersister) (*gcCopier, error) {
 	writer, err := NewCmpChunkTableWriter("")
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	return &gcCopier{writer}, nil
+	return &gcCopier{writer, tfp}, nil
 }
 
 func (gcc *gcCopier) addChunk(ctx context.Context, c CompressedChunk) error {
 	return gcc.writer.AddCmpChunk(c)
 }
 
-func (gcc *gcCopier) copyTablesToDir(ctx context.Context, tfp tableFilePersister) (ts []tableSpec, err error) {
+// If the writer should be closed and deleted, instead of being used with
+// copyTablesToDir, call this method.
+func (gcc *gcCopier) cancel(_ context.Context) error {
+	return gcc.writer.Cancel()
+}
+
+func (gcc *gcCopier) copyTablesToDir(ctx context.Context) (ts []tableSpec, err error) {
 	var filename string
 	filename, err = gcc.writer.Finish()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -79,7 +86,7 @@ func (gcc *gcCopier) copyTablesToDir(ctx context.Context, tfp tableFilePersister
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid filename: %s", filename)
 	}
 
-	exists, err := tfp.Exists(ctx, addr, uint32(gcc.writer.ChunkCount()), nil)
+	exists, err := gcc.tfp.Exists(ctx, addr, uint32(gcc.writer.ChunkCount()), nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -94,7 +101,7 @@ func (gcc *gcCopier) copyTablesToDir(ctx context.Context, tfp tableFilePersister
 	}
 
 	// Attempt to rename the file to the destination if we are working with a fsTablePersister...
-	if mover, ok := tfp.(movingTableFilePersister); ok {
+	if mover, ok := gcc.tfp.(movingTableFilePersister); ok {
 		err = mover.TryMoveCmpChunkTableWriter(ctx, filename, gcc.writer)
 		if err == nil {
 			return []tableSpec{
@@ -114,7 +121,7 @@ func (gcc *gcCopier) copyTablesToDir(ctx context.Context, tfp tableFilePersister
 	defer r.Close()
 	sz := gcc.writer.ContentLength()
 
-	err = tfp.CopyTableFile(ctx, r, filename, sz, uint32(gcc.writer.ChunkCount()))
+	err = gcc.tfp.CopyTableFile(ctx, r, filename, sz, uint32(gcc.writer.ChunkCount()))
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/go/store/nbs/store.go b/go/store/nbs/store.go
index 7ddc44a001a..7f08eb62c99 100644
--- a/go/store/nbs/store.go
+++ b/go/store/nbs/store.go
@@ -1652,7 +1652,7 @@ func markAndSweepChunks(ctx context.Context, nbs *NomsBlockStore, src NBSCompres
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("NBS does not support copying garbage collection")
 	}
 
-	gcc, err := newGarbageCollectionCopier()
+	gcc, err := newGarbageCollectionCopier(tfp)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -1758,11 +1758,12 @@ func (i *markAndSweeper) SaveHashes(ctx context.Context, hashes []hash.Hash) err
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (i *markAndSweeper) Close(ctx context.Context) (chunks.GCFinalizer, error) {
-	specs, err := i.gcc.copyTablesToDir(ctx, i.tfp)
+func (i *markAndSweeper) Finalize(ctx context.Context) (chunks.GCFinalizer, error) {
+	specs, err := i.gcc.copyTablesToDir(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	i.gcc = nil
 
 	return gcFinalizer{
 		nbs:   i.dest,
@@ -1771,6 +1772,13 @@ func (i *markAndSweeper) Close(ctx context.Context) (chunks.GCFinalizer, error)
 	}, nil
 }
 
+func (i *markAndSweeper) Close(ctx context.Context) error {
+	if i.gcc != nil {
+		return i.gcc.cancel(ctx)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 type gcFinalizer struct {
 	nbs   *NomsBlockStore
 	specs []tableSpec
diff --git a/go/store/nbs/store_test.go b/go/store/nbs/store_test.go
index 02c92bb7a97..90f204bc996 100644
--- a/go/store/nbs/store_test.go
+++ b/go/store/nbs/store_test.go
@@ -345,8 +345,9 @@ func TestNBSCopyGC(t *testing.T) {
 		keepersSlice = append(keepersSlice, h)
 	}
 	require.NoError(t, sweeper.SaveHashes(ctx, keepersSlice))
-	finalizer, err := sweeper.Close(ctx)
+	finalizer, err := sweeper.Finalize(ctx)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, sweeper.Close(ctx))
 	require.NoError(t, finalizer.SwapChunksInStore(ctx))
 	st.EndGC()
 
diff --git a/go/store/types/value_store.go b/go/store/types/value_store.go
index 7d0984831d7..02a2b897827 100644
--- a/go/store/types/value_store.go
+++ b/go/store/types/value_store.go
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ func (lvs *ValueStore) gc(ctx context.Context,
 
 	err = sweeper.SaveHashes(ctx, toVisit.ToSlice())
 	if err != nil {
-		_, cErr := sweeper.Close(ctx)
+		cErr := sweeper.Close(ctx)
 		return nil, errors.Join(err, cErr)
 	}
 	toVisit = nil
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ func (lvs *ValueStore) gc(ctx context.Context,
 	next := lvs.readAndResetNewGenToVisit()
 	err = sweeper.SaveHashes(ctx, next.ToSlice())
 	if err != nil {
-		_, cErr := sweeper.Close(ctx)
+		cErr := sweeper.Close(ctx)
 		return nil, errors.Join(err, cErr)
 	}
 	next = nil
@@ -746,18 +746,22 @@ func (lvs *ValueStore) gc(ctx context.Context,
 	final := finalize()
 	err = sweeper.SaveHashes(ctx, final.ToSlice())
 	if err != nil {
-		_, cErr := sweeper.Close(ctx)
+		cErr := sweeper.Close(ctx)
 		return nil, errors.Join(err, cErr)
 	}
 
 	if safepointF != nil {
 		err = safepointF()
 		if err != nil {
-			_, cErr := sweeper.Close(ctx)
+			cErr := sweeper.Close(ctx)
 			return nil, errors.Join(err, cErr)
 		}
 	}
-	return sweeper.Close(ctx)
+	finalizer, err := sweeper.Finalize(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return finalizer, sweeper.Close(ctx)
 }
 
 // Close closes the underlying ChunkStore