diff --git a/db/compaction_picker.cc b/db/compaction_picker.cc
index 713da4266..738de1724 100644
--- a/db/compaction_picker.cc
+++ b/db/compaction_picker.cc
@@ -1172,11 +1172,11 @@ void LevelCompactionBuilder::SetupInitialFiles() {
   // if we didn't find a compaction, check if there are any files marked for
   // compaction
   if (start_level_inputs_.empty()) {
-    is_manual_ = true;
     parent_index_ = base_index_ = -1;
 
     PickFilesMarkedForCompaction();
     if (!start_level_inputs_.empty()) {
+      is_manual_ = true;
       compaction_reason_ = CompactionReason::kFilesMarkedForCompaction;
       return;
     }
diff --git a/db/db_compaction_test.cc b/db/db_compaction_test.cc
index 70c2ea937..47b7a1e56 100644
--- a/db/db_compaction_test.cc
+++ b/db/db_compaction_test.cc
@@ -3091,6 +3091,13 @@ TEST_F(DBCompactionTest, CompactBottomLevelFilesWithDeletions) {
   // compactions should be triggered, which reduce the size of each bottom-level
   // file without changing file count.
   db_->ReleaseSnapshot(snapshot);
+  rocksdb::SyncPoint::GetInstance()->SetCallBack(
+      "LevelCompactionPicker::PickCompaction:Return", [&](void* arg) {
+        Compaction* compaction = reinterpret_cast<Compaction*>(arg);
+        ASSERT_TRUE(compaction->compaction_reason() ==
+                    CompactionReason::kBottommostFiles);
+      });
+  rocksdb::SyncPoint::GetInstance()->EnableProcessing();
   dbfull()->TEST_WaitForCompact();
   db_->GetLiveFilesMetaData(&post_release_metadata);
   ASSERT_EQ(pre_release_metadata.size(), post_release_metadata.size());
@@ -3104,6 +3111,7 @@ TEST_F(DBCompactionTest, CompactBottomLevelFilesWithDeletions) {
     // deletion markers/deleted keys.
     ASSERT_LT(post_file.size, pre_file.size);
   }
+  rocksdb::SyncPoint::GetInstance()->DisableProcessing();
 }
 
 TEST_F(DBCompactionTest, LevelCompactExpiredTtlFiles) {
@@ -3153,9 +3161,16 @@ TEST_F(DBCompactionTest, LevelCompactExpiredTtlFiles) {
   // compacted.
   ASSERT_OK(Put("a", "1"));
   Flush();
+  rocksdb::SyncPoint::GetInstance()->SetCallBack(
+      "LevelCompactionPicker::PickCompaction:Return", [&](void* arg) {
+        Compaction* compaction = reinterpret_cast<Compaction*>(arg);
+        ASSERT_TRUE(compaction->compaction_reason() == CompactionReason::kTtl);
+      });
+  rocksdb::SyncPoint::GetInstance()->EnableProcessing();
   dbfull()->TEST_WaitForCompact();
   // All non-L0 files are deleted, as they contained only deleted data.
   ASSERT_EQ("1", FilesPerLevel());
+  rocksdb::SyncPoint::GetInstance()->DisableProcessing();
 }
 
 TEST_F(DBCompactionTest, CompactRangeDelayedByL0FileCount) {