diff --git a/db_stress_tool/db_stress_test_base.cc b/db_stress_tool/db_stress_test_base.cc
index 783d0ca19..493ba9d72 100644
--- a/db_stress_tool/db_stress_test_base.cc
+++ b/db_stress_tool/db_stress_test_base.cc
@@ -1318,6 +1318,8 @@ Status StressTest::TestBackupRestore(
   if (s.ok() && !FLAGS_use_txn && !FLAGS_use_blob_db) {
     Options restore_options(options_);
     restore_options.listeners.clear();
+    // Avoid dangling/shared file descriptors, for reliable destroy
+    restore_options.sst_file_manager = nullptr;
     std::vector<ColumnFamilyDescriptor> cf_descriptors;
     // TODO(ajkr): `column_family_names_` is not safe to access here when
     // `clear_column_family_one_in != 0`. But we can't easily switch to