diff --git a/packages/swing-store/src/swingStore.js b/packages/swing-store/src/swingStore.js
index 368fb1c5a548..f87ad04a917b 100644
--- a/packages/swing-store/src/swingStore.js
+++ b/packages/swing-store/src/swingStore.js
@@ -370,6 +370,10 @@ export function makeSwingStore(dirPath, forceReset, options = {}) {
     inCrank || Fail`establishCrankSavepoint outside of crank`;
     const savepointOrdinal = savepoints.length;
     savepoints.push(savepoint);
+    // We must be in a transaction when creating the savepoint or releasing it
+    // later will cause an autocommit.
+    // See https://github.com/Agoric/agoric-sdk/issues/8423
+    ensureTxn();
     const sql = db.prepare(`SAVEPOINT t${savepointOrdinal}`);
     sql.run();
   }
diff --git a/packages/swing-store/test/test-state.js b/packages/swing-store/test/test-state.js
index 02b7f73e8d70..22c857a88b8b 100644
--- a/packages/swing-store/test/test-state.js
+++ b/packages/swing-store/test/test-state.js
@@ -316,3 +316,37 @@ test('close will abort transaction', async t => {
   t.is(kvStore.get('key2'), undefined);
   t.falsy(kvStore.has('key2'));
 });
+
+test('savepoints', async t => {
+  const [dbDir, cleanup] = await tmpDir('testdb');
+  t.teardown(cleanup);
+  const ss1 = initSwingStore(dbDir);
+  ss1.kernelStorage.startCrank();
+  ss1.kernelStorage.kvStore.set('key', 'value1');
+  ss1.kernelStorage.establishCrankSavepoint('sp1');
+  ss1.kernelStorage.kvStore.set('key', 'value2');
+  ss1.kernelStorage.establishCrankSavepoint('sp2');
+  ss1.kernelStorage.kvStore.set('key', 'value3');
+  ss1.kernelStorage.rollbackCrank('sp1');
+  ss1.kernelStorage.endCrank();
+  await ss1.hostStorage.commit();
+  await ss1.hostStorage.close();
+
+  const ss2 = openSwingStore(dbDir);
+  t.is(ss2.kernelStorage.kvStore.get('key'), 'value1');
+});
+
+test('savepoints do not automatically commit', async t => {
+  const [dbDir, cleanup] = await tmpDir('testdb');
+  t.teardown(cleanup);
+  const ss1 = initSwingStore(dbDir);
+  ss1.kernelStorage.startCrank();
+  ss1.kernelStorage.establishCrankSavepoint('sp1');
+  ss1.kernelStorage.kvStore.set('key', 'value1');
+  // #8423 meant this .endCrank() accidentally did a commit()
+  ss1.kernelStorage.endCrank();
+  await ss1.hostStorage.close();
+
+  const ss2 = openSwingStore(dbDir);
+  t.false(ss2.kernelStorage.kvStore.has('key'));
+});