diff --git a/pkg/storage/stores/shipper/compactor/compactor.go b/pkg/storage/stores/shipper/compactor/compactor.go
index 92a1206c589b..e7d920277484 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/stores/shipper/compactor/compactor.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/stores/shipper/compactor/compactor.go
@@ -229,23 +229,27 @@ func (c *Compactor) init(storageConfig storage.Config, schemaConfig loki_storage
 			return err
 		}
 
-		deletionWorkDir := filepath.Join(c.cfg.WorkingDirectory, "deletion")
-
-		c.deleteRequestsStore, err = deletion.NewDeleteStore(deletionWorkDir, c.indexStorageClient)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
 		if c.deleteMode == deletion.WholeStreamDeletion {
-			c.DeleteRequestsHandler = deletion.NewDeleteRequestHandler(c.deleteRequestsStore, time.Hour, r)
-			c.deleteRequestsManager = deletion.NewDeleteRequestsManager(c.deleteRequestsStore, c.cfg.DeleteRequestCancelPeriod, r)
-
-			c.expirationChecker = newExpirationChecker(retention.NewExpirationChecker(limits), c.deleteRequestsManager)
+			deletionWorkDir := filepath.Join(c.cfg.WorkingDirectory, "deletion")
 
-			c.tableMarker, err = retention.NewMarker(retentionWorkDir, schemaConfig, c.expirationChecker, chunkClient, r)
+			c.deleteRequestsStore, err = deletion.NewDeleteStore(deletionWorkDir, c.indexStorageClient)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			c.DeleteRequestsHandler = deletion.NewDeleteRequestHandler(c.deleteRequestsStore, time.Hour, r)
+			c.deleteRequestsManager = deletion.NewDeleteRequestsManager(c.deleteRequestsStore, c.cfg.DeleteRequestCancelPeriod, r)
+			c.expirationChecker = newExpirationChecker(retention.NewExpirationChecker(limits), c.deleteRequestsManager)
+		} else {
+			c.expirationChecker = newExpirationChecker(
+				retention.NewExpirationChecker(limits),
+				// This is a dummy deletion ExpirationChecker that never expires anything
+				retention.NeverExpiringExpirationChecker(limits),
+			)
+		}
+
+		c.tableMarker, err = retention.NewMarker(retentionWorkDir, schemaConfig, c.expirationChecker, chunkClient, r)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -302,7 +306,9 @@ func (c *Compactor) starting(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 
 func (c *Compactor) loop(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if c.cfg.RetentionEnabled {
-		defer c.deleteRequestsStore.Stop()
+		if c.deleteRequestsStore != nil {
+			defer c.deleteRequestsStore.Stop()
+		}
 		if c.deleteRequestsManager != nil {
 			defer c.deleteRequestsManager.Stop()
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/storage/stores/shipper/compactor/retention/expiration.go b/pkg/storage/stores/shipper/compactor/retention/expiration.go
index 4d9edaac19c8..e9aee2744027 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/stores/shipper/compactor/retention/expiration.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/stores/shipper/compactor/retention/expiration.go
@@ -81,6 +81,26 @@ func (e *expirationChecker) IntervalMayHaveExpiredChunks(interval model.Interval
 	return interval.Start.Before(latestRetentionStartTime)
 }
 
+// NeverExpiringExpirationChecker returns an expiration checker that never expires anything
+func NeverExpiringExpirationChecker(limits Limits) ExpirationChecker {
+	return &neverExpiringExpirationChecker{}
+}
+
+type neverExpiringExpirationChecker struct{}
+
+func (e *neverExpiringExpirationChecker) Expired(ref ChunkEntry, now model.Time) (bool, []model.Interval) {
+	return false, nil
+}
+func (e *neverExpiringExpirationChecker) IntervalMayHaveExpiredChunks(interval model.Interval, userID string) bool {
+	return false
+}
+func (e *neverExpiringExpirationChecker) MarkPhaseStarted()  {}
+func (e *neverExpiringExpirationChecker) MarkPhaseFailed()   {}
+func (e *neverExpiringExpirationChecker) MarkPhaseFinished() {}
+func (e *neverExpiringExpirationChecker) DropFromIndex(ref ChunkEntry, tableEndTime model.Time, now model.Time) bool {
+	return false
+}
+
 type TenantsRetention struct {
 	limits Limits
 }