diff --git a/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade.go b/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade.go
index 0b6193b9f04..c0422a3ee41 100644
--- a/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade.go
+++ b/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade.go
@@ -805,9 +805,18 @@ func (k Keeper) constructProposedUpgrade(ctx sdk.Context, portID, channelID stri
 	}, nil
 }
 
-// AbortUpgrade will restore the channel state and flush status to their pre-upgrade state so that upgrade is aborted.
-// any unnecessary state is deleted. An error receipt is written, and the OnChanUpgradeRestore callback is called.
-func (k Keeper) AbortUpgrade(ctx sdk.Context, portID, channelID string, err error) error {
+// MustAbortUpgrade will restore the channel state and flush status to their pre-upgrade state so that upgrade is aborted.
+// Any unnecessary state is deleted and an error receipt is written.
+// This function is expected to always succeed, a panic will occur if an error occurs.
+func (k Keeper) MustAbortUpgrade(ctx sdk.Context, portID, channelID string, err error) {
+	if err := k.abortUpgrade(ctx, portID, channelID, err); err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+}
+
+// abortUpgrade will restore the channel state and flush status to their pre-upgrade state so that upgrade is aborted.
+// Any unnecessary state is delete and an error receipt is written.
+func (k Keeper) abortUpgrade(ctx sdk.Context, portID, channelID string, err error) error {
 	if err == nil {
 		return errorsmod.Wrap(types.ErrInvalidUpgradeError, "cannot abort upgrade handshake with nil error")
 	}
diff --git a/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade_test.go b/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade_test.go
index d1d671d9ded..9ff671d4541 100644
--- a/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade_test.go
+++ b/modules/core/04-channel/keeper/upgrade_test.go
@@ -1305,10 +1305,10 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestAbortHandshake() {
 
 			tc.malleate()
 
-			err := channelKeeper.AbortUpgrade(suite.chainA.GetContext(), path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID, upgradeError)
-
 			if tc.expPass {
-				suite.Require().NoError(err)
+				suite.Require().NotPanics(func() {
+					channelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(suite.chainA.GetContext(), path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID, upgradeError)
+				})
 
 				channel, found := channelKeeper.GetChannel(suite.chainA.GetContext(), path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
 				suite.Require().True(found, "channel should be found")
@@ -1329,7 +1329,11 @@ func (suite *KeeperTestSuite) TestAbortHandshake() {
 				suite.Require().False(found, "counterparty last packet sequence should not be found")
 
 			} else {
-				suite.Require().Error(err)
+
+				suite.Require().Panics(func() {
+					channelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(suite.chainA.GetContext(), path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID, upgradeError)
+				})
+
 				channel, found := channelKeeper.GetChannel(suite.chainA.GetContext(), path.EndpointA.ChannelConfig.PortID, path.EndpointA.ChannelID)
 				if found { // test cases uses a channel that exists
 					suite.Require().Equal(types.INITUPGRADE, channel.State, "channel state should not be restored to %s", types.INITUPGRADE.String())
diff --git a/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go b/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go
index b7c68c0045b..92e1e41f2f9 100644
--- a/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go
+++ b/modules/core/keeper/msg_server.go
@@ -769,9 +769,7 @@ func (k Keeper) ChannelUpgradeTry(goCtx context.Context, msg *channeltypes.MsgCh
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Logger().Error("channel upgrade try failed", "error", errorsmod.Wrap(err, "channel upgrade try failed"))
 		if upgradeErr, ok := err.(*channeltypes.UpgradeError); ok {
-			if err := k.ChannelKeeper.AbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, upgradeErr); err != nil {
-				return nil, errorsmod.Wrap(err, "channel upgrade try (abort upgrade) failed")
-			}
+			k.ChannelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, upgradeErr)
 
 			// NOTE: a FAILURE result is returned to the client and an error receipt is written to state.
 			// This signals to the relayer to begin the cancel upgrade handshake subprotocol.
@@ -786,9 +784,7 @@ func (k Keeper) ChannelUpgradeTry(goCtx context.Context, msg *channeltypes.MsgCh
 	upgradeVersion, err := cbs.OnChanUpgradeTry(cacheCtx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, upgrade.Fields.Ordering, upgrade.Fields.ConnectionHops, upgrade.Fields.Version)
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Logger().Error("channel upgrade try callback failed", "port-id", msg.PortId, "channel-id", msg.ChannelId, "error", err.Error())
-		if err := k.ChannelKeeper.AbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, err); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+		k.ChannelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, err)
 
 		return &channeltypes.MsgChannelUpgradeTryResponse{Result: channeltypes.FAILURE}, nil
 	}
@@ -826,9 +822,7 @@ func (k Keeper) ChannelUpgradeAck(goCtx context.Context, msg *channeltypes.MsgCh
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Logger().Error("channel upgrade ack failed", "error", errorsmod.Wrap(err, "channel upgrade ack failed"))
 		if upgradeErr, ok := err.(*channeltypes.UpgradeError); ok {
-			if err := k.ChannelKeeper.AbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, upgradeErr); err != nil {
-				return nil, errorsmod.Wrap(err, "channel upgrade ack (abort upgrade) failed")
-			}
+			k.ChannelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, upgradeErr)
 
 			// NOTE: a FAILURE result is returned to the client and an error receipt is written to state.
 			// This signals to the relayer to begin the cancel upgrade handshake subprotocol.
@@ -843,9 +837,7 @@ func (k Keeper) ChannelUpgradeAck(goCtx context.Context, msg *channeltypes.MsgCh
 	err = cbs.OnChanUpgradeAck(cacheCtx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, msg.CounterpartyUpgrade.Fields.Version)
 	if err != nil {
 		ctx.Logger().Error("channel upgrade ack callback failed", "port-id", msg.PortId, "channel-id", msg.ChannelId, "error", err.Error())
-		if err := k.ChannelKeeper.AbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, err); err != nil {
-			return nil, errorsmod.Wrapf(err, "channel upgrade ack callback (abort upgrade) failed for port ID: %s, channel ID: %s", msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId)
-		}
+		k.ChannelKeeper.MustAbortUpgrade(ctx, msg.PortId, msg.ChannelId, err)
 
 		return &channeltypes.MsgChannelUpgradeAckResponse{Result: channeltypes.FAILURE}, nil
 	}