diff --git a/steward/backup/check.py b/steward/backup/check.py
index 118e6ba..e3357e4 100644
--- a/steward/backup/check.py
+++ b/steward/backup/check.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import create_async_engine
 
 from .contents import (ACTIVITY, ACTIVITY_EVERYWHERE, AREAS, EXCLUDED, HAND_SET_ONLY,
                        STATE_SETTINGS)
-from .dump import BackupError, read_backup
+from .dump import read_backup
 from .pgdata import async_url as _async_url
 from .pgdata import copy_rows, restore_script, script_tables
 
diff --git a/steward/backup/restore.py b/steward/backup/restore.py
index 60f094f..18905eb 100644
--- a/steward/backup/restore.py
+++ b/steward/backup/restore.py
@@ -321,17 +321,20 @@ async def restore_in_place(path: Path, database_url: str, *,
     from .contents import ACTIVITY, STATE_SETTINGS
     from .pgdata import restore_script, script_blocks
 
-    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
-        info, dump, key = await asyncio.to_thread(read_backup, path, Path(tmp))
-        blocks = script_blocks(await restore_script(dump))
     engine = create_async_engine(_async_url(database_url))
     try:
-        async with engine.connect() as conn:
-            heads = sorted((await conn.execute(text("SELECT version_num FROM alembic_version"))).scalars())
+        # The schema first: a backup that can't go in place is refused before
+        # anything else is read.
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            info, dump, key = await asyncio.to_thread(read_backup, path, Path(tmp))
+            async with engine.connect() as conn:
+                heads = sorted((await conn.execute(text("SELECT version_num FROM alembic_version"))).scalars())
             backup_heads = sorted(info.get("migration_heads") or [])
             schema = schema_of(backup_heads, heads, known_revisions(plugin_dirs))
             if schema != "same":
                 raise NotSameSchema(schema, backup_heads, heads)
+            blocks = script_blocks(await restore_script(dump))
+        async with engine.connect() as conn:
             present = set((await conn.execute(text(
                 "SELECT tablename FROM pg_tables WHERE schemaname = 'public'"))).scalars())
             tables = sorted(t for t in blocks if t not in EXCLUDED and t in present)
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_backup_restore_in_place.py b/tests/integration/test_backup_restore_in_place.py
index 744bda5..27bdae7 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_backup_restore_in_place.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_backup_restore_in_place.py
@@ -47,6 +47,17 @@ async def _snapshot(app) -> bytes:
     return script_from(blocks)
 
 
+async def _setting(app, key):
+    """A setting's stored value (get_all_settings knows only Steward's own keys)."""
+    import json
+
+    from sqlalchemy import select
+    from steward.models.settings import AppSetting
+    async with app.db_sessionmaker() as s:
+        raw = (await s.execute(select(AppSetting.value_json).where(AppSetting.key == key))).scalar_one()
+    return json.loads(raw)
+
+
 async def _backup_file(app, tmp_path, heads=None):
     from steward.backup import dump, job
     (tmp_path / "steward.dump").write_bytes(b"PGDMP")
@@ -61,7 +72,7 @@ def test_a_backup_goes_back_in_place_and_history_stays(app, monkeypatch, tmp_pat
     from sqlalchemy import func, select
     from steward.backup import pgdata
     from steward.backup.restore import restore_in_place
-    from steward.core.settings import get_all_settings, set_setting
+    from steward.core.settings import set_setting
     from steward.models.alerts import AlertEvent, AlertOperator, AlertRule
     from steward.models.audit import AuditEvent
     from steward.models.hosts import Host
@@ -110,8 +121,8 @@ def test_a_backup_goes_back_in_place_and_history_stays(app, monkeypatch, tmp_pat
 
         done = await restore_in_place(path, app.config["DATABASE_URL"])
 
+        settings = {k: await _setting(app, k) for k in (setting, "backup.last_attempt_at")}
         async with app.db_sessionmaker() as s:
-            settings = await get_all_settings(s)
             hosts = set((await s.execute(select(Host.id).where(
                 Host.id.in_([ids["kept_host"], ids["new_host"]])))).scalars())
             events = dict((await s.execute(select(AlertEvent.rule_id, func.count()).where(
@@ -135,7 +146,7 @@ def test_a_restore_that_fails_part_way_changes_nothing(app, monkeypatch, tmp_pat
     from steward.backup import pgdata
     from steward.backup.dump import BackupError
     from steward.backup.restore import restore_in_place
-    from steward.core.settings import get_all_settings, set_setting
+    from steward.core.settings import set_setting
 
     tag = uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]
     setting = f"test.undone_{tag}"
@@ -158,8 +169,7 @@ def test_a_restore_that_fails_part_way_changes_nothing(app, monkeypatch, tmp_pat
                 await set_setting(s, setting, "changed")
         with pytest.raises(BackupError, match="undone, nothing changed"):
             await restore_in_place(path, app.config["DATABASE_URL"])
-        async with app.db_sessionmaker() as s:
-            return (await get_all_settings(s))[setting]
+        return await _setting(app, setting)
 
     assert asyncio.run(_go()) == "changed"