diff --git a/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/api/controllers/v1/host.py b/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/api/controllers/v1/host.py
index 2451ce884c..70cd6beb2b 100644
--- a/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/api/controllers/v1/host.py
+++ b/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/api/controllers/v1/host.py
@@ -5833,6 +5833,18 @@ class HostController(rest.RestController):
                 _("Swact action not allowed. Upgrade state must be %s") %
                 (constants.UPGRADE_DATA_MIGRATION_COMPLETE))
 
+        activating_states = [constants.UPGRADE_ACTIVATION_REQUESTED,
+                             constants.UPGRADE_ACTIVATING]
+        if upgrade.state in activating_states and not force_swact:
+            # Block swacts during activation to prevent interrupting the
+            # upgrade scripts.
+            # Allow swacts during UPGRADE_ACTIVATING_HOSTS as the active
+            # controller may need a lock/unlock if a runtime manifest fails.
+            # Allow force swacts for recovery in edge cases.
+            raise wsme.exc.ClientSideError(
+                _("Swact action not allowed. Wait until the upgrade-activate "
+                  "command completes"))
+
         if upgrade.state in [constants.UPGRADE_ABORTING,
                              constants.UPGRADE_ABORTING_ROLLBACK]:
             if to_host_load_id == upgrade.to_load:
diff --git a/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/conductor/manager.py b/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/conductor/manager.py
index 6302eb33b3..a4be8a03ed 100644
--- a/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/conductor/manager.py
+++ b/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/sysinv/conductor/manager.py
@@ -402,6 +402,14 @@ class ConductorManager(service.PeriodicService):
         if system_mode == constants.SYSTEM_MODE_SIMPLEX:
             self._init_controller_for_upgrade(upgrade)
 
+        if upgrade.state in [constants.UPGRADE_ACTIVATION_REQUESTED,
+                             constants.UPGRADE_ACTIVATING]:
+            # Reset to activation-failed if the conductor restarts. This could
+            # be due to a swact or the process restarting. Either way we'll
+            # need to rerun the activation.
+            self.dbapi.software_upgrade_update(
+                upgrade.uuid, {'state': constants.UPGRADE_ACTIVATION_FAILED})
+
         self._upgrade_default_service()
         self._upgrade_default_service_parameter()