diff --git a/pkg/backup/restore_job.go b/pkg/backup/restore_job.go
index 936fbb5e68b9..644c6e99f6e6 100644
--- a/pkg/backup/restore_job.go
+++ b/pkg/backup/restore_job.go
@@ -116,6 +116,10 @@ const (
 	// be _exceeded_ before we no longer fast fail the restore job after hitting the
 	// maxRestoreRetryFastFail threshold.
 	restoreRetryProgressThreshold = 0
+
+	// droppedDescsOnFailKey is an info key that is set for a restore job when it
+	// has finished dropping its descriptors on failure.
+	droppedDescsOnFailKey = "dropped_descs_on_fail"
 )
 
 var restoreStatsInsertionConcurrency = settings.RegisterIntSetting(
@@ -2820,6 +2824,13 @@ func (r *restoreResumer) OnFailOrCancel(
 		return err
 	}
 
+	testingKnobs := execCfg.BackupRestoreTestingKnobs
+	if testingKnobs != nil && testingKnobs.AfterRevertRestoreDropDescriptors != nil {
+		if err := testingKnobs.AfterRevertRestoreDropDescriptors(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	if details.DescriptorCoverage == tree.AllDescriptors {
 		// The temporary system table descriptors should already have been dropped
 		// in `dropDescriptors` but we still need to drop the temporary system db.
@@ -2865,6 +2876,19 @@ func (r *restoreResumer) dropDescriptors(
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	jobInfo := jobs.InfoStorageForJob(txn, r.job.ID())
+	_, hasDropped, err := jobInfo.Get(
+		ctx, "get-restore-dropped-descs-on-fail-key", droppedDescsOnFailKey,
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if hasDropped {
+		// Descriptors have already been dropped once before, this is a retry of the
+		// cleanup.
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	b := txn.KV().NewBatch()
 	const kvTrace = false
 	// Collect the tables into mutable versions.
@@ -3186,7 +3210,10 @@ func (r *restoreResumer) dropDescriptors(
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "dropping tables created at the start of restore caused by fail/cancel")
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	return errors.Wrap(
+		jobInfo.Write(ctx, droppedDescsOnFailKey, []byte{}),
+		"checkpointing dropped descs on fail",
+	)
 }
 
 // removeExistingTypeBackReferences removes back references from types that
diff --git a/pkg/backup/restore_test.go b/pkg/backup/restore_test.go
index ea511f4ff4ed..2c71d3fff043 100644
--- a/pkg/backup/restore_test.go
+++ b/pkg/backup/restore_test.go
@@ -318,3 +318,55 @@ func TestRestoreDuplicateTempTables(t *testing.T) {
 	result := sqlDB.QueryStr(t, `SELECT table_name FROM [SHOW TABLES] ORDER BY table_name`)
 	require.Equal(t, [][]string{{"permanent_table"}}, result)
 }
+
+func TestRestoreRetryRevert(t *testing.T) {
+	defer leaktest.AfterTest(t)()
+	defer log.Scope(t).Close(t)
+
+	droppedDescs := make(chan struct{})
+	jobPaused := make(chan struct{})
+	testKnobs := &sql.BackupRestoreTestingKnobs{
+		AfterRevertRestoreDropDescriptors: func() error {
+			close(droppedDescs)
+			<-jobPaused
+			return nil
+		},
+	}
+	var params base.TestClusterArgs
+	params.ServerArgs.Knobs.BackupRestore = testKnobs
+
+	_, sqlDB, _, cleanupFn := backuptestutils.StartBackupRestoreTestCluster(
+		t, singleNode, backuptestutils.WithParams(params),
+	)
+	defer cleanupFn()
+
+	// We create a variety of descriptors to ensure that missing descriptors
+	// during drop do not break revert.
+	sqlDB.Exec(t, "CREATE DATABASE foo")
+	sqlDB.Exec(t, "USE foo")
+	sqlDB.Exec(t, "CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION bar(a INT) RETURNS INT AS 'SELECT a*a' LANGUAGE SQL;")
+	sqlDB.Exec(t, "CREATE TYPE baz AS ENUM ('a', 'b', 'c')")
+	sqlDB.Exec(t, "CREATE TABLE qux (x INT)")
+	sqlDB.Exec(t, "BACKUP DATABASE foo INTO 'nodelocal://1/backup'")
+
+	// We need restore to publish descriptors so that they will be cleaned up
+	// during restore.
+	sqlDB.Exec(t, "SET CLUSTER SETTING jobs.debug.pausepoints = 'restore.after_publishing_descriptors'")
+
+	var restoreID jobspb.JobID
+	sqlDB.QueryRow(
+		t, "RESTORE DATABASE foo FROM LATEST IN 'nodelocal://1/backup' WITH detached, new_db_name='foo_restored'",
+	).Scan(&restoreID)
+
+	jobutils.WaitForJobToPause(t, sqlDB, restoreID)
+
+	sqlDB.Exec(t, "CANCEL JOB $1", restoreID)
+	<-droppedDescs
+	sqlDB.Exec(t, "PAUSE JOB $1", restoreID)
+	jobutils.WaitForJobToPause(t, sqlDB, restoreID)
+	close(jobPaused)
+	testKnobs.AfterRevertRestoreDropDescriptors = nil
+
+	sqlDB.Exec(t, "RESUME JOB $1", restoreID)
+	jobutils.WaitForJobToCancel(t, sqlDB, restoreID)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/sql/exec_util_backup.go b/pkg/sql/exec_util_backup.go
index 08247fba7ead..b50e3fd5a59d 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/exec_util_backup.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/exec_util_backup.go
@@ -90,6 +90,10 @@ type BackupRestoreTestingKnobs struct {
 	// AfterAddRemoteSST is called after a remote SST is linked to pebble during
 	// the link phase of online restore.
 	AfterAddRemoteSST func() error
+
+	// AfterRevertRestoreDropDescriptors is called after a reverting restore
+	// drops its descriptors.
+	AfterRevertRestoreDropDescriptors func() error
 }
 
 var _ base.ModuleTestingKnobs = &BackupRestoreTestingKnobs{}