diff --git a/service/round.go b/service/round.go
index daabb713..d48bc710 100644
--- a/service/round.go
+++ b/service/round.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strconv"
@@ -102,6 +103,17 @@ func NewRound(datadir string, epoch uint, opts ...newRoundOptionFunc) (*round, e
 		opt(r)
 	}
 
+	err := r.loadState()
+	switch {
+	case errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist):
+		// No state file, this is a new round.
+		if err := r.saveState(); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	case err != nil:
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	return r, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/service/round_test.go b/service/round_test.go
index 061e33db..f48d84c8 100644
--- a/service/round_test.go
+++ b/service/round_test.go
@@ -112,7 +112,6 @@ func TestRound_StateRecovery(t *testing.T) {
 		recovered, err := NewRound(tmpdir, 0)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		t.Cleanup(func() { assert.NoError(t, recovered.Teardown(context.Background(), false)) })
-		require.NoError(t, recovered.loadState())
 
 		// Verify
 		require.False(t, recovered.IsFinished())
@@ -132,7 +131,6 @@ func TestRound_StateRecovery(t *testing.T) {
 		recovered, err := NewRound(tmpdir, 0)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		t.Cleanup(func() { assert.NoError(t, recovered.Teardown(context.Background(), false)) })
-		require.NoError(t, recovered.loadState())
 
 		// Verify
 		require.False(t, recovered.IsFinished())
@@ -167,7 +165,6 @@ func TestRound_ExecutionRecovery(t *testing.T) {
 	{
 		round, err := NewRound(tmpdir, 1)
 		req.NoError(err)
-		req.NoError(round.loadState())
 
 		ctx, stop := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 100*time.Millisecond)
 		defer stop()
@@ -179,7 +176,6 @@ func TestRound_ExecutionRecovery(t *testing.T) {
 	{
 		round, err := NewRound(tmpdir, 1)
 		req.NoError(err)
-		req.NoError(round.loadState())
 
 		req.NoError(round.RecoverExecution(context.Background(), time.Now().Add(400*time.Millisecond), 0))
 		validateProof(t, round.execution)
diff --git a/service/service.go b/service/service.go
index f09b6a2b..c2c157c6 100644
--- a/service/service.go
+++ b/service/service.go
@@ -244,11 +244,6 @@ func (s *Service) recover(ctx context.Context) (executing *round, err error) {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create round: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		err = r.loadState()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid round state: %w", err)
-		}
-
 		logger.Info("recovered round", zap.Uint("epoch", r.epoch))
 
 		switch {
@@ -261,9 +256,11 @@ func (s *Service) recover(ctx context.Context) (executing *round, err error) {
 			)
 			s.onNewProof(ctx, r.epoch, r.execution)
 			r.Teardown(ctx, true)
-
+		case r.executionStarted.IsZero():
+			// An open round from a previous poet version
+			logger.Info("round is open, removing it", zap.Uint("epoch", r.epoch))
+			r.Teardown(ctx, true)
 		default:
-			// Round is in executing state.
 			logger.Info(
 				"round is executing",
 				zap.Time("started", r.executionStarted),
diff --git a/service/service_test.go b/service/service_test.go
index 6e820bd7..1f9bc578 100644
--- a/service/service_test.go
+++ b/service/service_test.go
@@ -9,11 +9,14 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 	"go.uber.org/mock/gomock"
+	"go.uber.org/zap/zaptest"
 	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
 
 	"github.com/spacemeshos/poet/hash"
+	"github.com/spacemeshos/poet/logging"
 	"github.com/spacemeshos/poet/server"
 	"github.com/spacemeshos/poet/service"
 	"github.com/spacemeshos/poet/service/mocks"
@@ -222,7 +225,58 @@ func TestRecoverFinishedRound(t *testing.T) {
 	req.Eventually(func() bool {
 		_, err := os.Lstat(filepath.Join(datadir, "rounds", "9876"))
 		return errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist)
-	}, time.Second, 10*time.Millisecond)
+	}, time.Second*5, 10*time.Millisecond)
+
+	cancel()
+	req.NoError(eg.Wait())
+}
+
+func TestRemoveRecoveredOpenRound(t *testing.T) {
+	req := require.New(t)
+	ctx := logging.NewContext(context.Background(), zaptest.NewLogger(t))
+	datadir := t.TempDir()
+
+	// manually create a round and execute it
+	round, err := service.NewRound(
+		filepath.Join(datadir, "rounds"),
+		1,
+		service.WithMembershipRoot([]byte{1, 2, 3, 4}),
+	)
+	req.NoError(err)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { assert.NoError(t, round.Teardown(ctx, false)) })
+	ctxE, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Millisecond*10)
+	defer cancel()
+	err = round.Execute(ctxE, time.Now().Add(time.Hour), 0, 0)
+	req.ErrorIs(err, context.DeadlineExceeded)
+
+	// manually create an open round
+	openRound, err := service.NewRound(
+		filepath.Join(datadir, "rounds"),
+		2,
+		service.WithMembershipRoot([]byte{1, 2, 3, 4}),
+	)
+	req.NoError(err)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { assert.NoError(t, openRound.Teardown(ctx, true)) })
+
+	transport := transport.NewInMemory()
+	s, err := service.New(
+		ctx,
+		time.Now(),
+		datadir,
+		transport,
+		&server.RoundConfig{EpochDuration: time.Hour},
+	)
+	req.NoError(err)
+
+	ctx, cancel = context.WithCancel(ctx)
+	defer cancel()
+	var eg errgroup.Group
+	eg.Go(func() error { return s.Run(ctx) })
+
+	req.Eventually(func() bool {
+		_, err := os.Lstat(filepath.Join(datadir, "rounds", "2"))
+		return errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist)
+	}, time.Second*5, 10*time.Millisecond)
 
 	cancel()
 	req.NoError(eg.Wait())