diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index 3932baf557..f868f7301f 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ func NewBlockChain(db ethdb.Database, cacheConfig *CacheConfig, chainConfig *par
 		}
 	}
 	// Load any existing snapshot, regenerating it if loading failed
-	bc.snaps = snapshot.New(bc.db, bc.stateCache.TrieDB(), "snapshot.rlp", bc.cacheConfig.SnapshotLimit, bc.CurrentBlock().Root())
+	bc.snaps = snapshot.New(bc.db, bc.stateCache.TrieDB(), bc.cacheConfig.SnapshotLimit, bc.CurrentBlock().Root())
 
 	// Take ownership of this particular state
 	go bc.update()
@@ -854,7 +854,7 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) Stop() {
 	bc.wg.Wait()
 
 	// Ensure that the entirety of the state snapshot is journalled to disk.
-	snapBase, err := bc.snaps.Journal(bc.CurrentBlock().Root(), "snapshot.rlp")
+	snapBase, err := bc.snaps.Journal(bc.CurrentBlock().Root())
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error("Failed to journal state snapshot", "err", err)
 	}
diff --git a/core/rawdb/accessors_snapshot.go b/core/rawdb/accessors_snapshot.go
index 9388e857b7..3a8d6c779e 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/accessors_snapshot.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/accessors_snapshot.go
@@ -95,3 +95,26 @@ func DeleteStorageSnapshot(db ethdb.KeyValueWriter, accountHash, storageHash com
 func IterateStorageSnapshots(db ethdb.Iteratee, accountHash common.Hash) ethdb.Iterator {
 	return db.NewIteratorWithPrefix(storageSnapshotsKey(accountHash))
 }
+
+// ReadSnapshotJournal retrieves the serialized in-memory diff layers saved at
+// the last shutdown. The blob is expected to be max a few 10s of megabytes.
+func ReadSnapshotJournal(db ethdb.KeyValueReader) []byte {
+	data, _ := db.Get(snapshotJournalKey)
+	return data
+}
+
+// WriteSnapshotJournal stores the serialized in-memory diff layers to save at
+// shutdown. The blob is expected to be max a few 10s of megabytes.
+func WriteSnapshotJournal(db ethdb.KeyValueWriter, journal []byte) {
+	if err := db.Put(snapshotJournalKey, journal); err != nil {
+		log.Crit("Failed to store snapshot journal", "err", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// DeleteSnapshotJournal deletes the serialized in-memory diff layers saved at
+// the last shutdown
+func DeleteSnapshotJournal(db ethdb.KeyValueWriter) {
+	if err := db.Delete(snapshotJournalKey); err != nil {
+		log.Crit("Failed to remove snapshot journal", "err", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/core/rawdb/schema.go b/core/rawdb/schema.go
index 1b8e53eb61..dc8faca32d 100644
--- a/core/rawdb/schema.go
+++ b/core/rawdb/schema.go
@@ -41,9 +41,12 @@ var (
 	// fastTrieProgressKey tracks the number of trie entries imported during fast sync.
 	fastTrieProgressKey = []byte("TrieSync")
 
-	// snapshotRootKey tracks the number and hash of the last snapshot.
+	// snapshotRootKey tracks the hash of the last snapshot.
 	snapshotRootKey = []byte("SnapshotRoot")
 
+	// snapshotJournalKey tracks the in-memory diff layers across restarts.
+	snapshotJournalKey = []byte("SnapshotJournal")
+
 	// Data item prefixes (use single byte to avoid mixing data types, avoid `i`, used for indexes).
 	headerPrefix       = []byte("h") // headerPrefix + num (uint64 big endian) + hash -> header
 	headerTDSuffix     = []byte("t") // headerPrefix + num (uint64 big endian) + hash + headerTDSuffix -> td
diff --git a/core/state/snapshot/difflayer_test.go b/core/state/snapshot/difflayer_test.go
index 9029bb04b8..84220e359b 100644
--- a/core/state/snapshot/difflayer_test.go
+++ b/core/state/snapshot/difflayer_test.go
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"math/big"
 	"math/rand"
-	"os"
-	"path"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/fastcache"
@@ -343,7 +341,6 @@ func BenchmarkJournal(b *testing.B) {
 	b.ResetTimer()
 
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		f, _, _ := layer.Journal(path.Join(os.TempDir(), "difflayer_journal.tmp"))
-		f.Close()
+		layer.Journal(new(bytes.Buffer))
 	}
 }
diff --git a/core/state/snapshot/journal.go b/core/state/snapshot/journal.go
index 1c6c63a0b9..1c36e06233 100644
--- a/core/state/snapshot/journal.go
+++ b/core/state/snapshot/journal.go
@@ -17,12 +17,11 @@
 package snapshot
 
 import (
-	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/fastcache"
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ type journalStorage struct {
 }
 
 // loadSnapshot loads a pre-existing state snapshot backed by a key-value store.
-func loadSnapshot(diskdb ethdb.KeyValueStore, triedb *trie.Database, journal string, cache int, root common.Hash) (snapshot, error) {
+func loadSnapshot(diskdb ethdb.KeyValueStore, triedb *trie.Database, cache int, root common.Hash) (snapshot, error) {
 	// Retrieve the block number and hash of the snapshot, failing if no snapshot
 	// is present in the database (or crashed mid-update).
 	baseRoot := rawdb.ReadSnapshotRoot(diskdb)
@@ -71,13 +70,13 @@ func loadSnapshot(diskdb ethdb.KeyValueStore, triedb *trie.Database, journal str
 		cache:  fastcache.New(cache * 1024 * 1024),
 		root:   baseRoot,
 	}
-	// Open the journal, it must exist since even for 0 layer it stores whether
+	// Retrieve the journal, it must exist since even for 0 layer it stores whether
 	// we've already generated the snapshot or are in progress only
-	file, err := os.Open(journal)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	journal := rawdb.ReadSnapshotJournal(diskdb)
+	if len(journal) == 0 {
+		return nil, errors.New("missing or corrupted snapshot journal")
 	}
-	r := rlp.NewStream(file, 0)
+	r := rlp.NewStream(bytes.NewReader(journal), 0)
 
 	// Read the snapshot generation progress for the disk layer
 	var generator journalGenerator
@@ -162,9 +161,9 @@ func loadDiffLayer(parent snapshot, r *rlp.Stream) (snapshot, error) {
 	return loadDiffLayer(newDiffLayer(parent, root, accountData, storageData), r)
 }
 
-// Journal is the internal version of Journal that also returns the journal file
-// so subsequent layers know where to write to.
-func (dl *diskLayer) Journal(path string) (io.WriteCloser, common.Hash, error) {
+// Journal writes the persistent layer generator stats into a buffer to be stored
+// in the database as the snapshot journal.
+func (dl *diskLayer) Journal(buffer *bytes.Buffer) (common.Hash, error) {
 	// If the snapshot is currenty being generated, abort it
 	var stats *generatorStats
 	if dl.genAbort != nil {
@@ -180,12 +179,7 @@ func (dl *diskLayer) Journal(path string) (io.WriteCloser, common.Hash, error) {
 	defer dl.lock.RUnlock()
 
 	if dl.stale {
-		return nil, common.Hash{}, ErrSnapshotStale
-	}
-	// We've reached the bottom, open the journal
-	file, err := os.Create(path)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, common.Hash{}, err
+		return common.Hash{}, ErrSnapshotStale
 	}
 	// Write out the generator marker
 	entry := journalGenerator{
@@ -198,44 +192,37 @@ func (dl *diskLayer) Journal(path string) (io.WriteCloser, common.Hash, error) {
 		entry.Slots = stats.slots
 		entry.Storage = uint64(stats.storage)
 	}
-	if err := rlp.Encode(file, entry); err != nil {
-		file.Close()
-		return nil, common.Hash{}, err
+	if err := rlp.Encode(buffer, entry); err != nil {
+		return common.Hash{}, err
 	}
-	return file, dl.root, nil
+	return dl.root, nil
 }
 
-// Journal is the internal version of Journal that also returns the journal file
-// so subsequent layers know where to write to.
-func (dl *diffLayer) Journal(path string) (io.WriteCloser, common.Hash, error) {
+// Journal writes the memory layer contents into a buffer to be stored in the
+// database as the snapshot journal.
+func (dl *diffLayer) Journal(buffer *bytes.Buffer) (common.Hash, error) {
 	// Journal the parent first
-	writer, base, err := dl.parent.Journal(path)
+	base, err := dl.parent.Journal(buffer)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, common.Hash{}, err
+		return common.Hash{}, err
 	}
 	// Ensure the layer didn't get stale
 	dl.lock.RLock()
 	defer dl.lock.RUnlock()
 
 	if dl.stale {
-		writer.Close()
-		return nil, common.Hash{}, ErrSnapshotStale
+		return common.Hash{}, ErrSnapshotStale
 	}
 	// Everything below was journalled, persist this layer too
-	buf := bufio.NewWriter(writer)
-	if err := rlp.Encode(buf, dl.root); err != nil {
-		buf.Flush()
-		writer.Close()
-		return nil, common.Hash{}, err
+	if err := rlp.Encode(buffer, dl.root); err != nil {
+		return common.Hash{}, err
 	}
 	accounts := make([]journalAccount, 0, len(dl.accountData))
 	for hash, blob := range dl.accountData {
 		accounts = append(accounts, journalAccount{Hash: hash, Blob: blob})
 	}
-	if err := rlp.Encode(buf, accounts); err != nil {
-		buf.Flush()
-		writer.Close()
-		return nil, common.Hash{}, err
+	if err := rlp.Encode(buffer, accounts); err != nil {
+		return common.Hash{}, err
 	}
 	storage := make([]journalStorage, 0, len(dl.storageData))
 	for hash, slots := range dl.storageData {
@@ -247,11 +234,8 @@ func (dl *diffLayer) Journal(path string) (io.WriteCloser, common.Hash, error) {
 		}
 		storage = append(storage, journalStorage{Hash: hash, Keys: keys, Vals: vals})
 	}
-	if err := rlp.Encode(buf, storage); err != nil {
-		buf.Flush()
-		writer.Close()
-		return nil, common.Hash{}, err
+	if err := rlp.Encode(buffer, storage); err != nil {
+		return common.Hash{}, err
 	}
-	buf.Flush()
-	return writer, base, nil
+	return base, nil
 }
diff --git a/core/state/snapshot/snapshot.go b/core/state/snapshot/snapshot.go
index 744d56c1bc..749f610789 100644
--- a/core/state/snapshot/snapshot.go
+++ b/core/state/snapshot/snapshot.go
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
@@ -112,10 +111,10 @@ type snapshot interface {
 	// copying everything.
 	Update(blockRoot common.Hash, accounts map[common.Hash][]byte, storage map[common.Hash]map[common.Hash][]byte) *diffLayer
 
-	// Journal commits an entire diff hierarchy to disk into a single journal file.
+	// Journal commits an entire diff hierarchy to disk into a single journal entry.
 	// This is meant to be used during shutdown to persist the snapshot without
 	// flattening everything down (bad for reorgs).
-	Journal(path string) (io.WriteCloser, common.Hash, error)
+	Journal(buffer *bytes.Buffer) (common.Hash, error)
 
 	// Stale return whether this layer has become stale (was flattened across) or
 	// if it's still live.
@@ -146,7 +145,7 @@ type Tree struct {
 // If the snapshot is missing or inconsistent, the entirety is deleted and will
 // be reconstructed from scratch based on the tries in the key-value store, on a
 // background thread.
-func New(diskdb ethdb.KeyValueStore, triedb *trie.Database, journal string, cache int, root common.Hash) *Tree {
+func New(diskdb ethdb.KeyValueStore, triedb *trie.Database, cache int, root common.Hash) *Tree {
 	// Create a new, empty snapshot tree
 	snap := &Tree{
 		diskdb: diskdb,
@@ -155,7 +154,7 @@ func New(diskdb ethdb.KeyValueStore, triedb *trie.Database, journal string, cach
 		layers: make(map[common.Hash]snapshot),
 	}
 	// Attempt to load a previously persisted snapshot and rebuild one if failed
-	head, err := loadSnapshot(diskdb, triedb, journal, cache, root)
+	head, err := loadSnapshot(diskdb, triedb, cache, root)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Warn("Failed to load snapshot, regenerating", "err", err)
 		snap.Rebuild(root)
@@ -401,6 +400,7 @@ func diffToDisk(bottom *diffLayer) *diskLayer {
 			// Account was updated, push to disk
 			rawdb.WriteAccountSnapshot(batch, hash, data)
 			base.cache.Set(hash[:], data)
+			snapshotCleanAccountWriteMeter.Mark(int64(len(data)))
 
 			if batch.ValueSize() > ethdb.IdealBatchSize {
 				if err := batch.Write(); err != nil {
@@ -445,6 +445,7 @@ func diffToDisk(bottom *diffLayer) *diskLayer {
 			if len(data) > 0 {
 				rawdb.WriteStorageSnapshot(batch, accountHash, storageHash, data)
 				base.cache.Set(append(accountHash[:], storageHash[:]...), data)
+				snapshotCleanStorageWriteMeter.Mark(int64(len(data)))
 			} else {
 				rawdb.DeleteStorageSnapshot(batch, accountHash, storageHash)
 				base.cache.Set(append(accountHash[:], storageHash[:]...), nil)
@@ -484,13 +485,13 @@ func diffToDisk(bottom *diffLayer) *diskLayer {
 	return res
 }
 
-// Journal commits an entire diff hierarchy to disk into a single journal file.
+// Journal commits an entire diff hierarchy to disk into a single journal entry.
 // This is meant to be used during shutdown to persist the snapshot without
 // flattening everything down (bad for reorgs).
 //
 // The method returns the root hash of the base layer that needs to be persisted
 // to disk as a trie too to allow continuing any pending generation op.
-func (t *Tree) Journal(root common.Hash, path string) (common.Hash, error) {
+func (t *Tree) Journal(root common.Hash) (common.Hash, error) {
 	// Retrieve the head snapshot to journal from var snap snapshot
 	snap := t.Snapshot(root)
 	if snap == nil {
@@ -500,11 +501,14 @@ func (t *Tree) Journal(root common.Hash, path string) (common.Hash, error) {
 	t.lock.Lock()
 	defer t.lock.Unlock()
 
-	writer, base, err := snap.(snapshot).Journal(path)
+	journal := new(bytes.Buffer)
+	base, err := snap.(snapshot).Journal(journal)
 	if err != nil {
 		return common.Hash{}, err
 	}
-	return base, writer.Close()
+	// Store the journal into the database and return
+	rawdb.WriteSnapshotJournal(t.diskdb, journal.Bytes())
+	return base, nil
 }
 
 // Rebuild wipes all available snapshot data from the persistent database and
diff --git a/core/state/statedb.go b/core/state/statedb.go
index 1528b45aa3..b3ea95a464 100644
--- a/core/state/statedb.go
+++ b/core/state/statedb.go
@@ -845,8 +845,8 @@ func (s *StateDB) Commit(deleteEmptyObjects bool) (common.Hash, error) {
 			if err := s.snaps.Update(root, parent, s.snapAccounts, s.snapStorage); err != nil {
 				log.Warn("Failed to update snapshot tree", "from", parent, "to", root, "err", err)
 			}
-			if err := s.snaps.Cap(root, 128); err != nil {
-				log.Warn("Failed to cap snapshot tree", "root", root, "layers", 128, "err", err)
+			if err := s.snaps.Cap(root, 127); err != nil { // Persistent layer is 128th, the last available trie
+				log.Warn("Failed to cap snapshot tree", "root", root, "layers", 127, "err", err)
 			}
 		}
 		s.snap, s.snapAccounts, s.snapStorage = nil, nil, nil