diff --git a/hgext/histedit.py b/hgext/histedit.py
--- a/hgext/histedit.py
+++ b/hgext/histedit.py
@@ -1122,7 +1122,7 @@
     # Force an initial state file write, so the user can run --abort/continue
     # even if there's an exception before the first transaction serialize.
     state.write()
-    try:
+    with util.acceptintervention(tr):
         while state.actions:
             state.write(tr=tr)
             actobj = state.actions[0]
@@ -1136,17 +1136,6 @@
             state.replacements.extend(replacement_)
             state.actions.pop(0)
 
-        if tr is not None:
-            tr.close()
-    except error.InterventionRequired:
-        if tr is not None:
-            tr.close()
-        raise
-    except Exception:
-        if tr is not None:
-            tr.abort()
-        raise
-
     state.write()
     ui.progress(_("editing"), None)
 
diff --git a/mercurial/util.py b/mercurial/util.py
--- a/mercurial/util.py
+++ b/mercurial/util.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import calendar
 import codecs
 import collections
+import contextlib
 import datetime
 import errno
 import gc
@@ -589,6 +590,24 @@
             del self[key]
         super(sortdict, self).__setitem__(key, value)
 
+@contextlib.contextmanager
+def acceptintervention(tr=None):
+    """A context manager that closes the transaction on InterventionRequired
+
+    If no transaction was provided, this simply runs the body and returns
+    """
+    if not tr:
+        yield
+        return
+    try:
+        yield
+        tr.close()
+    except error.InterventionRequired:
+        tr.close()
+        raise
+    finally:
+        tr.release()
+
 class _lrucachenode(object):
     """A node in a doubly linked list.