diff --git a/CHANGES.rst b/CHANGES.rst
index b3aff39c18b302473c6638d3112c2aea095f6f54..38e35a63c6ae4cf9a15638b1dfc80a6a702458a8 100644
--- a/CHANGES.rst
+++ b/CHANGES.rst
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ Node
   operations are now always resolved in favor of the preexisting
   operation, regardless of contents. (MR :gl:`!18208`)
 
+- ** Breaking change ** Bumped the snapshot version from 8 to 9, to support
+  early baking, just after importing a snapshot. Snapshots of version 8 exported
+  with previous versions of Octez (v22) can still be imported. Snapshots of
+  version 9 are not retro-compatible with previous Octez versions (MR
+  :gl:`!18387`).
+
 Client
 ------
 
diff --git a/src/lib_store/store.mli b/src/lib_store/store.mli
index 4bddb419f855b8d133544d30dde75f01bd15ba66..ade68f459c8655a6e5d885a7b19b3d12cf2cb049 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/store.mli
+++ b/src/lib_store/store.mli
@@ -668,12 +668,11 @@ module Chain : sig
       invariant holds:
       [checkpoint.level >= all_head.last_preserved_block_level]
 
-      The checkpoint will tend to designate the highest block among
-      all chain head's [last_preserved_block_level] in a normal
-      mode. This is not always true. i.e. after a snapshot import
-      where the checkpoint will be set as the imported block and when
-      the [target] block is reached, the checkpoint will be set at
-      this point. *)
+      Normally, the checkpoint is the block with the highest level among those located
+      at the [last_preserved_block_level] of each head of the chain. This is not
+      true after a snapshot import: then, the checkpoint will be set as the
+      predecessor of the imported block; and when the [target] block is reached,
+      the checkpoint will be set at this point. *)
   val checkpoint : chain_store -> block_descriptor Lwt.t
 
   (** [target chain_store] returns the target block associated to the
diff --git a/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.ml b/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.ml
index baaffd481a857343e89dda118bbe6493def05952..0f98f669b04d4be75f5f50e4b06a22cab08534ef 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.ml
+++ b/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.ml
@@ -629,12 +629,15 @@ module Version = struct
    * - 6: new context representation introduced by irmin 3.7.2
    * - 7: fix tar snapshots corrupted generation
    * - 8: change cemented files offset format to 64 bits
+   * - 9: export target predecessor contains metadata
    *)
 
+  let v8_version = 8
+
   (* Used for old snapshot format versions *)
-  let legacy_version = 7
+  let legacy_version = v8_version
 
-  let current_version = 8
+  let current_version = 9
 
   (* List of versions that are supported *)
   let supported_versions =
@@ -2144,6 +2147,7 @@ module Make_snapshot_exporter (Exporter : EXPORTER) : Snapshot_exporter = struct
            (export_block_descr, (Block_repr.hash first_block, first_block_level)))
     else
       let exception Done in
+      let export_pred_level = Int32.sub (Store.Block.level export_block) 1l in
       let f block =
         (* FIXME: we also write potential branches, it will eventually
            be GCed *)
@@ -2151,7 +2155,11 @@ module Make_snapshot_exporter (Exporter : EXPORTER) : Snapshot_exporter = struct
           if Block_hash.equal limit_hash (Block_repr.hash block) then raise Done
           else return_unit
         else
-          let block = (* Prune everything  *) {block with metadata = None} in
+          let block =
+            (* Prune everything but the predecessor's metadata *)
+            if Block_repr.level block = export_pred_level then block
+            else {block with metadata = None}
+          in
           let*! () = bpush#push block in
           return_unit
       in
@@ -2254,7 +2262,8 @@ module Make_snapshot_exporter (Exporter : EXPORTER) : Snapshot_exporter = struct
      - the target_block is not the genesis
      - the target_block and its predecessor are known
      - the context of the predecessor of the target_block must be known
-     - at least max_op_ttl(target_block) headers must be available
+     - at least max_op_ttl(target_block) headers must be available for the
+       predecessor of the target
   *)
   let check_export_block_validity chain_store block =
     let open Lwt_result_syntax in
@@ -2306,8 +2315,8 @@ module Make_snapshot_exporter (Exporter : EXPORTER) : Snapshot_exporter = struct
           savepoint_level > Int32.pred block_level && not pred_context_exists)
         (Invalid_export_block {block = Some block_hash; reason = `Pruned_pred})
     in
-    let* block_metadata =
-      let*! o = Store.Block.get_block_metadata_opt chain_store block in
+    let* pred_block_metadata =
+      let*! o = Store.Block.get_block_metadata_opt chain_store pred_block in
       match o with
       | None ->
           tzfail
@@ -2316,13 +2325,15 @@ module Make_snapshot_exporter (Exporter : EXPORTER) : Snapshot_exporter = struct
     in
     let*! _, caboose_level = Store.Chain.caboose chain_store in
     (* We will need the following blocks
-       [ (target_block - max_op_ttl(target_block)) ; ... ; target_block ] *)
-    let block_max_op_ttl = Store.Block.max_operations_ttl block_metadata in
+       [ (pred(target_block) - max_op_ttl(target_block)) ; ... ; pred(target_block) ] *)
+    let block_max_op_ttl = Store.Block.max_operations_ttl pred_block_metadata in
     let*! genesis_block = Store.Chain.genesis_block chain_store in
     let genesis_level = Store.Block.level genesis_block in
     let minimum_level_needed =
       Compare.Int32.(
-        max genesis_level Int32.(sub block_level (of_int block_max_op_ttl)))
+        max
+          genesis_level
+          Int32.(sub (sub block_level 1l) (of_int block_max_op_ttl)))
     in
     let* () =
       fail_when
@@ -2540,10 +2551,13 @@ module Make_snapshot_exporter (Exporter : EXPORTER) : Snapshot_exporter = struct
       in
       (* Prune all blocks except for the export_block's predecessor *)
       let floating_block_stream =
+        let export_pred_level = Int32.sub (Store.Block.level export_block) 1l in
         Lwt_stream.of_list
           (List.filter_map
              (fun b ->
-               Some {(Store.Unsafe.repr_of_block b) with metadata = None})
+               if Store.Block.level b = export_pred_level then
+                 Some (Store.Unsafe.repr_of_block b)
+               else Some {(Store.Unsafe.repr_of_block b) with metadata = None})
              floating_blocks)
       in
       (* Protocols *)
@@ -4224,6 +4238,10 @@ module Make_snapshot_importer (Importer : IMPORTER) : Snapshot_importer = struct
       | Rolling _ -> return (Rolling None)
       | Full _ -> return (Full None)
     in
+    (* TODO/FIXME: https://gitlab.com/tezos/tezos/-/issues/8005
+       remove the v8 import backward compatibility as soon as v9
+       (and v23) are mandatory.*)
+    let is_v8_import = snapshot_version = Version.v8_version in
     let*! () = Event.(emit restoring_floating_blocks) () in
     let* () =
       Animation.display_progress
@@ -4243,7 +4261,8 @@ module Make_snapshot_importer (Importer : IMPORTER) : Snapshot_importer = struct
               validation_store.resulting_context_hash
             ~predecessor_header:block_data.predecessor_header
             ~protocol_levels
-            ~history_mode)
+            ~history_mode
+            ~is_v8_import)
     in
     let* () = reading_thread in
     let*! () = Event.(emit floating_blocks_restored) () in
@@ -4252,9 +4271,8 @@ module Make_snapshot_importer (Importer : IMPORTER) : Snapshot_importer = struct
     return_unit
 end
 
-(* [snapshot_file_kind ~snapshot_path] returns the kind of a
-   snapshot. We assume that a snapshot is valid if the medata can be
-   read. *)
+(* [snapshot_file_kind ~snapshot_path] returns the kind of a snapshot. We assume
+   that a snapshot is valid if the metadata can be read. *)
 let snapshot_file_kind ~snapshot_path =
   let open Lwt_result_syntax in
   let is_valid_uncompressed_snapshot file =
diff --git a/src/lib_store/unix/store.ml b/src/lib_store/unix/store.ml
index 348e424b4684e1946d68e4cf7589bf5c78a9c3dd..3ec47b2a0971a8afe984cbc32a52e7e4ee95b513 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/unix/store.ml
+++ b/src/lib_store/unix/store.ml
@@ -3743,7 +3743,7 @@ module Unsafe = struct
   let restore_from_snapshot ?(notify = fun () -> Lwt.return_unit) store_dir
       ~genesis ~genesis_context_hash ~floating_blocks_stream
       ~new_head_with_metadata ~new_head_resulting_context_hash
-      ~predecessor_header ~protocol_levels ~history_mode =
+      ~predecessor_header ~protocol_levels ~history_mode ~is_v8_import =
     let open Lwt_result_syntax in
     let chain_id = Chain_id.of_block_hash genesis.Genesis.block in
     let chain_dir = Naming.chain_dir store_dir chain_id in
@@ -3765,9 +3765,16 @@ module Unsafe = struct
         (Naming.current_head_file chain_dir)
         (Block.descriptor new_head_with_metadata)
     in
-    (* Checkpoint is the new head *)
+    (* Checkpoint is the predecessor of the target block as we have both the
+       associated context and the block's metadata. *)
+    let new_checkpoint =
+      if is_v8_import then new_head_descr
+      else
+        ( Block_header.hash predecessor_header,
+          predecessor_header.Block_header.shell.level )
+    in
     let* () =
-      Stored_data.write_file (Naming.checkpoint_file chain_dir) new_head_descr
+      Stored_data.write_file (Naming.checkpoint_file chain_dir) new_checkpoint
     in
     (* Cementing highwatermark is set to None *)
     let* () =
@@ -3776,9 +3783,16 @@ module Unsafe = struct
         None
     in
     let* () = Stored_data.write_file (Naming.target_file chain_dir) None in
-    (* Savepoint is the head *)
+    (* Savepoint is the predecessor of the target block as we have both the
+       associated context and the block's metadata. *)
+    let new_savepoint =
+      if is_v8_import then new_head_descr
+      else
+        ( Block_header.hash predecessor_header,
+          predecessor_header.Block_header.shell.level )
+    in
     let* () =
-      Stored_data.write_file (Naming.savepoint_file chain_dir) new_head_descr
+      Stored_data.write_file (Naming.savepoint_file chain_dir) new_savepoint
     in
     (* Depending on the history mode, set the caboose properly *)
     let* caboose_descr =
diff --git a/src/lib_store/unix/store.mli b/src/lib_store/unix/store.mli
index 36d117727bff8c22dec2c1bfb1ec2f54af754812..605c3f225966a9f432a4544dd6129af56d2cf511 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/unix/store.mli
+++ b/src/lib_store/unix/store.mli
@@ -670,12 +670,11 @@ module Chain : sig
       invariant holds:
       [checkpoint.level >= all_head.last_preserved_block_level]
 
-      The checkpoint will tend to designate the highest block among
-      all chain head's [last_preserved_block_level] in a normal
-      mode. This is not always true. i.e. after a snapshot import
-      where the checkpoint will be set as the imported block and when
-      the [target] block is reached, the checkpoint will be set at
-      this point. *)
+      The checkpoint will tend to designate the highest block among all chain
+      head's [last_preserved_block_level] in a normal mode. This is not always
+      true. i.e. after a snapshot import where the checkpoint will be set as the
+      predecessor of the imported block and when the [target] block is reached,
+      the checkpoint will be set at this point. *)
   val checkpoint : chain_store -> block_descriptor Lwt.t
 
   (** [target chain_store] returns the target block associated to the
@@ -1134,12 +1133,12 @@ module Unsafe : sig
     locked_f:(chain_store -> 'a tzresult Lwt.t) ->
     'a tzresult Lwt.t
 
-  (** [restore_from_snapshot ?notify ~store_dir ~context_index
-      ~genesis ~genesis_context_hash ~floating_blocks_stream
-      ~new_head_with_metadata ~new_head_resulting_context_hash
-      ~predecessor_header ~protocol_levels ~history_mode] initialises
-      a coherent store in [store_dir] with all the given info
-      retrieved from a snapshot. *)
+  (** [restore_from_snapshot ?notify ~store_dir ~context_index ~genesis
+      ~genesis_context_hash ~floating_blocks_stream ~new_head_with_metadata
+      ~new_head_resulting_context_hash ~predecessor_header ~protocol_levels
+      ~history_mode ~is_legacy_import] initialises a coherent store in
+      [store_dir] with all the given info retrieved from a snapshot.
+      [is_v8_import] allows backward compatibility with v8 snapshot. *)
   val restore_from_snapshot :
     ?notify:(unit -> unit Lwt.t) ->
     [`Store_dir] Naming.directory ->
@@ -1151,5 +1150,6 @@ module Unsafe : sig
     predecessor_header:Block_header.t ->
     protocol_levels:Protocol_levels.protocol_info Protocol_levels.t ->
     history_mode:History_mode.t ->
+    is_v8_import:bool ->
     unit tzresult Lwt.t
 end
diff --git a/src/lib_store/unix/test/test.ml b/src/lib_store/unix/test/test.ml
index ddaf0d33496f6e53e802cf8c47614e13d9b4dd56..5989664603765a79889def13e3cdca69a63554f8 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/unix/test/test.ml
+++ b/src/lib_store/unix/test/test.ml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
     _______
 
     Component: Store
-    Invocation: dune exec src/lib_store/unix/test/main.exe --file test.ml
+    Invocation: dune exec src/lib_store/unix/test/main.exe -- --file test.ml
     Subject: Store tests ( snapshots, reconstruct, history_mode_switch )
 *)
 
diff --git a/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_snapshots.ml b/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_snapshots.ml
index 97b7613614786a96d96be53a04e8d905569738f6..474292e9e4e4d9c8a6ce279f1e1f53589f60f037 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_snapshots.ml
+++ b/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_snapshots.ml
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ let check_import_invariants ~test_descr ~rolling
       let expected_present, expected_absent =
         List.partition
           (fun b ->
-            Compare.Int32.(Store.Block.level b <= snd checkpoint)
+            Compare.Int32.(Store.Block.level b <= Store.Block.level head)
             && Compare.Int32.(Store.Block.level b >= snd caboose))
           previously_baked_blocks
       in
@@ -79,18 +79,26 @@ let check_import_invariants ~test_descr ~rolling
       (* Check that the descriptors are consistent *)
       let* expected_caboose_level =
         if rolling then
+          let* head_pred =
+            Store.Block.read_predecessor imported_chain_store head
+          in
           (* In rolling: we expected to have at least the max_op_ttl
-                blocks from the head *)
+                blocks from the predecessor of the head *)
           let* metadata =
-            Store.Block.get_block_metadata imported_chain_store head
+            Store.Block.get_block_metadata imported_chain_store head_pred
           in
           let max_op_ttl = Store.Block.max_operations_ttl metadata in
-          return Int32.(sub (Store.Block.level head) (of_int max_op_ttl))
+          return Int32.(sub (Store.Block.level head_pred) (of_int max_op_ttl))
         else return 0l
       in
+      (* As the savepoint and checkpoint are targeting the predecessor of the
+         snapshot's target, we rely on the target's predecessor. *)
+      let exported_block_predecessor_level =
+        Int32.sub (Store.Block.level exported_block) 1l
+      in
       Assert.equal
         ~msg:("savepoint consistency: " ^ test_descr)
-        (Store.Block.level exported_block)
+        exported_block_predecessor_level
         (snd savepoint) ;
       Assert.equal
         ~msg:("checkpoint consistency: " ^ test_descr)
diff --git a/tezt/tests/storage_snapshots.ml b/tezt/tests/storage_snapshots.ml
index bf0ef687ea0869a558da91dbc0fc79312f418b6d..48dce27f8632593ca0544aa1445dfe7af8c9127b 100644
--- a/tezt/tests/storage_snapshots.ml
+++ b/tezt/tests/storage_snapshots.ml
@@ -123,8 +123,13 @@ let check_consistency_after_import node ~expected_head ~expected_checkpoint
 let check_blocks_availability node ~history_mode ~head ~savepoint ~caboose =
   (* The metadata of genesis is available anyway *)
   Log.info "Checking blocks availability for %s" (Node.name node) ;
-  let* (_ : RPC.block_metadata) =
-    Node.RPC.call node @@ RPC.get_chain_block_metadata ~block:"0" ()
+  let* () =
+    if caboose > 0 then unit
+    else
+      let* (_ : RPC.block_metadata) =
+        Node.RPC.call node @@ RPC.get_chain_block_metadata ~block:"0" ()
+      in
+      unit
   in
   let iter_block_range_s a b f =
     Lwt_list.iter_s f (range a b |> List.rev |> List.map string_of_int)
@@ -221,11 +226,17 @@ let export_import_and_check node ~export_level ~history_mode ~export_format
             node_arguments
         in
         let* () = Node.wait_for_ready fresh_node in
+        (* As the savepoint and checkpoint are targeting the predecessor of the
+           snapshot's target, we rely on the target's predecessor. *)
+        let export_level_predecessor = export_level - 1 in
         let expected_checkpoint, expected_savepoint, expected_caboose =
           match history_mode with
-          | Node.Full_history -> (export_level, export_level, 0)
+          | Node.Full_history ->
+              (export_level_predecessor, export_level_predecessor, 0)
           | Node.Rolling_history ->
-              (export_level, export_level, max 0 (export_level - max_op_ttl))
+              ( export_level_predecessor,
+                export_level_predecessor,
+                max 0 (export_level_predecessor - max_op_ttl) )
         in
         let* () =
           check_consistency_after_import
@@ -418,8 +429,13 @@ let test_drag_after_rolling_import =
   let blocks_to_bake =
     ((blocks_preservation_cycles + additional_cycles) * blocks_per_cycle) - 1
   in
+  (* As the savepoint and checkpoint are targeting the predecessor of the
+     snapshot's target, we rely on the target's predecessor. *)
+  let export_level_predecessor = export_level - 1 in
   let expected_checkpoint, expected_savepoint, expected_caboose =
-    (export_level, export_level, max 0 (export_level - max_op_ttl))
+    ( export_level_predecessor,
+      export_level_predecessor,
+      max 0 (export_level_predecessor - max_op_ttl) )
   in
   let* () =
     check_consistency_after_import
@@ -546,7 +562,7 @@ let test_info_command =
   (* This is expected to be updated as soon as a new snapshot version
      is released (referring to the Snapshot.Version.current_version
      from `lib_store/unix/snapshots`)*)
-  let expected_version = 8 in
+  let expected_version = 9 in
   Log.info "Checks the human formatted output" ;
   (* Get the info line, which is the second line. *)
   let* () =