diff --git a/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/TabletGroupWatcher.java b/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/TabletGroupWatcher.java
index 72a46691838..6496f500e9f 100644
--- a/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/TabletGroupWatcher.java
+++ b/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/TabletGroupWatcher.java
@@ -606,16 +606,24 @@ private TableMgmtStats manageTablets(Iterator<TabletManagement> iter,
             state, goal, actions, tm.getLogs().size());
       }
 
-      if (actions.contains(ManagementAction.NEEDS_SPLITTING)) {
+      final boolean needsSplit = actions.contains(ManagementAction.NEEDS_SPLITTING);
+      if (needsSplit) {
         LOG.debug("{} may need splitting.", tm.getExtent());
         manager.getSplitter().initiateSplit(new SeedSplitTask(manager, tm.getExtent()));
       }
 
       if (actions.contains(ManagementAction.NEEDS_COMPACTING) && compactionGenerator != null) {
-        var jobs = compactionGenerator.generateJobs(tm,
-            TabletManagementIterator.determineCompactionKinds(actions));
-        LOG.debug("{} may need compacting adding {} jobs", tm.getExtent(), jobs.size());
-        manager.getCompactionCoordinator().addJobs(tm, jobs);
+        // Check if tablet needs splitting, priority should be giving to splits over
+        // compactions because it's best to compact after a split
+        if (!needsSplit) {
+          var jobs = compactionGenerator.generateJobs(tm,
+              TabletManagementIterator.determineCompactionKinds(actions));
+          LOG.debug("{} may need compacting adding {} jobs", tm.getExtent(), jobs.size());
+          manager.getCompactionCoordinator().addJobs(tm, jobs);
+        } else {
+          LOG.trace("skipping compaction job generation because {} may need splitting.",
+              tm.getExtent());
+        }
       }
 
       if (actions.contains(ManagementAction.NEEDS_LOCATION_UPDATE)
diff --git a/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/compaction/coordinator/CompactionCoordinator.java b/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/compaction/coordinator/CompactionCoordinator.java
index 925da279fc5..4e49b825b0f 100644
--- a/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/compaction/coordinator/CompactionCoordinator.java
+++ b/server/manager/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/manager/compaction/coordinator/CompactionCoordinator.java
@@ -852,10 +852,14 @@ public boolean test(TabletMetadata tabletMetadata) {
                   final FileSystem fs = vol.getFileSystem();
                   for (ExternalCompactionId ecid : ecidsForTablet) {
                     final String fileSuffix = "_tmp_" + ecid.canonical();
-                    FileStatus[] files = fs.listStatus(new Path(volPath), (path) -> {
-                      return path.getName().endsWith(fileSuffix);
-                    });
-                    if (files.length > 0) {
+                    FileStatus[] files = null;
+                    try {
+                      files = fs.listStatus(new Path(volPath),
+                          (path) -> path.getName().endsWith(fileSuffix));
+                    } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
+                      LOG.trace("Failed to list tablet dir {}", volPath, e);
+                    }
+                    if (files != null) {
                       for (FileStatus file : files) {
                         if (!fs.delete(file.getPath(), false)) {
                           LOG.warn("Unable to delete ecid tmp file: {}: ", file.getPath());