diff --git a/R/snapshot-file.R b/R/snapshot-file.R
index dea4ce474..af70a4570 100644
--- a/R/snapshot-file.R
+++ b/R/snapshot-file.R
@@ -41,10 +41,23 @@
 #' written to the `_snaps` directory but which no longer have
 #' corresponding R code to generate them. These dangling files are
 #' automatically deleted so they don't clutter the snapshot
-#' directory. However we want to preserve snapshot files when the R
-#' code wasn't executed because of an unexpected error or because of a
-#' [skip()]. Let testthat know about these files by calling
-#' `announce_snapshot_file()` before `expect_snapshot_file()`.
+#' directory.
+#'
+#' This can cause problems if your test is conditionally executed, either
+#' because of an `if` statement or a [skip()]. To avoid files being deleted in
+#' this case, you can call `announce_snapshot_file()` before the conditional
+#' code.
+#'
+#' ```R
+#' test_that("can save a file", {
+#'   if (!can_save()) {
+#'     announce_snapshot_file(name = "data.txt")
+#'     skip("Can't save file")
+#'   }
+#'   path <- withr::local_tempfile()
+#'   expect_snapshot_file(save_file(path, mydata()), "data.txt")
+#' })
+#' ```
 #'
 #' @export
 #' @examples
@@ -67,21 +80,20 @@
 #' }
 #'
 #' # You'd then also provide a helper that skips tests where you can't
-#' # be sure of producing exactly the same output
+#' # be sure of producing exactly the same output.
 #' expect_snapshot_plot <- function(name, code) {
+#'   # Announce the file before touching skips or running `code`. This way,
+#'   # if the skips are active, testthat will not auto-delete the corresponding
+#'   # snapshot file.
+#'   name <- paste0(name, ".png")
+#'   announce_snapshot_file(name = name)
+#'
 #'   # Other packages might affect results
 #'   skip_if_not_installed("ggplot2", "2.0.0")
-#'   # Or maybe the output is different on some operation systems
+#'   # Or maybe the output is different on some operating systems
 #'   skip_on_os("windows")
 #'   # You'll need to carefully think about and experiment with these skips
 #'
-#'   name <- paste0(name, ".png")
-#'
-#'   # Announce the file before touching `code`. This way, if `code`
-#'   # unexpectedly fails or skips, testthat will not auto-delete the
-#'   # corresponding snapshot file.
-#'   announce_snapshot_file(name = name)
-#'
 #'   path <- save_png(code)
 #'   expect_snapshot_file(path, name)
 #' }
@@ -97,14 +109,15 @@ expect_snapshot_file <- function(
   check_string(path)
   check_string(name)
   check_bool(cran)
+  check_variant(variant)
 
   edition_require(3, "expect_snapshot_file()")
+
+  announce_snapshot_file(name = name)
   if (!cran && on_cran()) {
-    skip("On CRAN")
+    return(invisible())
   }
 
-  check_variant(variant)
-
   snapshotter <- get_snapshotter()
   if (is.null(snapshotter)) {
     snapshot_not_available(path)
diff --git a/man/expect_snapshot_file.Rd b/man/expect_snapshot_file.Rd
index 473634109..5a2a8cda6 100644
--- a/man/expect_snapshot_file.Rd
+++ b/man/expect_snapshot_file.Rd
@@ -79,10 +79,22 @@ testthat automatically detects dangling snapshots that have been
 written to the \verb{_snaps} directory but which no longer have
 corresponding R code to generate them. These dangling files are
 automatically deleted so they don't clutter the snapshot
-directory. However we want to preserve snapshot files when the R
-code wasn't executed because of an unexpected error or because of a
-\code{\link[=skip]{skip()}}. Let testthat know about these files by calling
-\code{announce_snapshot_file()} before \code{expect_snapshot_file()}.
+directory.
+
+This can cause problems if your test is conditionally executed, either
+because of an \code{if} statement or a \code{\link[=skip]{skip()}}. To avoid files being deleted in
+this case, you can call \code{announce_snapshot_file()} before the conditional
+code.
+
+\if{html}{\out{<div class="sourceCode R">}}\preformatted{test_that("can save a file", \{
+  if (!can_save()) \{
+    announce_snapshot_file(name = "data.txt")
+    skip("Can't save file")
+  \}
+  path <- withr::local_tempfile()
+  expect_snapshot_file(save_file(path, mydata()), "data.txt")
+\})
+}\if{html}{\out{</div>}}
 }
 
 \examples{
@@ -105,21 +117,20 @@ expect_snapshot_file(save_png(hist(mtcars$mpg)), "plot.png")
 }
 
 # You'd then also provide a helper that skips tests where you can't
-# be sure of producing exactly the same output
+# be sure of producing exactly the same output.
 expect_snapshot_plot <- function(name, code) {
+  # Announce the file before touching skips or running `code`. This way,
+  # if the skips are active, testthat will not auto-delete the corresponding
+  # snapshot file.
+  name <- paste0(name, ".png")
+  announce_snapshot_file(name = name)
+
   # Other packages might affect results
   skip_if_not_installed("ggplot2", "2.0.0")
-  # Or maybe the output is different on some operation systems
+  # Or maybe the output is different on some operating systems
   skip_on_os("windows")
   # You'll need to carefully think about and experiment with these skips
 
-  name <- paste0(name, ".png")
-
-  # Announce the file before touching `code`. This way, if `code`
-  # unexpectedly fails or skips, testthat will not auto-delete the
-  # corresponding snapshot file.
-  announce_snapshot_file(name = name)
-
   path <- save_png(code)
   expect_snapshot_file(path, name)
 }