diff --git a/src/test/jtx/impl/Env.cpp b/src/test/jtx/impl/Env.cpp
index e219928e12..d872f06664 100644
--- a/src/test/jtx/impl/Env.cpp
+++ b/src/test/jtx/impl/Env.cpp
@@ -136,9 +136,15 @@ Env::close(
         auto resp = rpc("ledger_accept");
         if (resp["result"]["status"] != std::string("success"))
         {
-            JLOG(journal.error())
-                << "Env::close() failed: " << resp["result"]["status"]
-                << std::endl;
+            std::string reason = "internal error";
+            if (resp.isMember("error_what"))
+                reason = resp["error_what"].asString();
+            else if (resp.isMember("error_message"))
+                reason = resp["error_message"].asString();
+            else if (resp.isMember("error"))
+                reason = resp["error"].asString();
+
+            JLOG(journal.error()) << "Env::close() failed: " << reason;
             res = false;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/test/rpc/Book_test.cpp b/src/test/rpc/Book_test.cpp
index 81a9cfc724..93eb2849a7 100644
--- a/src/test/rpc/Book_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/rpc/Book_test.cpp
@@ -1670,12 +1670,17 @@ public:
         Env env{*this, asAdmin ? envconfig() : envconfig(no_admin)};
         Account gw{"gw"};
         env.fund(XRP(200000), gw);
-        env.close();
+        // Note that calls to env.close() fail without admin permission.
+        if (asAdmin)
+            env.close();
+
         auto USD = gw["USD"];
 
         for (auto i = 0; i <= RPC::Tuning::bookOffers.rmax; i++)
             env(offer(gw, XRP(50 + 1 * i), USD(1.0 + 0.1 * i)));
-        env.close();
+
+        if (asAdmin)
+            env.close();
 
         Json::Value jvParams;
         jvParams[jss::limit] = 1;
diff --git a/src/test/rpc/LedgerData_test.cpp b/src/test/rpc/LedgerData_test.cpp
index 2a43dc010d..1c55e90706 100644
--- a/src/test/rpc/LedgerData_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/rpc/LedgerData_test.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ public:
             Account const bob{std::string("bob") + std::to_string(i)};
             env.fund(XRP(1000), bob);
         }
-        env.close();
+        // Note that calls to env.close() fail without admin permission.
+        if (asAdmin)
+            env.close();
 
         // with no limit specified, we get the max_limit if the total number of
         // accounts is greater than max, which it is here
@@ -107,7 +109,6 @@ public:
             Account const bob{std::string("bob") + std::to_string(i)};
             env.fund(XRP(1000), bob);
         }
-        env.close();
 
         // with no limit specified, we should get all of our fund entries
         // plus three more related to the gateway setup
@@ -212,7 +213,6 @@ public:
             Account const bob{std::string("bob") + std::to_string(i)};
             env.fund(XRP(1000), bob);
         }
-        env.close();
 
         // with no limit specified, we should get all of our fund entries
         // plus three more related to the gateway setup
diff --git a/src/test/rpc/LedgerRequestRPC_test.cpp b/src/test/rpc/LedgerRequestRPC_test.cpp
index eff27fa68b..0896dadd51 100644
--- a/src/test/rpc/LedgerRequestRPC_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/rpc/LedgerRequestRPC_test.cpp
@@ -360,7 +360,6 @@ public:
         Account const gw{"gateway"};
         auto const USD = gw["USD"];
         env.fund(XRP(100000), gw);
-        env.close();
 
         auto const result = env.rpc("ledger_request", "1")[jss::result];
         // The current HTTP/S ServerHandler returns an HTTP 403 error code here