diff --git a/src/api/common/errors.js b/src/api/common/errors.js
index 53c07d97..e5194c07 100644
--- a/src/api/common/errors.js
+++ b/src/api/common/errors.js
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ NotFoundError.prototype = new RippleError();
 NotFoundError.prototype.name = 'NotFoundError';
 
 function MissingLedgerHistoryError(message) {
-  this.message = message;
+  this.message = message ||
+    'Server is missing ledger history in the specified range';
 }
 MissingLedgerHistoryError.prototype = new RippleError();
 MissingLedgerHistoryError.prototype.name = 'MissingLedgerHistoryError';
diff --git a/src/api/ledger/transaction.js b/src/api/ledger/transaction.js
index 9088cc8d..4a89a75c 100644
--- a/src/api/ledger/transaction.js
+++ b/src/api/ledger/transaction.js
@@ -5,14 +5,6 @@ const utils = require('./utils');
 const parseTransaction = require('./parse/transaction');
 const validate = utils.common.validate;
 const errors = utils.common.errors;
-const MIN_LEDGER_VERSION = 32570; // earlier versions have been completely lost
-
-function hasCompleteLedgerRange(remote, options) {
-  const minLedgerVersion = options.minLedgerVersion || MIN_LEDGER_VERSION;
-  const maxLedgerVersion = options.maxLedgerVersion
-    || remote.getLedgerSequence();
-  return remote.getServer().hasLedgerRange(minLedgerVersion, maxLedgerVersion);
-}
 
 function attachTransactionDate(remote, tx, callback) {
   if (tx.date) {
@@ -50,7 +42,8 @@ function getTransaction(identifier, options, callback) {
 
   function callbackWrapper(error, tx) {
     if (error instanceof errors.NotFoundError
-        && !hasCompleteLedgerRange(remote, options)) {
+        && !utils.hasCompleteLedgerRange(remote,
+            options.minLedgerVersion, options.maxLedgerVersion)) {
       callback(new errors.MissingLedgerHistoryError('Transaction not found,'
         + ' but the server\'s ledger history is incomplete'));
     } else if (!error && !isTransactionInRange(tx, options)) {
diff --git a/src/api/ledger/transactions.js b/src/api/ledger/transactions.js
index 59cb477a..e2eea955 100644
--- a/src/api/ledger/transactions.js
+++ b/src/api/ledger/transactions.js
@@ -77,6 +77,11 @@ function getTransactions(address, options, callback) {
   validate.getTransactionsOptions(options);
 
   const remote = this.remote;
+  if (!utils.hasCompleteLedgerRange(remote, options.minLedgerVersion,
+      options.maxLedgerVersion)) {
+    callback(new utils.common.errors.MissingLedgerHistoryError());
+  }
+
   if (options.start) {
     getTransaction.bind(this)(options.start, {}, (error, tx) => {
       if (error) {
diff --git a/src/api/ledger/utils.js b/src/api/ledger/utils.js
index e196336d..efed8d22 100644
--- a/src/api/ledger/utils.js
+++ b/src/api/ledger/utils.js
@@ -71,12 +71,20 @@ function compareTransactions(first, second) {
   return Number(first.ledgerVersion) < Number(second.ledgerVersion) ? -1 : 1;
 }
 
+function hasCompleteLedgerRange(remote, minLedgerVersion, maxLedgerVersion) {
+  const firstLedgerVersion = 32570; // earlier versions have been lost
+  return remote.getServer().hasLedgerRange(
+    minLedgerVersion || firstLedgerVersion,
+    maxLedgerVersion || remote.getLedgerSequence());
+}
+
 module.exports = {
-  getXRPBalance: getXRPBalance,
-  compareTransactions: compareTransactions,
-  renameCounterpartyToIssuer: renameCounterpartyToIssuer,
-  renameCounterpartyToIssuerInOrder: renameCounterpartyToIssuerInOrder,
-  getRecursive: getRecursive,
+  getXRPBalance,
+  compareTransactions,
+  renameCounterpartyToIssuer,
+  renameCounterpartyToIssuerInOrder,
+  getRecursive,
+  hasCompleteLedgerRange,
   wrapCatch: common.wrapCatch,
   common: common
 };
diff --git a/src/core/remote.js b/src/core/remote.js
index 7b9c2f7b..c66d330f 100644
--- a/src/core/remote.js
+++ b/src/core/remote.js
@@ -513,15 +513,14 @@ Remote.prototype._handleMessage = function(message, server) {
   }
 };
 
-
 Remote.prototype.getLedgerSequence = function() {
   if (!this._ledger_current_index) {
     throw new Error('Ledger sequence has not yet been initialized');
   }
-  return this._ledger_current_index;
+  // the "current" ledger is the one after the most recently closed ledger
+  return this._ledger_current_index - 1;
 };
 
-
 /**
  * Handle server ledger_closed event
  *
diff --git a/test/api-test.js b/test/api-test.js
index bde6436d..62473f17 100644
--- a/test/api-test.js
+++ b/test/api-test.js
@@ -192,6 +192,6 @@ describe('RippleAPI', function() {
   });
 
   it('getLedgerVersion', function() {
-    assert.strictEqual(this.api.getLedgerVersion(), 8819952);
+    assert.strictEqual(this.api.getLedgerVersion(), 8819951);
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/fixtures/order-response.json b/test/fixtures/order-response.json
index 5ac368b4..ffe3f6a4 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/order-response.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/order-response.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "Account": "r9cZA1mLK5R5Am25ArfXFmqgNwjZgnfk59",
   "Fee": "12",
   "Flags": 131072,
-  "LastLedgerSequence": 8820052,
+  "LastLedgerSequence": 8820051,
   "Sequence": 23,
   "TakerGets": "2000000",
   "TakerPays": {
diff --git a/test/fixtures/ordercancellation-response.json b/test/fixtures/ordercancellation-response.json
index d48e3ac9..49940b9f 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/ordercancellation-response.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/ordercancellation-response.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "TransactionType": "OfferCancel",
   "Account": "r9cZA1mLK5R5Am25ArfXFmqgNwjZgnfk59",
   "OfferSequence": 23,
-  "LastLedgerSequence": 8820052,
+  "LastLedgerSequence": 8820051,
   "Fee": "12",
   "Sequence": 23
 }
diff --git a/test/fixtures/payment-response.json b/test/fixtures/payment-response.json
index a187c254..dbb748f9 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/payment-response.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/payment-response.json
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     "currency": "USD",
     "issuer": "rMH4UxPrbuMa1spCBR98hLLyNJp4d8p4tM"
   },
-  "LastLedgerSequence": 8820052,
+  "LastLedgerSequence": 8820051,
   "SendMax": {
     "currency": "USD",
     "issuer": "rMH4UxPrbuMa1spCBR98hLLyNJp4d8p4tM",
diff --git a/test/fixtures/settings-response.json b/test/fixtures/settings-response.json
index 2433e8ac..97949b71 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/settings-response.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/settings-response.json
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   "Account": "r9cZA1mLK5R5Am25ArfXFmqgNwjZgnfk59",
   "Domain": "726970706C652E636F6D",
   "Flags": 0,
-  "LastLedgerSequence": 8820052,
+  "LastLedgerSequence": 8820051,
   "Fee": "12",
   "Sequence": 23
 }
diff --git a/test/fixtures/trustline-response.json b/test/fixtures/trustline-response.json
index e6c5414f..6187bd84 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/trustline-response.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/trustline-response.json
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
   },
   "QualityIn": 500000000,
   "QualityOut": 500000000,
-  "LastLedgerSequence": 8820052,
+  "LastLedgerSequence": 8820051,
   "Fee": "12",
   "Sequence": 23
 }