diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 905462b..b23d19c 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -609,8 +609,11 @@ impl InnerConnection {
     fn close(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
         unsafe {
             let r = ffi::sqlite3_close(self.db());
-            self.db = ptr::null_mut();
-            self.decode_result(r)
+            let r = self.decode_result(r);
+            if r.is_ok() {
+                self.db = ptr::null_mut();
+            }
+            r
         }
     }
 
@@ -1278,13 +1281,14 @@ mod test {
             raw_stmt
         };
 
-        let result = db.close();
-        assert!(result.is_err());
+        // now that we have an open statement, trying (and retrying) to close should fail.
+        let (db, _) = db.close().unwrap_err();
+        let (db, _) = db.close().unwrap_err();
+        let (db, _) = db.close().unwrap_err();
 
-        // finalize the open statement so a second close will succeed
+        // finalize the open statement so a final close will succeed
         assert_eq!(ffi::SQLITE_OK, unsafe { ffi::sqlite3_finalize(raw_stmt) });
 
-        let (db, _) = result.unwrap_err();
         db.close().unwrap();
     }