diff --git a/lib/softoken/sdb.c b/lib/softoken/sdb.c
--- a/lib/softoken/sdb.c
+++ b/lib/softoken/sdb.c
@@ -1519,16 +1519,18 @@ sdb_Begin(SDB *sdb)
 
     sqlerr = sqlite3_prepare_v2(sqlDB, BEGIN_CMD, -1, &stmt, NULL);
 
     do {
         sqlerr = sqlite3_step(stmt);
         if (sqlerr == SQLITE_BUSY) {
             PR_Sleep(SDB_BUSY_RETRY_TIME);
         }
+        /* don't retry BEGIN transaction*/
+        retry = 0;
     } while (!sdb_done(sqlerr, &retry));
 
     if (stmt) {
         sqlite3_reset(stmt);
         sqlite3_finalize(stmt);
     }
 
 loser:
diff --git a/lib/softoken/sftkdb.c b/lib/softoken/sftkdb.c
--- a/lib/softoken/sftkdb.c
+++ b/lib/softoken/sftkdb.c
@@ -1521,17 +1521,17 @@ sftkdb_DestroyObject(SFTKDBHandle *handl
     if (handle == NULL) {
         return CKR_TOKEN_WRITE_PROTECTED;
     }
     db = SFTK_GET_SDB(handle);
     objectID &= SFTK_OBJ_ID_MASK;
 
     crv = (*db->sdb_Begin)(db);
     if (crv != CKR_OK) {
-        goto loser;
+        return crv;
     }
     crv = (*db->sdb_DestroyObject)(db, objectID);
     if (crv != CKR_OK) {
         goto loser;
     }
     /* if the database supports meta data, delete any old signatures
      * that we may have added */
     if ((db->sdb_flags & SDB_HAS_META) == SDB_HAS_META) {
@@ -2456,17 +2456,17 @@ sftkdb_Update(SFTKDBHandle *handle, SECI
         return CKR_OK;
     }
     /*
      * put the whole update under a transaction. This allows us to handle
      * any possible race conditions between with the updateID check.
      */
     crv = (*handle->db->sdb_Begin)(handle->db);
     if (crv != CKR_OK) {
-        goto loser;
+        return crv;
     }
     inTransaction = PR_TRUE;
 
     /* some one else has already updated this db */
     if (sftkdb_hasUpdate(sftkdb_TypeString(handle),
                          handle->db, handle->updateID)) {
         crv = CKR_OK;
         goto done;