diff --git a/abstract/approximate-size-test.js b/abstract/approximate-size-test.js
index 5fc43d57..8ae2221b 100644
--- a/abstract/approximate-size-test.js
+++ b/abstract/approximate-size-test.js
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ module.exports.args = function (test) {
   })
 
   test('test custom _serialize*', function (t) {
+    t.plan(4)
     var db = leveldown(testCommon.location())
     db._serializeKey = function (data) { return data }
     db._approximateSize = function (start, end, callback) {
@@ -78,10 +79,7 @@ module.exports.args = function (test) {
     db.open(function () {
       db.approximateSize({ foo: 'bar' }, { beep: 'boop' }, function (err) {
         t.error(err)
-        db.close(function (err) {
-          t.error(err)
-          t.end()
-        })
+        db.close(t.error.bind(t))
       })
     })
   })
diff --git a/abstract/del-test.js b/abstract/del-test.js
index b5ff2505..825cc19e 100644
--- a/abstract/del-test.js
+++ b/abstract/del-test.js
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ module.exports.args = function (test) {
   })
 
   test('test custom _serialize*', function (t) {
+    t.plan(3)
     var db = leveldown(testCommon.location())
     db._serializeKey = function (data) { return data }
     db._del = function (key, options, callback) {
@@ -51,10 +52,7 @@ module.exports.args = function (test) {
     db.open(function () {
       db.del({ foo: 'bar' }, function (err) {
         t.error(err)
-        db.close(function (err) {
-          t.error(err)
-          t.end()
-        })
+        db.close(t.error.bind(t))
       })
     })
   })
diff --git a/abstract/get-test.js b/abstract/get-test.js
index f5bd9700..755651e4 100644
--- a/abstract/get-test.js
+++ b/abstract/get-test.js
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ module.exports.args = function (test) {
   })
 
   test('test custom _serialize*', function (t) {
+    t.plan(3)
     var db = leveldown(testCommon.location())
     db._serializeKey = function (data) { return data }
     db._get = function (key, options, callback) {
@@ -52,10 +53,7 @@ module.exports.args = function (test) {
     db.open(function () {
       db.get({ foo: 'bar' }, function (err) {
         t.error(err)
-        db.close(function (err) {
-          t.error(err)
-          t.end()
-        })
+        db.close(t.error.bind(t))
       })
     })
   })
diff --git a/abstract/put-test.js b/abstract/put-test.js
index 36080790..58d9fe75 100644
--- a/abstract/put-test.js
+++ b/abstract/put-test.js
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ module.exports.args = function (test) {
   })
 
   test('test custom _serialize*', function (t) {
+    t.plan(4)
     var db = leveldown(testCommon.location())
     db._serializeKey = db._serializeValue = function (data) { return data }
     db._put = function (key, value, options, callback) {
@@ -74,10 +75,7 @@ module.exports.args = function (test) {
     db.open(function () {
       db.put({ foo: 'bar' }, { beep: 'boop' }, function (err) {
         t.error(err)
-        db.close(function (err) {
-          t.error(err)
-          t.end()
-        })
+        db.close(t.error.bind(t))
       })
     })
   })