diff --git a/lib/kadm5/chpass_s.c b/lib/kadm5/chpass_s.c
index 1f8117342..f75c9e538 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/chpass_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/chpass_s.c
@@ -67,7 +67,5 @@ out2:
     hdb_free_entry(context->context, &ent);
 out:
     context->db->close(context->context, context->db);
-    if(ret == HDB_ERR_NOENTRY)
-	return KADM5_UNK_PRINC;
-    return ret;
+    return _kadm5_error_code(ret);
 }
diff --git a/lib/kadm5/delete_s.c b/lib/kadm5/delete_s.c
index 5c28418dd..8467a4617 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/delete_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/delete_s.c
@@ -48,10 +48,11 @@ kadm5_s_delete_principal(void *server_handle, krb5_principal princ)
     hdb_entry ent;
     ent.principal = princ;
     ret = context->db->open(context->context, context->db, O_RDWR, 0);
-    if(ret) return ret;
+    if(ret) {
+	krb5_warn(context->context, ret, "opening database");
+	return ret;
+    }
     ret = context->db->delete(context->context, context->db, &ent);
     context->db->close(context->context, context->db);
-    if(ret == HDB_ERR_NOENTRY)
-	return KADM5_UNK_PRINC;
-    return ret;
+    return _kadm5_error_code(ret);
 }
diff --git a/lib/kadm5/get_s.c b/lib/kadm5/get_s.c
index 0e8052675..a8df3a174 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/get_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/get_s.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ kadm5_s_get_principal(void *server_handle,
     ret = context->db->fetch(context->context, context->db, &ent);
     context->db->close(context->context, context->db);
     if(ret == HDB_ERR_NOENTRY)
-	return KADM5_UNK_PRINC;
+	return _kadm5_error_code(ret);
 
 
     memset(out, 0, sizeof(*out));
@@ -170,5 +170,5 @@ kadm5_s_get_principal(void *server_handle,
 out:
     hdb_free_entry(context->context, &ent);
 
-    return ret;
+    return _kadm5_error_code(ret);
 }
diff --git a/lib/kadm5/modify_s.c b/lib/kadm5/modify_s.c
index d01993b60..8cec51ffd 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/modify_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/modify_s.c
@@ -74,8 +74,6 @@ out2:
     hdb_free_entry(context->context, &ent);
 out:
     context->db->close(context->context, context->db);
-    if(ret == HDB_ERR_NOENTRY)
-	return KADM5_UNK_PRINC;
-    return ret;
+    return _kadm5_error_code(ret);
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/kadm5/randkey_s.c b/lib/kadm5/randkey_s.c
index 794f4499a..66ed7dce8 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/randkey_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/randkey_s.c
@@ -101,8 +101,6 @@ out:
 	free(*new_keys);
 	*n_keys = 0;
     }
-    if(ret == HDB_ERR_NOENTRY)
-	return KADM5_UNK_PRINC;
-    return ret;
+    return _kadm5_error_code(ret);
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/kadm5/rename_s.c b/lib/kadm5/rename_s.c
index 664346531..37111c943 100644
--- a/lib/kadm5/rename_s.c
+++ b/lib/kadm5/rename_s.c
@@ -96,10 +96,6 @@ out2:
     context->db->close(context->context, context->db);
     hdb_free_entry(context->context, &ent);
 out:
-    if(ret == HDB_ERR_NOENTRY)
-	return KADM5_UNK_PRINC;
-    if(ret == HDB_ERR_INUSE)
-	return KADM5_DUP;
-    return ret;
+    return _kadm5_error_code(ret);
 }