diff --git a/src/examples/OPFSCoopSyncVFS.js b/src/examples/OPFSCoopSyncVFS.js
index 90630e6f..44028251 100644
--- a/src/examples/OPFSCoopSyncVFS.js
+++ b/src/examples/OPFSCoopSyncVFS.js
@@ -519,17 +519,24 @@ export class OPFSCoopSyncVFS extends FacadeVFS {
       this._module.retryOps.push((async () => {
         // Acquire the Web Lock.
         file.persistentFile.handleLockReleaser = await this.#acquireLock(file.persistentFile);
-
-        // Get access handles for the database and releated files in parallel.
-        this.log?.(`creating access handles for ${file.path}`)
-        await Promise.all(DB_RELATED_FILE_SUFFIXES.map(async suffix => {
-          const persistentFile = this.persistentFiles.get(file.path + suffix);
-          if (persistentFile) {
-            persistentFile.accessHandle =
-              await persistentFile.fileHandle.createSyncAccessHandle();
-          }
-        }));
-        file.persistentFile.isRequestInProgress = false;
+        try {
+          // Get access handles for the database and releated files in parallel.
+          this.log?.(`creating access handles for ${file.path}`)
+          await Promise.all(DB_RELATED_FILE_SUFFIXES.map(async suffix => {
+            const persistentFile = this.persistentFiles.get(file.path + suffix);
+            if (persistentFile) {
+              persistentFile.accessHandle =
+                await persistentFile.fileHandle.createSyncAccessHandle();
+            }
+          }));
+        } catch (e) {
+          this.log?.(`failed to create access handles for ${file.path}`, e);
+          // Close any of the potentially opened access handles
+          this.#releaseAccessHandle(file);
+          throw e;
+        } finally {
+          file.persistentFile.isRequestInProgress = false;
+        }
       })());
       return this._module.retryOps.at(-1);
     }
@@ -539,8 +546,8 @@ export class OPFSCoopSyncVFS extends FacadeVFS {
   /**
    * @param {File} file 
    */
-  async #releaseAccessHandle(file) {
-    DB_RELATED_FILE_SUFFIXES.forEach(async suffix => {
+  #releaseAccessHandle(file) {
+    DB_RELATED_FILE_SUFFIXES.forEach(suffix => {
       const persistentFile = this.persistentFiles.get(file.path + suffix);
       if (persistentFile) {
         persistentFile.accessHandle?.close();
diff --git a/src/sqlite-api.js b/src/sqlite-api.js
index 2b3c04f7..a13e68bf 100644
--- a/src/sqlite-api.js
+++ b/src/sqlite-api.js
@@ -873,8 +873,11 @@ export function Factory(Module) {
       // Wait for all pending retry operations to complete. This is
       // normally empty on the first loop iteration.
       if (Module.retryOps.length) {
-        await Promise.all(Module.retryOps);
-        Module.retryOps = [];
+        try {
+          await Promise.all(Module.retryOps);
+        } finally {
+          Module.retryOps = [];
+        }
       }
       
       rc = await f();