diff --git a/racket/collects/db/private/sqlite3/connection.rkt b/racket/collects/db/private/sqlite3/connection.rkt
index 440c973b07..d5f1a938fb 100644
--- a/racket/collects/db/private/sqlite3/connection.rkt
+++ b/racket/collects/db/private/sqlite3/connection.rkt
@@ -208,22 +208,20 @@
       (let*-values ([(db) (get-db fsym)]
                     [(prep-status stmt)
                      (HANDLE fsym
-                      ;; Do not allow break/kill between prepare and
-                      ;; entry of stmt in table.
-                      (A (let-values ([(prep-status stmt tail?)
-                                       (sqlite3_prepare_v2 db sql)])
-                           (cond
-                             [(not (= 0 prep-status))
-                              (when stmt (sqlite3_finalize stmt))
-                              (error* fsym (get-error-message)
-                                      '("given" value) sql)]
-                             [else
-                              (when tail?
-                                (when stmt (sqlite3_finalize stmt))
-                                (error* fsym "multiple statements given"
-                                        '("given" value) sql))])
-                           (when stmt (hash-set! stmt-table stmt #t))
-                           (values prep-status stmt))))])
+                       ;; Do not allow break/kill between prepare and
+                       ;; entry of stmt in table.
+                       (A (let-values ([(prep-status stmt tail?)
+                                        (sqlite3_prepare_v2 db sql)])
+                            (cond [(not (zero? prep-status))
+                                   (when stmt (sqlite3_finalize stmt))
+                                   (values prep-status #f)]
+                                  [tail?
+                                   (when stmt (sqlite3_finalize stmt))
+                                   (error* fsym "multiple statements given"
+                                           '("given" value) sql)]
+                                  [else
+                                   (when stmt (hash-set! stmt-table stmt #t))
+                                   (values prep-status stmt)]))))])
         (when DEBUG?
           (dprintf "  << prepared statement #x~x\n" (cast stmt _pointer _uintptr)))
         (unless stmt (error* fsym "SQL syntax error" '("given" value) sql))