diff --git a/src/sqlite-api.js b/src/sqlite-api.js
index befcca21..c6bf619c 100644
--- a/src/sqlite-api.js
+++ b/src/sqlite-api.js
@@ -493,10 +493,29 @@ export function Factory(Module) {
         const rc = await retry(() => f(zFilename, tmpPtr[0], flags, zVfs));
 
         const db = Module.getValue(tmpPtr[0], '*');
-        databases.add(db);
+        if (rc !== SQLite.SQLITE_OK) {
+          // sqlite3_open_v2 usually returns a database handle even when opening fails.
+          // Capture its error before closing because close may replace the message.
+          const message = db ?
+            Module.ccall('sqlite3_errmsg', 'string', ['number'], [db]) :
+            fname;
+          const error = new SQLiteError(message, rc);
+
+          if (db) {
+            databases.add(db);
+            try {
+              await sqlite3.close(db);
+            } catch {
+              // Closing an errored handle is best effort; preserve the open error.
+            } finally {
+              databases.delete(db);
+            }
+          }
+          throw error;
+        }
 
+        databases.add(db);
         Module.ccall('RegisterExtensionFunctions', 'void', ['number'], [db]);
-        check(fname, rc);
         return db;
       } finally {
         Module._sqlite3_free(zVfs);
diff --git a/test/sqlite-api-open.test.js b/test/sqlite-api-open.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5527a2df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/sqlite-api-open.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import * as SQLite from '../src/sqlite-api.js';
+
+describe('SQLite API open cleanup', function() {
+  it('closes the database handle returned by a failed open', async function() {
+    const failedHandle = 42;
+    const close = jasmine.createSpy('sqlite3_close').and.resolveTo(SQLite.SQLITE_OK);
+    const registerExtensionFunctions = jasmine.createSpy('RegisterExtensionFunctions');
+    const module = {
+      HEAPU8: new Uint8Array(64),
+      _getSqliteFree: () => 0,
+      _malloc: () => 8,
+      _sqlite3_free: () => {},
+      _sqlite3_malloc: () => 32,
+      ccall: name => {
+        if (name === 'sqlite3_errmsg') return 'unable to open database file';
+        if (name === 'RegisterExtensionFunctions') registerExtensionFunctions();
+      },
+      cwrap: name => {
+        if (name === 'sqlite3_open_v2') {
+          return async () => SQLite.SQLITE_CANTOPEN;
+        }
+        if (name === 'sqlite3_close') return close;
+        return () => SQLite.SQLITE_OK;
+      },
+      getTempRet0: () => 0,
+      getValue: () => failedHandle,
+      vfs_register: () => SQLite.SQLITE_OK,
+    };
+    const sqlite3 = SQLite.Factory(module);
+
+    await expectAsync(sqlite3.open_v2('/cannot-open.db')).toBeRejectedWithError(
+      SQLite.SQLiteError,
+      'unable to open database file',
+    );
+
+    expect(close).toHaveBeenCalledOnceWith(failedHandle);
+    expect(registerExtensionFunctions).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    await expectAsync(sqlite3.close(failedHandle)).toBeRejectedWithError(
+      SQLite.SQLiteError,
+      'not a database',
+    );
+  });
+});