diff --git a/http/client.go b/http/client.go
index b18e5a382..0708c9c42 100644
--- a/http/client.go
+++ b/http/client.go
@@ -1248,8 +1248,8 @@ func (c *InternalClient) Transactions(ctx context.Context) (map[string]pilosa.Tr
 		return trnsMap, errors.Wrap(err, "executing request")
 	}
 	defer func() {
-		io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body)
-		resp.Body.Close()
+		_, _ = io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body)
+		_ = resp.Body.Close()
 	}()
 	tmpTrnsMap := make(map[string]*pilosa.Transaction)
 	err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&tmpTrnsMap)
@@ -1292,8 +1292,8 @@ func (c *InternalClient) StartTransaction(ctx context.Context, id string, timeou
 		return pilosa.Transaction{}, errors.Wrap(err, "executing request")
 	}
 	defer func() {
-		io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body)
-		resp.Body.Close()
+		_, _ = io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body)
+		_ = resp.Body.Close()
 	}()
 	err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&tr)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -1325,8 +1325,8 @@ func (c *InternalClient) FinishTransaction(ctx context.Context, id string) (pilo
 		return pilosa.Transaction{}, errors.Wrap(err, "executing request")
 	}
 	defer func() {
-		io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body)
-		resp.Body.Close()
+		_, _ = io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body)
+		_ = resp.Body.Close()
 	}()
 	tr := &TransactionResponse{Transaction: &pilosa.Transaction{}}
 	err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&tr)
@@ -1361,8 +1361,8 @@ func (c *InternalClient) GetTransaction(ctx context.Context, id string) (pilosa.
 		return pilosa.Transaction{}, errors.Wrap(err, "executing request")
 	}
 	defer func() {
-		io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body)
-		resp.Body.Close()
+		_, _ = io.Copy(ioutil.Discard, resp.Body)
+		_ = resp.Body.Close()
 	}()
 	tr := &TransactionResponse{Transaction: &pilosa.Transaction{}}
 	err = json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&tr)
diff --git a/http/client_test.go b/http/client_test.go
index 87d820150..7924106c9 100644
--- a/http/client_test.go
+++ b/http/client_test.go
@@ -1381,7 +1381,6 @@ func TestClientTransactions(t *testing.T) {
 		!strings.Contains(err.Error(), pilosa.ErrNodeNotCoordinator.Error()) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error starting on non-coordinator: %v", err)
 	} else {
-		expDeadline = time.Now().Add(time.Minute)
 		test.CompareTransactions(t,
 			pilosa.Transaction{},
 			trns)
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index d4f59996c..143e75e2b 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -1050,13 +1050,19 @@ func (srv *Server) StartTransaction(ctx context.Context, id string, timeout time
 			})
 		if err != nil {
 			// try to clean up, but ignore errors
-			srv.holder.FinishTransaction(ctx, id)
-			srv.SendSync(
+			_, errLocal := srv.holder.FinishTransaction(ctx, id)
+			errBroadcast := srv.SendSync(
 				&TransactionMessage{
 					Action:      TRANSACTION_FINISH,
 					Transaction: trns,
 				},
 			)
+			if errLocal != nil || errBroadcast != nil {
+				srv.logger.Printf("error(s) while trying to clean up transaction which failed to start, local: %v, broadcast: %v",
+					errLocal,
+					errBroadcast,
+				)
+			}
 			return trns, errors.Wrap(err, "broadcasting transaction start")
 		}
 		return trns, nil
diff --git a/test/transaction.go b/test/transaction.go
index 3547ad856..a09b9a73d 100644
--- a/test/transaction.go
+++ b/test/transaction.go
@@ -7,9 +7,11 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2"
 )
 
+const deadlineSkew = time.Millisecond * 10
+
 // CompareTransactions errors describing how the
 // transactions differ (if at all). The deadlines need only be close
-// (within 3ms).
+// (within deadlineSkew).
 func CompareTransactions(t *testing.T, trns1, trns2 pilosa.Transaction) {
 	t.Helper()
 	if trns1.ID != trns2.ID {
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ func CompareTransactions(t *testing.T, trns1, trns2 pilosa.Transaction) {
 
 	diff := trns1.Deadline.Sub(trns2.Deadline)
 
-	if diff > time.Millisecond*3 || diff < time.Millisecond*-3 {
+	if diff > deadlineSkew || diff < -deadlineSkew {
 		t.Errorf("Deadlines differ by %v:\n%+v\n%+v", diff, trns1, trns2)
 	}
 	if trns1.Stats != trns2.Stats {
diff --git a/transaction.go b/transaction.go
index 2d890d905..826626883 100644
--- a/transaction.go
+++ b/transaction.go
@@ -376,6 +376,8 @@ func CompareTransactions(t1, t2 Transaction) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+const RFC3339NanoNoZone = "2006-01-02T15:04:05.999999999"
+
 func (trns *Transaction) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
 	tmp := &struct {
 		ID        string      `json:"id"`
@@ -410,7 +412,7 @@ func (trns *Transaction) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
 	}
 
 	if tmp.Deadline != "" {
-		trns.Deadline, err = time.Parse(time.RFC3339Nano, tmp.Deadline)
+		trns.Deadline, err = time.ParseInLocation(RFC3339NanoNoZone, tmp.Deadline, time.UTC)
 	}
 	return errors.Wrap(err, "parsing deadline")
 }
@@ -427,6 +429,6 @@ func (trns *Transaction) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 		Active:    trns.Active,
 		Exclusive: trns.Exclusive,
 		Timeout:   trns.Timeout.String(),
-		Deadline:  trns.Deadline.Format(time.RFC3339Nano),
+		Deadline:  trns.Deadline.In(time.UTC).Format(RFC3339NanoNoZone),
 	})
 }
diff --git a/transaction.md b/transaction.md
index 389000a23..dd72d4b34 100644
--- a/transaction.md
+++ b/transaction.md
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ goes through API (and is passed directly to Server). (unimplemented)
 - [x] implement api layer and cluster logic, startup, etc.
 - [ ] add new cluster state to explicitly reject certain requests during exclusive transaction?
 - [x] implement HTTP layer
-- [x] implement transaction id in header
+- [ ] implement transaction id in header
 - [x] propagate context
 - [ ] implement and use persistent transaction store rather than inmem.
 - [ ] update go-pilosa/gpexp to actually USE transactions