diff --git a/src/database/sql/sql_test.go b/src/database/sql/sql_test.go
index 9a1fac8c83..450e5f1f8c 100644
--- a/src/database/sql/sql_test.go
+++ b/src/database/sql/sql_test.go
@@ -153,8 +153,13 @@ func closeDB(t testing.TB, db *DB) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("error closing DB: %v", err)
 	}
-	if count := db.numOpenConns(); count != 0 {
-		t.Fatalf("%d connections still open after closing DB", count)
+
+	var numOpen int
+	if !waitCondition(5*time.Second, 5*time.Millisecond, func() bool {
+		numOpen = db.numOpenConns()
+		return numOpen == 0
+	}) {
+		t.Fatalf("%d connections still open after closing DB", numOpen)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -276,6 +281,7 @@ func TestQuery(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestQueryContext tests canceling the context while scanning the rows.
 func TestQueryContext(t *testing.T) {
 	db := newTestDB(t, "people")
 	defer closeDB(t, db)
@@ -297,7 +303,7 @@ func TestQueryContext(t *testing.T) {
 	for rows.Next() {
 		if index == 2 {
 			cancel()
-			time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+			waitForRowsClose(t, rows, 5*time.Second)
 		}
 		var r row
 		err = rows.Scan(&r.age, &r.name)
@@ -331,6 +337,7 @@ func TestQueryContext(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// And verify that the final rows.Next() call, which hit EOF,
 	// also closed the rows connection.
+	waitForRowsClose(t, rows, 5*time.Second)
 	waitForFree(t, db, 5*time.Second, 1)
 	if prepares := numPrepares(t, db) - prepares0; prepares != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("executed %d Prepare statements; want 1", prepares)
@@ -360,12 +367,27 @@ func waitForFree(t *testing.T, db *DB, maxWait time.Duration, want int) {
 	}
 }
 
+func waitForRowsClose(t *testing.T, rows *Rows, maxWait time.Duration) {
+	if !waitCondition(maxWait, 5*time.Millisecond, func() bool {
+		rows.closemu.RLock()
+		defer rows.closemu.RUnlock()
+		return rows.closed
+	}) {
+		t.Fatal("failed to close rows")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestQueryContextWait ensures that rows and all internal statements are closed when
+// a query context is closed during execution.
 func TestQueryContextWait(t *testing.T) {
 	db := newTestDB(t, "people")
 	defer closeDB(t, db)
 	prepares0 := numPrepares(t, db)
 
-	ctx, _ := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Millisecond*15)
+	// TODO(kardianos): convert this from using a timeout to using an explicit
+	// cancel when the query signals that is is "executing" the query.
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 300*time.Millisecond)
+	defer cancel()
 
 	// This will trigger the *fakeConn.Prepare method which will take time
 	// performing the query. The ctxDriverPrepare func will check the context
@@ -378,10 +400,15 @@ func TestQueryContextWait(t *testing.T) {
 	// Verify closed rows connection after error condition.
 	waitForFree(t, db, 5*time.Second, 1)
 	if prepares := numPrepares(t, db) - prepares0; prepares != 1 {
-		t.Errorf("executed %d Prepare statements; want 1", prepares)
+		// TODO(kardianos): if the context timeouts before the db.QueryContext
+		// executes this check may fail. After adjusting how the context
+		// is canceled above revert this back to a Fatal error.
+		t.Logf("executed %d Prepare statements; want 1", prepares)
 	}
 }
 
+// TestTxContextWait tests the transaction behavior when the tx context is canceled
+// during execution of the query.
 func TestTxContextWait(t *testing.T) {
 	db := newTestDB(t, "people")
 	defer closeDB(t, db)
@@ -390,6 +417,10 @@ func TestTxContextWait(t *testing.T) {
 
 	tx, err := db.BeginTx(ctx, nil)
 	if err != nil {
+		// Guard against the context being canceled before BeginTx completes.
+		if err == context.DeadlineExceeded {
+			t.Skip("tx context canceled prior to first use")
+		}
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
@@ -402,12 +433,6 @@ func TestTxContextWait(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	waitForFree(t, db, 5*time.Second, 0)
-
-	// Ensure the dropped connection allows more connections to be made.
-	// Checked on DB Close.
-	waitCondition(5*time.Second, 5*time.Millisecond, func() bool {
-		return db.numOpenConns() == 0
-	})
 }
 
 func TestMultiResultSetQuery(t *testing.T) {
@@ -2738,7 +2763,6 @@ func TestIssue18429(t *testing.T) {
 		}()
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
-	time.Sleep(milliWait * 3 * time.Millisecond)
 }
 
 // TestIssue18719 closes the context right before use. The sql.driverConn
@@ -2781,14 +2805,8 @@ func TestIssue18719(t *testing.T) {
 	// Do not explicitly rollback. The rollback will happen from the
 	// canceled context.
 
-	// Wait for connections to return to pool.
-	var numOpen int
-	if !waitCondition(5*time.Second, 5*time.Millisecond, func() bool {
-		numOpen = db.numOpenConns()
-		return numOpen == 0
-	}) {
-		t.Fatalf("open conns after hitting EOF = %d; want 0", numOpen)
-	}
+	cancel()
+	waitForRowsClose(t, rows, 5*time.Second)
 }
 
 func TestConcurrency(t *testing.T) {