diff --git a/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.js b/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.js
index b53947e27..8e2288aed 100644
--- a/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.js
+++ b/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.js
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ class TransactionController extends EventEmitter {
       // add default tx params
       txMeta = await this.addTxGasDefaults(txMeta)
     } catch (error) {
-      console.log(error)
+      log.warn(error)
       this.txStateManager.setTxStatusFailed(txMeta.id, error)
       throw error
     }
@@ -264,7 +264,12 @@ class TransactionController extends EventEmitter {
       // must set transaction to submitted/failed before releasing lock
       nonceLock.releaseLock()
     } catch (err) {
-      this.txStateManager.setTxStatusFailed(txId, err)
+      // this is try-catch wrapped so that we can guarantee that the nonceLock is released
+      try {
+        this.txStateManager.setTxStatusFailed(txId, err)
+      } catch (err) {
+        log.error(err)
+      }
       // must set transaction to submitted/failed before releasing lock
       if (nonceLock) nonceLock.releaseLock()
       // continue with error chain
diff --git a/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/nonce-tracker.js b/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/nonce-tracker.js
index f8cdc5523..35ca08d6c 100644
--- a/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/nonce-tracker.js
+++ b/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/nonce-tracker.js
@@ -49,29 +49,35 @@ class NonceTracker {
     await this._globalMutexFree()
     // await lock free, then take lock
     const releaseLock = await this._takeMutex(address)
-    // evaluate multiple nextNonce strategies
-    const nonceDetails = {}
-    const networkNonceResult = await this._getNetworkNextNonce(address)
-    const highestLocallyConfirmed = this._getHighestLocallyConfirmed(address)
-    const nextNetworkNonce = networkNonceResult.nonce
-    const highestSuggested = Math.max(nextNetworkNonce, highestLocallyConfirmed)
-
-    const pendingTxs = this.getPendingTransactions(address)
-    const localNonceResult = this._getHighestContinuousFrom(pendingTxs, highestSuggested) || 0
-
-    nonceDetails.params = {
-      highestLocallyConfirmed,
-      highestSuggested,
-      nextNetworkNonce,
+    try {
+      // evaluate multiple nextNonce strategies
+      const nonceDetails = {}
+      const networkNonceResult = await this._getNetworkNextNonce(address)
+      const highestLocallyConfirmed = this._getHighestLocallyConfirmed(address)
+      const nextNetworkNonce = networkNonceResult.nonce
+      const highestSuggested = Math.max(nextNetworkNonce, highestLocallyConfirmed)
+
+      const pendingTxs = this.getPendingTransactions(address)
+      const localNonceResult = this._getHighestContinuousFrom(pendingTxs, highestSuggested) || 0
+
+      nonceDetails.params = {
+        highestLocallyConfirmed,
+        highestSuggested,
+        nextNetworkNonce,
+      }
+      nonceDetails.local = localNonceResult
+      nonceDetails.network = networkNonceResult
+
+      const nextNonce = Math.max(networkNonceResult.nonce, localNonceResult.nonce)
+      assert(Number.isInteger(nextNonce), `nonce-tracker - nextNonce is not an integer - got: (${typeof nextNonce}) "${nextNonce}"`)
+
+      // return nonce and release cb
+      return { nextNonce, nonceDetails, releaseLock }
+    } catch (err) {
+      // release lock if we encounter an error
+      releaseLock()
+      throw err
     }
-    nonceDetails.local = localNonceResult
-    nonceDetails.network = networkNonceResult
-
-    const nextNonce = Math.max(networkNonceResult.nonce, localNonceResult.nonce)
-    assert(Number.isInteger(nextNonce), `nonce-tracker - nextNonce is not an integer - got: (${typeof nextNonce}) "${nextNonce}"`)
-
-    // return nonce and release cb
-    return { nextNonce, nonceDetails, releaseLock }
   }
 
   async _getCurrentBlock () {
@@ -85,8 +91,8 @@ class NonceTracker {
 
   async _globalMutexFree () {
     const globalMutex = this._lookupMutex('global')
-    const release = await globalMutex.acquire()
-    release()
+    const releaseLock = await globalMutex.acquire()
+    releaseLock()
   }
 
   async _takeMutex (lockId) {
diff --git a/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/pending-tx-tracker.js b/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/pending-tx-tracker.js
index 6e2fcb40b..4e41cdaf8 100644
--- a/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/pending-tx-tracker.js
+++ b/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/pending-tx-tracker.js
@@ -196,14 +196,14 @@ class PendingTransactionTracker extends EventEmitter {
   async _checkPendingTxs () {
     const signedTxList = this.getPendingTransactions()
     // in order to keep the nonceTracker accurate we block it while updating pending transactions
-    const nonceGlobalLock = await this.nonceTracker.getGlobalLock()
+    const { releaseLock } = await this.nonceTracker.getGlobalLock()
     try {
       await Promise.all(signedTxList.map((txMeta) => this._checkPendingTx(txMeta)))
     } catch (err) {
       log.error('PendingTransactionWatcher - Error updating pending transactions')
       log.error(err)
     }
-    nonceGlobalLock.releaseLock()
+    releaseLock()
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/app/scripts/metamask-controller.js b/app/scripts/metamask-controller.js
index a362e3826..e444180cc 100644
--- a/app/scripts/metamask-controller.js
+++ b/app/scripts/metamask-controller.js
@@ -436,28 +436,24 @@ module.exports = class MetamaskController extends EventEmitter {
    * @returns {Object} vault
    */
   async createNewVaultAndKeychain (password) {
-    const release = await this.createVaultMutex.acquire()
-    let vault
-
+    const releaseLock = await this.createVaultMutex.acquire()
     try {
+      let vault
       const accounts = await this.keyringController.getAccounts()
-
       if (accounts.length > 0) {
         vault = await this.keyringController.fullUpdate()
-
       } else {
         vault = await this.keyringController.createNewVaultAndKeychain(password)
         const accounts = await this.keyringController.getAccounts()
         this.preferencesController.setAddresses(accounts)
         this.selectFirstIdentity()
       }
-      release()
+      releaseLock()
+      return vault
     } catch (err) {
-      release()
+      releaseLock()
       throw err
     }
-
-    return vault
   }
 
   /**
@@ -466,7 +462,7 @@ module.exports = class MetamaskController extends EventEmitter {
    * @param  {} seed
    */
   async createNewVaultAndRestore (password, seed) {
-    const release = await this.createVaultMutex.acquire()
+    const releaseLock = await this.createVaultMutex.acquire()
     try {
       // clear known identities
       this.preferencesController.setAddresses([])
@@ -476,10 +472,10 @@ module.exports = class MetamaskController extends EventEmitter {
       const accounts = await this.keyringController.getAccounts()
       this.preferencesController.setAddresses(accounts)
       this.selectFirstIdentity()
-      release()
+      releaseLock()
       return vault
     } catch (err) {
-      release()
+      releaseLock()
       throw err
     }
   }