diff --git a/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.js b/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.js
index 964be3bdb..27cf59277 100644
--- a/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.js
+++ b/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.js
@@ -361,13 +361,30 @@ export default class TransactionController extends EventEmitter {
     return transactions[txId];
   }
 
-  _checkIfTxStatusIsUnapproved(txId) {
+  /**
+   * @param {number} txId
+   * @returns {boolean}
+   */
+  _isUnapprovedTransaction(txId) {
     return (
       this.txStateManager.getTransaction(txId).status ===
       TRANSACTION_STATUSES.UNAPPROVED
     );
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @param {number} txId
+   * @param {string} fnName
+   */
+  _throwErrorIfNotUnapprovedTx(txId, fnName) {
+    if (!this._isUnapprovedTransaction(txId)) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `TransactionsController: Can only call ${fnName} on an unapproved transaction.
+         Current tx status: ${this.txStateManager.getTransaction(txId).status}`,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
   _updateTransaction(txId, proposedUpdate, note) {
     const txMeta = this.txStateManager.getTransaction(txId);
     const updated = merge(txMeta, proposedUpdate);
@@ -416,11 +433,7 @@ export default class TransactionController extends EventEmitter {
    * @returns {TransactionMeta} the txMeta of the updated transaction
    */
   updateEditableParams(txId, { data, from, to, value, gas, gasPrice }) {
-    if (!this._checkIfTxStatusIsUnapproved(txId)) {
-      throw new Error(
-        'Cannot call updateEditableParams on a transaction that is not in an unapproved state',
-      );
-    }
+    this._throwErrorIfNotUnapprovedTx(txId, 'updateEditableParams');
 
     const editableParams = {
       txParams: {
@@ -474,11 +487,7 @@ export default class TransactionController extends EventEmitter {
       userFeeLevel,
     },
   ) {
-    if (!this._checkIfTxStatusIsUnapproved(txId)) {
-      throw new Error(
-        'Cannot call updateTransactionGasFees on a transaction that is not in an unapproved state',
-      );
-    }
+    this._throwErrorIfNotUnapprovedTx(txId, 'updateTransactionGasFees');
 
     let txGasFees = {
       txParams: {
@@ -517,11 +526,10 @@ export default class TransactionController extends EventEmitter {
     txId,
     { estimatedBaseFee, decEstimatedBaseFee },
   ) {
-    if (!this._checkIfTxStatusIsUnapproved(txId)) {
-      throw new Error(
-        'Cannot call updateTransactionEstimatedBaseFee on a transaction that is not in an unapproved state',
-      );
-    }
+    this._throwErrorIfNotUnapprovedTx(
+      txId,
+      'updateTransactionEstimatedBaseFee',
+    );
 
     let txEstimateBaseFees = { estimatedBaseFee, decEstimatedBaseFee };
     // only update what is defined
@@ -543,11 +551,7 @@ export default class TransactionController extends EventEmitter {
    * @returns {TransactionMeta} the txMeta of the updated transaction
    */
   updateSwapApprovalTransaction(txId, { type, sourceTokenSymbol }) {
-    if (!this._checkIfTxStatusIsUnapproved(txId)) {
-      throw new Error(
-        'Cannot call updateSwapApprovalTransaction on a transaction that is not in an unapproved state',
-      );
-    }
+    this._throwErrorIfNotUnapprovedTx(txId, 'updateSwapApprovalTransaction');
 
     let swapApprovalTransaction = { type, sourceTokenSymbol };
     // only update what is defined
@@ -589,11 +593,7 @@ export default class TransactionController extends EventEmitter {
       approvalTxId,
     },
   ) {
-    if (!this._checkIfTxStatusIsUnapproved(txId)) {
-      throw new Error(
-        'Cannot call updateSwapTransaction on a transaction that is not in an unapproved state',
-      );
-    }
+    this._throwErrorIfNotUnapprovedTx(txId, 'updateSwapTransaction');
 
     let swapTransaction = {
       sourceTokenSymbol,
@@ -625,11 +625,7 @@ export default class TransactionController extends EventEmitter {
    * @returns {TransactionMeta} the txMeta of the updated transaction
    */
   updateTransactionUserSettings(txId, { userEditedGasLimit, userFeeLevel }) {
-    if (!this._checkIfTxStatusIsUnapproved(txId)) {
-      throw new Error(
-        'Cannot call updateTransactionUserSettings on a transaction that is not in an unapproved state',
-      );
-    }
+    this._throwErrorIfNotUnapprovedTx(txId, 'updateTransactionUserSettings');
 
     let userSettings = { userEditedGasLimit, userFeeLevel };
     // only update what is defined
diff --git a/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.test.js b/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.test.js
index 0d99759bf..ce0a3339f 100644
--- a/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.test.js
+++ b/app/scripts/controllers/transactions/index.test.js
@@ -2186,10 +2186,10 @@ describe('Transaction Controller', function () {
       assert.equal(result.userFeeLevel, 'high');
     });
 
-    it('throws error if status is not unapproved', function () {
+    it('should not update and should throw error if status is not type "unapproved"', function () {
       txStateManager.addTransaction({
         id: '4',
-        status: TRANSACTION_STATUSES.APPROVED,
+        status: TRANSACTION_STATUSES.DROPPED,
         metamaskNetworkId: currentNetworkId,
         txParams: {
           maxPriorityFeePerGas: '0x007',
@@ -2200,14 +2200,18 @@ describe('Transaction Controller', function () {
         estimateUsed: '0x009',
       });
 
-      try {
-        txController.updateTransactionGasFees('4', { maxFeePerGas: '0x0088' });
-      } catch (e) {
-        assert.equal(
-          e.message,
-          'Cannot call updateTransactionGasFees on a transaction that is not in an unapproved state',
-        );
-      }
+      assert.throws(
+        () =>
+          txController.updateTransactionGasFees('4', {
+            maxFeePerGas: '0x0088',
+          }),
+        Error,
+        `TransactionsController: Can only call updateTransactionGasFees on an unapproved transaction.
+         Current tx status: ${TRANSACTION_STATUSES.DROPPED}`,
+      );
+
+      const transaction = txStateManager.getTransaction('4');
+      assert.equal(transaction.txParams.maxFeePerGas, '0x008');
     });
 
     it('does not update unknown parameters in update method', function () {