diff --git a/pkg/storage/engine/mvcc_history_test.go b/pkg/storage/engine/mvcc_history_test.go
index 3570d1c986ab..4eeffa1a3908 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/engine/mvcc_history_test.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/engine/mvcc_history_test.go
@@ -602,9 +602,9 @@ func cmdGet(e *evalCtx) error {
 		opts.FailOnMoreRecent = true
 	}
 	val, intent, err := MVCCGet(e.ctx, e.engine, key, ts, opts)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	// NB: the error is returned below. This ensures the test can
+	// ascertain no result is populated in the intent when an error
+	// occurs.
 	if intent != nil {
 		fmt.Fprintf(e.results.buf, "get: %v -> intent {%s} %s\n", key, intent.Txn, intent.Status)
 	}
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ func cmdGet(e *evalCtx) error {
 	} else {
 		fmt.Fprintf(e.results.buf, "get: %v -> <no data>\n", key)
 	}
-	return nil
+	return err
 }
 
 func cmdIncrement(e *evalCtx) error {
diff --git a/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/empty_key b/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/empty_key
index 6e4f937b85b1..08a7960ffe49 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/empty_key
+++ b/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/empty_key
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 run error
 get ts=0,1 k=
 ----
+get: /Min -> <no data>
 error: (*errors.fundamental:) attempted access to empty key
 
 run error
diff --git a/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/get_negative_timestamp b/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/get_negative_timestamp
index 268e039dea2d..ffcd2ce7744b 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/get_negative_timestamp
+++ b/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/get_negative_timestamp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ data: "k"/0.000000001,0 -> /BYTES/v
 run error
 get k=k ts=-1
 ----
+get: "k" -> <no data>
 error: (*withstack.withStack:) cannot write to "k" at timestamp -0.000000001,0
 
 
diff --git a/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/read_fail_on_more_recent b/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/read_fail_on_more_recent
index 3bbeec50dd5e..2a7b73bb956d 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/read_fail_on_more_recent
+++ b/pkg/storage/engine/testdata/mvcc_histories/read_fail_on_more_recent
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ get: "k1" -> <no data>
 run error
 get k=k1 ts=9,0 failOnMoreRecent
 ----
+get: "k1" -> <no data>
 error: (*roachpb.WriteTooOldError:) WriteTooOldError: write at timestamp 0.000000009,0 too old; wrote at 0.000000010,1
 
 run ok
@@ -97,26 +98,31 @@ get: "k2" -> <no data>
 run error
 get k=k2 ts=9,0 failOnMoreRecent
 ----
+get: "k2" -> <no data>
 error: (*roachpb.WriteIntentError:) conflicting intents on "k2"
 
 run error
 get k=k2 ts=10,0
 ----
+get: "k2" -> <no data>
 error: (*roachpb.WriteIntentError:) conflicting intents on "k2"
 
 run error
 get k=k2 ts=10,0 failOnMoreRecent
 ----
+get: "k2" -> <no data>
 error: (*roachpb.WriteIntentError:) conflicting intents on "k2"
 
 run error
 get k=k2 ts=11,0
 ----
+get: "k2" -> <no data>
 error: (*roachpb.WriteIntentError:) conflicting intents on "k2"
 
 run error
 get k=k2 ts=11,0 failOnMoreRecent
 ----
+get: "k2" -> <no data>
 error: (*roachpb.WriteIntentError:) conflicting intents on "k2"
 
 run ok
@@ -159,6 +165,7 @@ error: (*roachpb.WriteIntentError:) conflicting intents on "k2"
 run error
 get k=k1 ts=9,0 inconsistent failOnMoreRecent
 ----
+get: "k1" -> <no data>
 error: (*withstack.withStack:) cannot allow inconsistent reads with fail on more recent option
 
 run error