diff --git a/balance-transfer/app/create-channel.js b/balance-transfer/app/create-channel.js
index 754d18a02c..974944028e 100644
--- a/balance-transfer/app/create-channel.js
+++ b/balance-transfer/app/create-channel.js
@@ -45,19 +45,32 @@ var createChannel = async function(channelName, channelConfigPath, username, org
 		};
 
 		// send to orderer
-		var response = await client.createChannel(request)
-		logger.debug(' response ::%j', response);
-		if (response && response.status === 'SUCCESS') {
-			logger.debug('Successfully created the channel.');
-			let response = {
-				success: true,
-				message: 'Channel \'' + channelName + '\' created Successfully'
-			};
-			return response;
+		const result = await client.createChannel(request)
+		logger.debug(' result ::%j', result);
+		if (result) {
+			if (result.status === 'SUCCESS') {
+				logger.debug('Successfully created the channel.');
+				const response = {
+					success: true,
+					message: 'Channel \'' + channelName + '\' created Successfully'
+				};
+				return response;
+			} else {
+				logger.error('Failed to create the channel. status:' + result.status + ' reason:' + result.info);
+				const response = {
+					success: false,
+					message: 'Channel \'' + channelName + '\' failed to create status:' + result.status + ' reason:' + result.info
+				};
+				return response;
+			}
 		} else {
 			logger.error('\n!!!!!!!!! Failed to create the channel \'' + channelName +
 				'\' !!!!!!!!!\n\n');
-			throw new Error('Failed to create the channel \'' + channelName + '\'');
+			const response = {
+				success: false,
+				message: 'Failed to create the channel \'' + channelName + '\'',
+			};
+			return response;
 		}
 	} catch (err) {
 		logger.error('Failed to initialize the channel: ' + err.stack ? err.stack :	err);
diff --git a/balance-transfer/app/install-chaincode.js b/balance-transfer/app/install-chaincode.js
index 2bc8bbb706..ea6c4124c5 100644
--- a/balance-transfer/app/install-chaincode.js
+++ b/balance-transfer/app/install-chaincode.js
@@ -47,23 +47,17 @@ var installChaincode = async function(peers, chaincodeName, chaincodePath,
 		// lets have a look at the responses to see if they are
 		// all good, if good they will also include signatures
 		// required to be committed
-		var all_good = true;
-		for (var i in proposalResponses) {
-			let one_good = false;
-			if (proposalResponses && proposalResponses[i].response &&
-				proposalResponses[i].response.status === 200) {
-				one_good = true;
+		for (const i in proposalResponses) {
+			if (proposalResponses[i] instanceof Error) {
+				error_message = util.format('install proposal resulted in an error :: %s', proposalResponses[i].toString());
+				logger.error(error_message);
+			} else if (proposalResponses[i].response && proposalResponses[i].response.status === 200) {
 				logger.info('install proposal was good');
 			} else {
-				logger.error('install proposal was bad %j',proposalResponses.toJSON());
+				all_good = false;
+				error_message = util.format('install proposal was bad for an unknown reason %j', proposalResponses[i]);
+				logger.error(error_message);
 			}
-			all_good = all_good & one_good;
-		}
-		if (all_good) {
-			logger.info('Successfully sent install Proposal and received ProposalResponse');
-		} else {
-			error_message = 'Failed to send install Proposal or receive valid response. Response null or status is not 200'
-			logger.error(error_message);
 		}
 	} catch(error) {
 		logger.error('Failed to install due to error: ' + error.stack ? error.stack : error);
@@ -74,7 +68,7 @@ var installChaincode = async function(peers, chaincodeName, chaincodePath,
 		let message = util.format('Successfully installed chaincode');
 		logger.info(message);
 		// build a response to send back to the REST caller
-		let response = {
+		const response = {
 			success: true,
 			message: message
 		};
@@ -82,7 +76,11 @@ var installChaincode = async function(peers, chaincodeName, chaincodePath,
 	} else {
 		let message = util.format('Failed to install due to:%s',error_message);
 		logger.error(message);
-		throw new Error(message);
+		const response = {
+			success: false,
+			message: message
+		};
+		return response;
 	}
 };
 exports.installChaincode = installChaincode;
diff --git a/balance-transfer/app/instantiate-chaincode.js b/balance-transfer/app/instantiate-chaincode.js
index aa8e040481..022043d7a8 100644
--- a/balance-transfer/app/instantiate-chaincode.js
+++ b/balance-transfer/app/instantiate-chaincode.js
@@ -14,34 +14,35 @@
  *  limitations under the License.
  */
 'use strict';
-var util = require('util');
-var helper = require('./helper.js');
-var logger = helper.getLogger('instantiate-chaincode');
+const util = require('util');
+const helper = require('./helper.js');
+const logger = helper.getLogger('instantiate-chaincode');
 
-var instantiateChaincode = async function(peers, channelName, chaincodeName, chaincodeVersion, functionName, chaincodeType, args, username, org_name) {
+const instantiateChaincode = async function(peers, channelName, chaincodeName, chaincodeVersion, functionName, chaincodeType, args, username, org_name) {
 	logger.debug('\n\n============ Instantiate chaincode on channel ' + channelName +
 		' ============\n');
-	var error_message = null;
-
+	let error_message = null;
+	let client = null;
+	let channel = null;
 	try {
 		// first setup the client for this org
-		var client = await helper.getClientForOrg(org_name, username);
+		client = await helper.getClientForOrg(org_name, username);
 		logger.debug('Successfully got the fabric client for the organization "%s"', org_name);
-		var channel = client.getChannel(channelName);
+		channel = client.getChannel(channelName);
 		if(!channel) {
 			let message = util.format('Channel %s was not defined in the connection profile', channelName);
 			logger.error(message);
 			throw new Error(message);
 		}
-		var tx_id = client.newTransactionID(true); // Get an admin based transactionID
+		const tx_id = client.newTransactionID(true); // Get an admin based transactionID
 		                                       // An admin based transactionID will
 		                                       // indicate that admin identity should
 		                                       // be used to sign the proposal request.
 		// will need the transaction ID string for the event registration later
-		var deployId = tx_id.getTransactionID();
+		const deployId = tx_id.getTransactionID();
 
 		// send proposal to endorser
-		var request = {
+		const request = {
 			targets : peers,
 			chaincodeId: chaincodeName,
 			chaincodeType: chaincodeType,
@@ -70,23 +71,24 @@ var instantiateChaincode = async function(peers, channelName, chaincodeName, cha
 		// the returned object has both the endorsement results
 		// and the actual proposal, the proposal will be needed
 		// later when we send a transaction to the orderer
-		var proposalResponses = results[0];
-		var proposal = results[1];
+		const proposalResponses = results[0];
+		const proposal = results[1];
 
-		// lets have a look at the responses to see if they are
-		// all good, if good they will also include signatures
-		// required to be committed
-		var all_good = true;
-		for (var i in proposalResponses) {
-			let one_good = false;
-			if (proposalResponses && proposalResponses[i].response &&
-				proposalResponses[i].response.status === 200) {
-				one_good = true;
+		// look at the responses to see if they are all are good
+		// response will also include signatures required to be committed
+		let all_good = true;
+		for (const i in proposalResponses) {
+			if (proposalResponses[i] instanceof Error) {
+				all_good = false;
+				error_message = util.format('instantiate proposal resulted in an error :: %s', proposalResponses[i].toString());
+				logger.error(error_message);
+			} else if (proposalResponses[i].response && proposalResponses[i].response.status === 200) {
 				logger.info('instantiate proposal was good');
 			} else {
-				logger.error('instantiate proposal was bad');
+				all_good = false;
+				error_message = util.format('instantiate proposal was bad for an unknown reason %j', proposalResponses[i]);
+				logger.error(error_message);
 			}
-			all_good = all_good & one_good;
 		}
 
 		if (all_good) {
@@ -97,8 +99,8 @@ var instantiateChaincode = async function(peers, channelName, chaincodeName, cha
 
 			// wait for the channel-based event hub to tell us that the
 			// instantiate transaction was committed on the peer
-			var promises = [];
-			let event_hubs = channel.getChannelEventHubsForOrg();
+			const promises = [];
+			const event_hubs = channel.getChannelEventHubsForOrg();
 			logger.debug('found %s eventhubs for this organization %s',event_hubs.length, org_name);
 			event_hubs.forEach((eh) => {
 				let instantiateEventPromise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
@@ -138,22 +140,22 @@ var instantiateChaincode = async function(peers, channelName, chaincodeName, cha
 				promises.push(instantiateEventPromise);
 			});
 
-			var orderer_request = {
+			const orderer_request = {
 				txId: tx_id, // must include the transaction id so that the outbound
-				             // transaction to the orderer will be signed by the admin
-							 // id as was the proposal above, notice that transactionID
-							 // generated above was based on the admin id not the current
-							 // user assigned to the 'client' instance.
+							// transaction to the orderer will be signed by the admin id
+							// the same as the proposal above, notice that transactionID
+							// generated above was based on the admin id not the current
+							// user assigned to the 'client' instance.
 				proposalResponses: proposalResponses,
 				proposal: proposal
 			};
-			var sendPromise = channel.sendTransaction(orderer_request);
+			const sendPromise = channel.sendTransaction(orderer_request);
 			// put the send to the orderer last so that the events get registered and
 			// are ready for the orderering and committing
 			promises.push(sendPromise);
-			let results = await Promise.all(promises);
+			const results = await Promise.all(promises);
 			logger.debug(util.format('------->>> R E S P O N S E : %j', results));
-			let response = results.pop(); //  orderer results are last in the results
+			const response = results.pop(); //  orderer results are last in the results
 			if (response.status === 'SUCCESS') {
 				logger.info('Successfully sent transaction to the orderer.');
 			} else {
@@ -162,9 +164,9 @@ var instantiateChaincode = async function(peers, channelName, chaincodeName, cha
 			}
 
 			// now see what each of the event hubs reported
-			for(let i in results) {
-				let event_hub_result = results[i];
-				let event_hub = event_hubs[i];
+			for(const i in results) {
+				const event_hub_result = results[i];
+				const event_hub = event_hubs[i];
 				logger.debug('Event results for event hub :%s',event_hub.getPeerAddr());
 				if(typeof event_hub_result === 'string') {
 					logger.debug(event_hub_result);
@@ -173,30 +175,31 @@ var instantiateChaincode = async function(peers, channelName, chaincodeName, cha
 					logger.debug(event_hub_result.toString());
 				}
 			}
-		} else {
-			error_message = util.format('Failed to send Proposal and receive all good ProposalResponse');
-			logger.debug(error_message);
 		}
 	} catch (error) {
 		logger.error('Failed to send instantiate due to error: ' + error.stack ? error.stack : error);
 		error_message = error.toString();
+	} finally {
+		if (channel) {
+			channel.close();
+		}
 	}
 
-	if (!error_message) {
-		let message = util.format(
-			'Successfully instantiate chaincode in organization %s to the channel \'%s\'',
-			org_name, channelName);
-		logger.info(message);
-		// build a response to send back to the REST caller
-		let response = {
-			success: true,
-			message: message
-		};
-		return response;
-	} else {
-		let message = util.format('Failed to instantiate. cause:%s',error_message);
+	let success = true;
+	let message = util.format('Successfully instantiate chaincode in organization %s to the channel \'%s\'', org_name, channelName);
+	if (error_message) {
+		message = util.format('Failed to instantiate the chaincode. cause:%s',error_message);
+		success = false;
 		logger.error(message);
-		throw new Error(message);
+	} else {
+		logger.info(message);
 	}
+
+	// build a response to send back to the REST caller
+	const response = {
+		success: success,
+		message: message
+	};
+	return response;
 };
 exports.instantiateChaincode = instantiateChaincode;
diff --git a/balance-transfer/app/invoke-transaction.js b/balance-transfer/app/invoke-transaction.js
index a217620995..5cb2648007 100644
--- a/balance-transfer/app/invoke-transaction.js
+++ b/balance-transfer/app/invoke-transaction.js
@@ -14,30 +14,32 @@
  *  limitations under the License.
  */
 'use strict';
-var util = require('util');
-var helper = require('./helper.js');
-var logger = helper.getLogger('invoke-chaincode');
+const util = require('util');
+const helper = require('./helper.js');
+const logger = helper.getLogger('invoke-chaincode');
 
-var invokeChaincode = async function(peerNames, channelName, chaincodeName, fcn, args, username, org_name) {
+const invokeChaincode = async function(peerNames, channelName, chaincodeName, fcn, args, username, org_name) {
 	logger.debug(util.format('\n============ invoke transaction on channel %s ============\n', channelName));
-	var error_message = null;
-	var tx_id_string = null;
+	let error_message = null;
+	let tx_id_string = null;
+	let client = null;
+	let channel = null;
 	try {
 		// first setup the client for this org
-		var client = await helper.getClientForOrg(org_name, username);
+		client = await helper.getClientForOrg(org_name, username);
 		logger.debug('Successfully got the fabric client for the organization "%s"', org_name);
-		var channel = client.getChannel(channelName);
+		channel = client.getChannel(channelName);
 		if(!channel) {
 			let message = util.format('Channel %s was not defined in the connection profile', channelName);
 			logger.error(message);
 			throw new Error(message);
 		}
-		var tx_id = client.newTransactionID();
+		const tx_id = client.newTransactionID();
 		// will need the transaction ID string for the event registration later
 		tx_id_string = tx_id.getTransactionID();
 
 		// send proposal to endorser
-		var request = {
+		const request = {
 			targets: peerNames,
 			chaincodeId: chaincodeName,
 			fcn: fcn,
@@ -51,23 +53,24 @@ var invokeChaincode = async function(peerNames, channelName, chaincodeName, fcn,
 		// the returned object has both the endorsement results
 		// and the actual proposal, the proposal will be needed
 		// later when we send a transaction to the orderer
-		var proposalResponses = results[0];
-		var proposal = results[1];
+		const proposalResponses = results[0];
+		const proposal = results[1];
 
-		// lets have a look at the responses to see if they are
-		// all good, if good they will also include signatures
-		// required to be committed
-		var all_good = true;
-		for (var i in proposalResponses) {
-			let one_good = false;
-			if (proposalResponses && proposalResponses[i].response &&
-				proposalResponses[i].response.status === 200) {
-				one_good = true;
+		// look at the responses to see if they are all are good
+		// response will also include signatures required to be committed
+		let all_good = true;
+		for (const i in proposalResponses) {
+			if (proposalResponses[i] instanceof Error) {
+				all_good = false;
+				error_message = util.format('invoke chaincode proposal resulted in an error :: %s', proposalResponses[i].toString());
+				logger.error(error_message);
+			} else if (proposalResponses[i].response && proposalResponses[i].response.status === 200) {
 				logger.info('invoke chaincode proposal was good');
 			} else {
-				logger.error('invoke chaincode proposal was bad');
+				all_good = false;
+				error_message = util.format('invoke chaincode proposal failed for an unknown reason %j', proposalResponses[i]);
+				logger.error(error_message);
 			}
-			all_good = all_good & one_good;
 		}
 
 		if (all_good) {
@@ -78,7 +81,7 @@ var invokeChaincode = async function(peerNames, channelName, chaincodeName, fcn,
 
 			// wait for the channel-based event hub to tell us
 			// that the commit was good or bad on each peer in our organization
-			var promises = [];
+			const promises = [];
 			let event_hubs = channel.getChannelEventHubsForOrg();
 			event_hubs.forEach((eh) => {
 				logger.debug('invokeEventPromise - setting up event');
@@ -118,12 +121,12 @@ var invokeChaincode = async function(peerNames, channelName, chaincodeName, fcn,
 				promises.push(invokeEventPromise);
 			});
 
-			var orderer_request = {
+			const orderer_request = {
 				txId: tx_id,
 				proposalResponses: proposalResponses,
 				proposal: proposal
 			};
-			var sendPromise = channel.sendTransaction(orderer_request);
+			const sendPromise = channel.sendTransaction(orderer_request);
 			// put the send to the orderer last so that the events get registered and
 			// are ready for the orderering and committing
 			promises.push(sendPromise);
@@ -149,27 +152,34 @@ var invokeChaincode = async function(peerNames, channelName, chaincodeName, fcn,
 					logger.debug(event_hub_result.toString());
 				}
 			}
-		} else {
-			error_message = util.format('Failed to send Proposal and receive all good ProposalResponse');
-			logger.debug(error_message);
 		}
 	} catch (error) {
 		logger.error('Failed to invoke due to error: ' + error.stack ? error.stack : error);
 		error_message = error.toString();
+	} finally {
+		if (channel) {
+			channel.close();
+		}
 	}
 
-	if (!error_message) {
-		let message = util.format(
-			'Successfully invoked the chaincode %s to the channel \'%s\' for transaction ID: %s',
-			org_name, channelName, tx_id_string);
-		logger.info(message);
-
-		return tx_id_string;
-	} else {
-		let message = util.format('Failed to invoke chaincode. cause:%s',error_message);
+	let success = true;
+	let message = util.format(
+		'Successfully invoked the chaincode %s to the channel \'%s\' for transaction ID: %s',
+		org_name, channelName, tx_id_string);
+	if (error_message) {
+		message = util.format('Failed to invoke chaincode. cause:%s',error_message);
+		success = false;
 		logger.error(message);
-		throw new Error(message);
+	} else {
+		logger.info(message);
 	}
+
+	// build a response to send back to the REST caller
+	const response = {
+		success: success,
+		message: message
+	};
+	return response;
 };
 
 exports.invokeChaincode = invokeChaincode;
diff --git a/balance-transfer/app/join-channel.js b/balance-transfer/app/join-channel.js
index b5eedfe9ad..c050f74865 100644
--- a/balance-transfer/app/join-channel.js
+++ b/balance-transfer/app/join-channel.js
@@ -66,12 +66,14 @@ var joinChannel = async function(channel_name, peers, username, org_name) {
 		// then each peer results
 		for(let i in peers_results) {
 			let peer_result = peers_results[i];
-			if(peer_result.response && peer_result.response.status == 200) {
+			if (peer_result instanceof Error) {
+				error_message = util.format('Failed to join peer to the channel with error :: %s', peer_result.toString());
+				logger.error(error_message);
+			} else if(peer_result.response && peer_result.response.status == 200) {
 				logger.info('Successfully joined peer to the channel %s',channel_name);
 			} else {
-				let message = util.format('Failed to join peer to the channel %s',channel_name);
-				error_message = message;
-				logger.error(message);
+				error_message = util.format('Failed to join peer to the channel %s',channel_name);
+				logger.error(error_message);
 			}
 		}
 	} catch(error) {
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ var joinChannel = async function(channel_name, peers, username, org_name) {
 			org_name, channel_name);
 		logger.info(message);
 		// build a response to send back to the REST caller
-		let response = {
+		const response = {
 			success: true,
 			message: message
 		};
@@ -98,7 +100,12 @@ var joinChannel = async function(channel_name, peers, username, org_name) {
 	} else {
 		let message = util.format('Failed to join all peers to channel. cause:%s',error_message);
 		logger.error(message);
-		throw new Error(message);
+		// build a response to send back to the REST caller
+		const response = {
+			success: false,
+			message: message
+		};
+		return response;
 	}
 };
 exports.joinChannel = joinChannel;
diff --git a/balance-transfer/app/query.js b/balance-transfer/app/query.js
index 11a5b7a261..a0d3b055f7 100644
--- a/balance-transfer/app/query.js
+++ b/balance-transfer/app/query.js
@@ -18,11 +18,13 @@ var helper = require('./helper.js');
 var logger = helper.getLogger('Query');
 
 var queryChaincode = async function(peer, channelName, chaincodeName, args, fcn, username, org_name) {
+	let client = null;
+	let channel = null;
 	try {
 		// first setup the client for this org
-		var client = await helper.getClientForOrg(org_name, username);
+		client = await helper.getClientForOrg(org_name, username);
 		logger.debug('Successfully got the fabric client for the organization "%s"', org_name);
-		var channel = client.getChannel(channelName);
+		channel = client.getChannel(channelName);
 		if(!channel) {
 			let message = util.format('Channel %s was not defined in the connection profile', channelName);
 			logger.error(message);
@@ -51,6 +53,10 @@ var queryChaincode = async function(peer, channelName, chaincodeName, args, fcn,
 	} catch(error) {
 		logger.error('Failed to query due to error: ' + error.stack ? error.stack : error);
 		return error.toString();
+	} finally {
+		if (channel) {
+			channel.close();
+		}
 	}
 };
 var getBlockByNumber = async function(peer, channelName, blockNumber, username, org_name) {
diff --git a/balance-transfer/app/update-anchor-peers.js b/balance-transfer/app/update-anchor-peers.js
index aa961c87c7..da59ece901 100644
--- a/balance-transfer/app/update-anchor-peers.js
+++ b/balance-transfer/app/update-anchor-peers.js
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ var updateAnchorPeers = async function(channelName, configUpdatePath, username,
 		event_hubs.forEach((eh) => {
 			let anchorUpdateEventPromise = new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
 				logger.debug('anchorUpdateEventPromise - setting up event');
-				let event_timeout = setTimeout(() => {
+				const event_timeout = setTimeout(() => {
 					let message = 'REQUEST_TIMEOUT:' + eh.getPeerAddr();
 					logger.error(message);
 					eh.disconnect();
@@ -83,8 +83,13 @@ var updateAnchorPeers = async function(channelName, configUpdatePath, username,
 		logger.debug(util.format('------->>> R E S P O N S E : %j', results));
 		let response = results.pop(); //  orderer results are last in the results
 
-		if (response && response.status === 'SUCCESS') {
-			logger.info('Successfully update anchor peers to the channel %s', channelName);
+		if (response) {
+			if (response.status === 'SUCCESS') {
+				logger.info('Successfully update anchor peers to the channel %s', channelName);
+			} else {
+				error_message = util.format('Failed to update anchor peers to the channel %s with status: %s reason: %s', channelName, response.status, response.info);
+				logger.error(error_message);
+			}
 		} else {
 			error_message = util.format('Failed to update anchor peers to the channel %s', channelName);
 			logger.error(error_message);
@@ -99,7 +104,7 @@ var updateAnchorPeers = async function(channelName, configUpdatePath, username,
 			'Successfully update anchor peers in organization %s to the channel \'%s\'',
 			org_name, channelName);
 		logger.info(message);
-		let response = {
+		const response = {
 			success: true,
 			message: message
 		};
@@ -107,7 +112,11 @@ var updateAnchorPeers = async function(channelName, configUpdatePath, username,
 	} else {
 		let message = util.format('Failed to update anchor peers. cause:%s',error_message);
 		logger.error(message);
-		throw new Error(message);
+		const response = {
+			success: false,
+			message: message
+		};
+		return response;
 	}
 };
 
diff --git a/balance-transfer/testAPIs.sh b/balance-transfer/testAPIs.sh
index a8ec82bc9d..6526f3f6fe 100755
--- a/balance-transfer/testAPIs.sh
+++ b/balance-transfer/testAPIs.sh
@@ -185,16 +185,15 @@ echo
 
 echo "POST invoke chaincode on peers of Org1 and Org2"
 echo
-TRX_ID=$(curl -s -X POST \
+curl -s -X POST \
   http://localhost:4000/channels/mychannel/chaincodes/mycc \
   -H "authorization: Bearer $ORG1_TOKEN" \
   -H "content-type: application/json" \
-  -d '{
-	"peers": ["peer0.org1.example.com","peer0.org2.example.com"],
-	"fcn":"move",
-	"args":["a","b","10"]
-}')
-echo "Transaction ID is $TRX_ID"
+  -d "{
+	\"peers\": [\"peer0.org1.example.com\",\"peer0.org2.example.com\"],
+	\"fcn\":\"move\",
+	\"args\":[\"a\",\"b\",\"10\"]
+}"
 echo
 echo