diff --git a/src/pkg/database/sql/fakedb_test.go b/src/pkg/database/sql/fakedb_test.go
index d900e2cebe8..8af753b5d35 100644
--- a/src/pkg/database/sql/fakedb_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/database/sql/fakedb_test.go
@@ -608,9 +608,10 @@ rows:
 	}
 
 	cursor := &rowsCursor{
-		pos:  -1,
-		rows: mrows,
-		cols: s.colName,
+		pos:    -1,
+		rows:   mrows,
+		cols:   s.colName,
+		errPos: -1,
 	}
 	return cursor, nil
 }
@@ -635,6 +636,10 @@ type rowsCursor struct {
 	rows   []*row
 	closed bool
 
+	// errPos and err are for making Next return early with error.
+	errPos int
+	err    error
+
 	// a clone of slices to give out to clients, indexed by the
 	// the original slice's first byte address.  we clone them
 	// just so we're able to corrupt them on close.
@@ -660,6 +665,9 @@ func (rc *rowsCursor) Next(dest []driver.Value) error {
 		return errors.New("fakedb: cursor is closed")
 	}
 	rc.pos++
+	if rc.pos == rc.errPos {
+		return rc.err
+	}
 	if rc.pos >= len(rc.rows) {
 		return io.EOF // per interface spec
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/database/sql/sql.go b/src/pkg/database/sql/sql.go
index f0c86a8aeb2..d81f6fe9842 100644
--- a/src/pkg/database/sql/sql.go
+++ b/src/pkg/database/sql/sql.go
@@ -1293,7 +1293,7 @@ type Rows struct {
 
 	closed    bool
 	lastcols  []driver.Value
-	lasterr   error
+	lasterr   error       // non-nil only if closed is true
 	closeStmt driver.Stmt // if non-nil, statement to Close on close
 }
 
@@ -1305,20 +1305,19 @@ func (rs *Rows) Next() bool {
 	if rs.closed {
 		return false
 	}
-	if rs.lasterr != nil {
-		return false
-	}
 	if rs.lastcols == nil {
 		rs.lastcols = make([]driver.Value, len(rs.rowsi.Columns()))
 	}
 	rs.lasterr = rs.rowsi.Next(rs.lastcols)
-	if rs.lasterr == io.EOF {
+	if rs.lasterr != nil {
 		rs.Close()
+		return false
 	}
-	return rs.lasterr == nil
+	return true
 }
 
 // Err returns the error, if any, that was encountered during iteration.
+// Err may be called after an explicit or implicit Close.
 func (rs *Rows) Err() error {
 	if rs.lasterr == io.EOF {
 		return nil
@@ -1353,10 +1352,7 @@ func (rs *Rows) Columns() ([]string, error) {
 // is of type []byte, a copy is made and the caller owns the result.
 func (rs *Rows) Scan(dest ...interface{}) error {
 	if rs.closed {
-		return errors.New("sql: Rows closed")
-	}
-	if rs.lasterr != nil {
-		return rs.lasterr
+		return errors.New("sql: Rows are closed")
 	}
 	if rs.lastcols == nil {
 		return errors.New("sql: Scan called without calling Next")
@@ -1375,9 +1371,9 @@ func (rs *Rows) Scan(dest ...interface{}) error {
 
 var rowsCloseHook func(*Rows, *error)
 
-// Close closes the Rows, preventing further enumeration. If the
-// end is encountered, the Rows are closed automatically. Close
-// is idempotent.
+// Close closes the Rows, preventing further enumeration. If Next returns
+// false, the Rows are closed automatically and it will suffice to check the
+// result of Err. Close is idempotent and does not affect the result of Err.
 func (rs *Rows) Close() error {
 	if rs.closed {
 		return nil
diff --git a/src/pkg/database/sql/sql_test.go b/src/pkg/database/sql/sql_test.go
index 2a059da4531..4005f154466 100644
--- a/src/pkg/database/sql/sql_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/database/sql/sql_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package sql
 
 import (
 	"database/sql/driver"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"runtime"
@@ -1039,6 +1040,34 @@ func TestRowsCloseOrder(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRowsImplicitClose(t *testing.T) {
+	db := newTestDB(t, "people")
+	defer closeDB(t, db)
+
+	rows, err := db.Query("SELECT|people|age,name|")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	want, fail := 2, errors.New("fail")
+	r := rows.rowsi.(*rowsCursor)
+	r.errPos, r.err = want, fail
+
+	got := 0
+	for rows.Next() {
+		got++
+	}
+	if got != want {
+		t.Errorf("got %d rows, want %d", got, want)
+	}
+	if err := rows.Err(); err != fail {
+		t.Errorf("got error %v, want %v", err, fail)
+	}
+	if !r.closed {
+		t.Errorf("r.closed is false, want true")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestStmtCloseOrder(t *testing.T) {
 	db := newTestDB(t, "people")
 	defer closeDB(t, db)