diff --git a/libgnucash/engine/qofsession.cpp b/libgnucash/engine/qofsession.cpp
index d15752a7e1..a42ad09123 100644
--- a/libgnucash/engine/qofsession.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/engine/qofsession.cpp
@@ -225,8 +225,9 @@ QofSessionImpl::load (QofPercentageFunc percentage_func) noexcept
             (err != ERR_SQL_DB_TOO_OLD) &&
             (err != ERR_SQL_DB_TOO_NEW))
     {
-        qof_book_destroy(m_book);
+        auto old_book = m_book;
         m_book = qof_book_new();
+        qof_book_destroy(old_book);
         LEAVE ("error from backend %d", get_error ());
         return;
     }
diff --git a/libgnucash/engine/test/test-qofsession.cpp b/libgnucash/engine/test/test-qofsession.cpp
index bdb448c5d2..4e7fd98445 100644
--- a/libgnucash/engine/test/test-qofsession.cpp
+++ b/libgnucash/engine/test/test-qofsession.cpp
@@ -170,20 +170,22 @@ TEST (QofSessionTest, clear_error)
 
 TEST (QofSessionTest, load)
 {
-    // We register a provider that gives a backend that
-    // throws an error on load.
-    // This error during load should cause the qof session to
-    // "roll back" the book load.
+    /* We register a provider that gives a backend that throws an error on load.
+     * This error during load should cause the qof session to destroy the book
+     * and create a new one.
+     */
     qof_backend_register_provider (get_provider ());
     QofSession s;
     s.begin ("book1", false, false, false);
     auto book = s.get_book ();
     s.load (nullptr);
-    EXPECT_EQ (book, s.get_book ());
+    EXPECT_NE (book, s.get_book ());
 
-    // Now we'll do the load without returning an error from the backend,
-    // and ensure that it's the original book and that it's not empty.
+    /* Now we'll do the load without returning an error from the backend,
+     * and ensure that it's the new book from the previous test.
+     */
     load_error = false;
+    book = s.get_book();
     s.load (nullptr);
     EXPECT_EQ (book, s.get_book ());
     EXPECT_EQ (s.get_error(), ERR_BACKEND_NO_ERR);