diff --git a/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php b/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php
index 5d75c66df..d1d709f5b 100644
--- a/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php
+++ b/resources/lib/UnityGroup.php
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ public function __toString(): string
     public function requestGroup(bool $send_mail_to_admins, bool $send_mail = true): void
     {
         if ($this->exists()) {
-            return;
+            throw new Exception("requested to create group '$this' that already exists!");
         }
         if ($this->SQL->accDeletionRequestExists($this->getOwner()->uid)) {
-            return;
+            throw new Exception("group owner '$this' requested account deletion");
         }
         $context = [
             "user" => $this->getOwner()->uid,
@@ -70,7 +70,11 @@ public function approveGroup(bool $send_mail = true): void
         $uid = $this->getOwner()->uid;
         $request = $this->SQL->getRequest($uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI);
         if ($this->exists()) {
-            return;
+            throw new Exception("group '$this' exists");
+        }
+        $owner_uid = $this->getOwner()->uid;
+        if ($this->SQL->accDeletionRequestExists($owner_uid)) {
+            throw new Exception("group owner '$owner_uid' requested account deletion");
         }
         \ensure($this->getOwner()->exists());
         $this->init();
@@ -91,7 +95,9 @@ public function denyGroup(bool $send_mail = true): void
         $request = $this->SQL->getRequest($this->getOwner()->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI);
         $this->SQL->removeRequest($this->getOwner()->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI);
         if ($this->exists()) {
-            return;
+            throw new Exception(
+                "group '$this' creation request cannot be denied, it already exists!",
+            );
         }
         $this->SQL->addLog("denied_group", $this->getOwner()->uid);
         if ($send_mail) {
@@ -102,6 +108,10 @@ public function denyGroup(bool $send_mail = true): void
     public function cancelGroupRequest(bool $send_mail = true): void
     {
         if (!$this->SQL->requestExists($this->getOwner()->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI)) {
+            UnityHTTPD::errorLog(
+                "warning",
+                "attempt to cancel nonexistent group creation request ($this)",
+            );
             return;
         }
         $this->SQL->removeRequest($this->getOwner()->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI);
@@ -115,6 +125,10 @@ public function cancelGroupRequest(bool $send_mail = true): void
     public function cancelGroupJoinRequest(UnityUser $user, bool $send_mail = true): void
     {
         if (!$this->requestExists($user)) {
+            UnityHTTPD::errorLog(
+                "warning",
+                "attempt to cancel nonexistent group join request ($this)",
+            );
             return;
         }
         $this->SQL->removeRequest($user->uid, $this->gid);
@@ -217,6 +231,10 @@ public function denyUser(UnityUser $new_user, bool $send_mail = true): void
     public function removeUser(UnityUser $new_user, bool $send_mail = true): void
     {
         if (!$this->memberUIDExists($new_user->uid)) {
+            UnityHTTPD::errorLog(
+                "warning",
+                "attempted to delete absent user '$new_user' from group '$this'",
+            );
             return;
         }
         if ($new_user->uid == $this->getOwner()->uid) {
@@ -245,12 +263,10 @@ public function removeUser(UnityUser $new_user, bool $send_mail = true): void
     public function newUserRequest(UnityUser $new_user, bool $send_mail = true): void
     {
         if ($this->memberUIDExists($new_user->uid)) {
-            UnityHTTPD::errorLog("warning", "user '$new_user' already in group");
-            return;
+            throw new Exception("user '$new_user' already in group");
         }
         if ($this->requestExists($new_user)) {
-            UnityHTTPD::errorLog("warning", "user '$new_user' already requested group membership");
-            return;
+            throw new Exception("user '$new_user' already requested group membership");
         }
         if ($this->SQL->accDeletionRequestExists($new_user->uid)) {
             throw new Exception("user '$new_user' requested account deletion");
diff --git a/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php b/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php
index 34933c777..133da5762 100644
--- a/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php
+++ b/test/functional/PiBecomeRequestTest.php
@@ -43,15 +43,14 @@ public function testRequestBecomePiUserRequestedAccountDeletion()
     {
         global $USER, $SQL;
         $this->switchUser("Blank");
-        $this->assertNumberPiBecomeRequests(0);
         try {
             $USER->requestAccountDeletion();
+            $this->expectException(Exception::class);
             http_post(__DIR__ . "/../../webroot/panel/account.php", [
                 "form_type" => "pi_request",
                 "tos" => "agree",
                 "account_policy" => "agree",
             ]);
-            $this->assertNumberPiBecomeRequests(0);
         } finally {
             if ($SQL->requestExists($USER, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI)) {
                 $SQL->removeRequest($USER->uid, UnitySQL::REQUEST_BECOME_PI);