diff --git a/tests/salvage/ncp_delete_smoke.c b/tests/salvage/ncp_delete_smoke.c
index a55473b..bb259f2 100644
--- a/tests/salvage/ncp_delete_smoke.c
+++ b/tests/salvage/ncp_delete_smoke.c
@@ -120,8 +120,29 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             ncp_close(conn);
             return 1;
         }
+
+        err = ncp_close_file(conn, file_info.file_id);
+        if (err) {
+            fprintf(stderr,
+                    "NCP close after create failed: path=%s error=0x%04x\n",
+                    path, (unsigned int)err);
+            ncp_close(conn);
+            return 1;
+        }
+
         if (payload) {
             size_t payload_len = strlen(payload);
+
+            memset(&file_info, 0, sizeof(file_info));
+            err = ncp_open_file(conn, 0, path, 0, AR_WRITE_ONLY, &file_info);
+            if (err) {
+                fprintf(stderr,
+                        "NCP open for write failed: path=%s error=0x%04x\n",
+                        path, (unsigned int)err);
+                ncp_close(conn);
+                return 1;
+            }
+
             err = ncp_write(conn, file_info.file_id, 0, payload_len, payload);
             if (!err)
                 err = ncp_write(conn, file_info.file_id, payload_len, 1, "\n");
@@ -133,18 +154,20 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                 ncp_close(conn);
                 return 1;
             }
+
+            err = ncp_close_file(conn, file_info.file_id);
+            if (err) {
+                fprintf(stderr,
+                        "NCP close after write failed: path=%s error=0x%04x\n",
+                        path, (unsigned int)err);
+                ncp_close(conn);
+                return 1;
+            }
+
             printf("NCP write path=%s bytes=%lu verified\n",
                    path, (unsigned long)(payload_len + 1));
         }
 
-        err = ncp_close_file(conn, file_info.file_id);
-        if (err) {
-            fprintf(stderr,
-                    "NCP close failed: path=%s error=0x%04x\n",
-                    path, (unsigned int)err);
-            ncp_close(conn);
-            return 1;
-        }
         printf("NCP create path=%s verified\n", path);
     }