diff --git a/packages/spanner/src/database.js b/packages/spanner/src/database.js
index c166724e394..04dd4f9b1f3 100644
--- a/packages/spanner/src/database.js
+++ b/packages/spanner/src/database.js
@@ -399,6 +399,64 @@ Database.prototype.getSchema = function(callback) {
   });
 };
 
+/**
+ * Get a read/write ready Transaction object.
+ *
+ * @param {object=} options - Transaction options.
+ * @param {boolean} options.readOnly - Specifies if the transaction is read
+ *     only.
+ * @param {function} callback - The callback function.
+ * @param {?error} callback.err - An error returned while getting the
+ *     transaction object.
+ * @param {module:spanner/transaction} transaction - The transaction object.
+ *
+ * @example
+ * database.getTransaction(function(err, transaction) {});
+ *
+ * //-
+ * // If the callback is omitted, we'll return a Promise.
+ * //-
+ * database.getTransaction().then(function(data) {
+ *   var transaction = data[0];
+ * });
+ */
+Database.prototype.getTransaction = function(options, callback) {
+  var self = this;
+
+  if (is.fn(options)) {
+    callback = options;
+    options = null;
+  }
+
+  if (!options || !options.readOnly) {
+    this.pool_.getWriteSession(function(err, session, transaction) {
+      callback(err, transaction);
+    });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  this.pool_.getSession(function(err, session) {
+    if (err) {
+      callback(err);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    options = extend({}, options);
+    delete options.readOnly;
+
+    var transaction = self.pool_.createTransaction_(session, options);
+
+    transaction.begin(function(err) {
+      if (err) {
+        callback(err);
+        return;
+      }
+
+      callback(null, transaction);
+    });
+  });
+};
+
 /**
  * Execute a SQL statement on this database.
  *
@@ -811,7 +869,7 @@ Database.prototype.runTransaction = function(options, runFn) {
 
   options = extend({}, options);
 
-  this.getTransaction_(options, function(err, transaction) {
+  this.getTransaction(options, function(err, transaction) {
     if (err) {
       runFn(err);
       return;
@@ -1004,66 +1062,6 @@ Database.prototype.getSession_ = function(callback) {
   this.pool_.getSession(callback);
 };
 
-/**
- * Get a read/write ready Transaction object.
- *
- * @private
- *
- * @param {object=} options - Transaction options.
- * @param {boolean} options.readOnly - Specifies if the transaction is read
- *     only.
- * @param {function} callback - The callback function.
- * @param {?error} callback.err - An error returned while getting the
- *     transaction object.
- * @param {module:spanner/transaction} transaction - The transaction object.
- *
- * @example
- * database.getTransaction(function(err, transaction) {});
- *
- * //-
- * // If the callback is omitted, we'll return a Promise.
- * //-
- * database.getTransaction().then(function(data) {
- *   var transaction = data[0];
- * });
- */
-Database.prototype.getTransaction_ = function(options, callback) {
-  var self = this;
-
-  if (is.fn(options)) {
-    callback = options;
-    options = null;
-  }
-
-  if (!options || !options.readOnly) {
-    this.pool_.getWriteSession(function(err, session, transaction) {
-      callback(err, transaction);
-    });
-    return;
-  }
-
-  this.pool_.getSession(function(err, session) {
-    if (err) {
-      callback(err);
-      return;
-    }
-
-    options = extend({}, options);
-    delete options.readOnly;
-
-    var transaction = self.pool_.createTransaction_(session, options);
-
-    transaction.begin(function(err) {
-      if (err) {
-        callback(err);
-        return;
-      }
-
-      callback(null, transaction);
-    });
-  });
-};
-
 /**
  * Create a Session object.
  *
diff --git a/packages/spanner/src/transaction.js b/packages/spanner/src/transaction.js
index 294fd7fcee5..f192627223a 100644
--- a/packages/spanner/src/transaction.js
+++ b/packages/spanner/src/transaction.js
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ Transaction.prototype.request = function(config, callback) {
   delete reqOpts.gaxOptions;
 
   config.method(reqOpts, gaxOptions, function(err, resp) {
-    if (!err || err.code !== ABORTED) {
+    if (!self.runFn_ || !err || err.code !== ABORTED) {
       callback(err, resp);
       return;
     }
@@ -357,7 +357,6 @@ Transaction.prototype.requestStream = function(config) {
   var gaxOptions = reqOpts.gaxOptions;
   delete reqOpts.gaxOptions;
 
-  // return config.method(reqOpts, gaxOptions);
   var requestStream = config.method(reqOpts, gaxOptions);
 
   if (!is.fn(self.runFn_)) {
diff --git a/packages/spanner/test/database.js b/packages/spanner/test/database.js
index 81294ff1c27..198d7811d81 100644
--- a/packages/spanner/test/database.js
+++ b/packages/spanner/test/database.js
@@ -798,7 +798,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
 
   describe('runTransaction', function() {
     it('should get a Transaction object', function(done) {
-      database.getTransaction_ = function() {
+      database.getTransaction = function() {
         done();
       };
 
@@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
     it('should execute callback with error', function(done) {
       var error = new Error('Error.');
 
-      database.getTransaction_ = function(options, callback) {
+      database.getTransaction = function(options, callback) {
         callback(error);
       };
 
@@ -831,7 +831,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
         return fakeDate;
       };
 
-      database.getTransaction_ = function(options, callback) {
+      database.getTransaction = function(options, callback) {
         assert.deepEqual(options, OPTIONS);
         callback(null, TRANSACTION);
       };
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
         timeout: 1000
       };
 
-      database.getTransaction_ = function(options, callback) {
+      database.getTransaction = function(options, callback) {
         callback(null, TRANSACTION);
       };
 
@@ -1045,7 +1045,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
     });
   });
 
-  describe('getTransaction_', function() {
+  describe('getTransaction', function() {
     describe('write mode', function() {
       it('should get a session from the pool', function(done) {
         var error = new Error('Error.');
@@ -1058,7 +1058,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
           }
         };
 
-        database.getTransaction_(function(err, transaction_) {
+        database.getTransaction(function(err, transaction_) {
           assert.strictEqual(err, error);
           assert.strictEqual(transaction_, transaction);
           done();
@@ -1079,7 +1079,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
           }
         };
 
-        database.getTransaction_(OPTIONS, assert.ifError);
+        database.getTransaction(OPTIONS, assert.ifError);
       });
 
       it('should return an error if could not get session', function(done) {
@@ -1091,7 +1091,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
           }
         };
 
-        database.getTransaction_(OPTIONS, function(err) {
+        database.getTransaction(OPTIONS, function(err) {
           assert.strictEqual(err, error);
           done();
         });
@@ -1121,7 +1121,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
           }
         };
 
-        database.getTransaction_(OPTIONS, assert.ifError);
+        database.getTransaction(OPTIONS, assert.ifError);
       });
 
       it('should begin a transaction', function(done) {
@@ -1141,7 +1141,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
           }
         };
 
-        database.getTransaction_(OPTIONS, function(err, transaction) {
+        database.getTransaction(OPTIONS, function(err, transaction) {
           assert.ifError(err);
           assert.strictEqual(transaction, TRANSACTION);
           done();
@@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ describe('Database', function() {
           }
         };
 
-        database.getTransaction_(OPTIONS, function(err) {
+        database.getTransaction(OPTIONS, function(err) {
           assert.strictEqual(err, error);
           done();
         });
diff --git a/packages/spanner/test/transaction.js b/packages/spanner/test/transaction.js
index 33ed3633078..5753e9114b6 100644
--- a/packages/spanner/test/transaction.js
+++ b/packages/spanner/test/transaction.js
@@ -485,6 +485,10 @@ describe('Transaction', function() {
           return true;
         };
 
+        transaction.runFn_ = function() {
+          done(new Error('Should not have been called.'));
+        };
+
         transaction.request(config, function() {
           done(new Error('Should not have been called.'));
         });
@@ -519,6 +523,15 @@ describe('Transaction', function() {
           done(new Error('Should not have been called.'));
         });
       });
+
+      it('should return the aborted error if no runFn', function(done) {
+        transaction.runFn_ = null;
+
+        transaction.request(config, function(err) {
+          assert.strictEqual(err, abortedError);
+          done();
+        });
+      });
     });
   });