diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c b/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
index 593c824fb822..2c113177bb2e 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/kvs.c
@@ -1042,10 +1042,6 @@ static void kvstxn_apply (kvstxn_t *kt)
     } else {
         fallback = kvstxn_fallback_mergeable (kt);
 
-        flux_log (ctx->h, LOG_ERR, "kvstxn failed: %s%s",
-                  flux_strerror (errnum),
-                  fallback ? " (is fallbackable)" : "");
-
         /* if merged transaction is fallbackable, ignore the fallback option
          * if it's an extreme "death" like error.
          */
diff --git a/src/modules/kvs/test/kvstxn.c b/src/modules/kvs/test/kvstxn.c
index 9a70d1a301e0..0d8c600ceae7 100644
--- a/src/modules/kvs/test/kvstxn.c
+++ b/src/modules/kvs/test/kvstxn.c
@@ -2536,11 +2536,11 @@ void kvstxn_namespace_prefix (void)
 
     kvstxn_mgr_remove_transaction (ktm, kt, false);
 
-    /* Third, test if invalid prefix across multiple prefixes fails */
+    /* Third, test if valid & indentical prefix across multiple operations works */
 
     ops = json_array ();
     ops_append (ops, "ns:primary/key3", "3", 0);
-    ops_append (ops, "ns:foobar/key4", "4", 0);
+    ops_append (ops, "ns:primary/key4", "4", 0);
 
     ok (kvstxn_mgr_add_transaction (ktm,
                                     "transaction3",
@@ -2550,6 +2550,44 @@ void kvstxn_namespace_prefix (void)
 
     json_decref (ops);
 
+    ok ((kt = kvstxn_mgr_get_ready_transaction (ktm)) != NULL,
+        "kvstxn_mgr_get_ready_transaction returns ready kvstxn");
+
+    ok (kvstxn_process (kt, 1, rootref) == KVSTXN_PROCESS_DIRTY_CACHE_ENTRIES,
+        "kvstxn_process returns KVSTXN_PROCESS_DIRTY_CACHE_ENTRIES");
+
+    count = 0;
+    ok (kvstxn_iter_dirty_cache_entries (kt, cache_count_dirty_cb, &count) == 0,
+        "kvstxn_iter_dirty_cache_entries works for dirty cache entries");
+
+    ok (count == 1,
+        "correct number of cache entries were dirty");
+
+    ok (kvstxn_process (kt, 1, rootref) == KVSTXN_PROCESS_FINISHED,
+        "kvstxn_process returns KVSTXN_PROCESS_FINISHED");
+
+    ok ((newroot = kvstxn_get_newroot_ref (kt)) != NULL,
+        "kvstxn_get_newroot_ref returns != NULL when processing complete");
+
+    verify_value (cache, krm, KVS_PRIMARY_NAMESPACE, newroot, "key3", "3");
+    verify_value (cache, krm, KVS_PRIMARY_NAMESPACE, newroot, "key4", "4");
+
+    kvstxn_mgr_remove_transaction (ktm, kt, false);
+
+    /* Fourth, test if invalid prefix across multiple prefixes fails */
+
+    ops = json_array ();
+    ops_append (ops, "ns:primary/key5", "5", 0);
+    ops_append (ops, "ns:foobar/key6", "6", 0);
+
+    ok (kvstxn_mgr_add_transaction (ktm,
+                                    "transaction4",
+                                    ops,
+                                    0) == 0,
+        "kvstxn_mgr_add_transaction works");
+
+    json_decref (ops);
+
     ok ((kt = kvstxn_mgr_get_ready_transaction (ktm)) != NULL,
         "kvstxn_mgr_get_ready_transaction returns ready kvstxn");
 
diff --git a/t/t1004-kvs-namespace.t b/t/t1004-kvs-namespace.t
index 10b4023ccfe9..c4164764aabc 100755
--- a/t/t1004-kvs-namespace.t
+++ b/t/t1004-kvs-namespace.t
@@ -402,6 +402,10 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: put - fails across multiple namespaces' '
         ! flux kvs put ns:${NAMESPACEPREFIX}-1/$DIR.puttest.a=1 ns:${NAMESPACEPREFIX}-2/$DIR.puttest.b=2
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'kvs: put - success multiple namespace prefixes identical' '
+        flux kvs put ns:${NAMESPACEPREFIX}-2/$DIR.puttest.a=1 ns:${NAMESPACEPREFIX}-2/$DIR.puttest.b=2
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'kvs: namespace prefix works with dir' '
         flux kvs dir ns:${NAMESPACEPREFIX}-1/. | sort >output &&
         cat >expected <<EOF &&