diff --git a/lib/encoding.go b/lib/encoding.go
index d701589..76dfb6e 100644
--- a/lib/encoding.go
+++ b/lib/encoding.go
@@ -8,25 +8,22 @@ import (
 	"github.com/planetmint/planetmint-go/lib/params"
 )
 
-// makeEncodingConfig creates an EncodingConfig for an amino based test configuration.
-func makeEncodingConfig() params.EncodingConfig {
+// MakeEncodingConfig creates a fully configured EncodingConfig for testing
+func MakeEncodingConfig() params.EncodingConfig {
 	amino := codec.NewLegacyAmino()
 	interfaceRegistry := types.NewInterfaceRegistry()
 	marshaler := codec.NewProtoCodec(interfaceRegistry)
-	txCfg := tx.NewTxConfig(marshaler, tx.DefaultSignModes)
+	txConfig := tx.NewTxConfig(marshaler, tx.DefaultSignModes)
 
-	return params.EncodingConfig{
+	encodingConfig := params.EncodingConfig{
 		InterfaceRegistry: interfaceRegistry,
 		Marshaler:         marshaler,
-		TxConfig:          txCfg,
+		TxConfig:          txConfig,
 		Amino:             amino,
 	}
-}
 
-// MakeEncodingConfig creates an EncodingConfig for testing
-func MakeEncodingConfig() params.EncodingConfig {
-	encodingConfig := makeEncodingConfig()
 	std.RegisterLegacyAminoCodec(encodingConfig.Amino)
 	std.RegisterInterfaces(encodingConfig.InterfaceRegistry)
+
 	return encodingConfig
 }
diff --git a/lib/tests/e2e/suite.go b/lib/tests/e2e/suite.go
index 56b8e23..f5c89bb 100644
--- a/lib/tests/e2e/suite.go
+++ b/lib/tests/e2e/suite.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func (s *E2ETestSuite) TestBankSendBroadcastTxWithFileLock() {
 	out, err := lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(val.Address, msg)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	assert.Equal(s.T(), "received wrong fee denom; got: plmnt required: stake: invalid coins", txResponse.RawLog)
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func (s *E2ETestSuite) TestBankSendBroadcastTxWithFileLock() {
 	out, err = lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(val.Address, msg)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	txResponse, err = lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err = lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	assert.Equal(s.T(), "[]", txResponse.RawLog)
 
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ func (s *E2ETestSuite) TestBankSendBroadcastTxWithFileLock() {
 	out, err = lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(val.Address, msg)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	txResponse, err = lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err = lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	assert.Equal(s.T(), "[]", txResponse.RawLog)
 }
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ func (s *E2ETestSuite) TestOccSigning() {
 	out, err := lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(addr, msg)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	s.Require().Equal("[]", txResponse.RawLog)
 	s.Require().Equal(uint32(0), txResponse.Code)
diff --git a/lib/tx.go b/lib/tx.go
index a4f7e38..b88059d 100644
--- a/lib/tx.go
+++ b/lib/tx.go
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ func BroadcastTxWithFileLock(fromAddress sdk.AccAddress, msgs ...sdk.Msg) (out *
 		return
 	}
 
-	sequenceFromFile, errFile := getSequenceFromFile(file)
+	sequenceFromFile, errFile := readSequenceFromFile(file)
 	sequenceFromChain, errChain := getSequenceFromChain(clientCtx)
 
 	var sequence uint64
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ func BroadcastTxWithFileLock(fromAddress sdk.AccAddress, msgs ...sdk.Msg) (out *
 		return
 	}
 
-	txResponse, err := GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err := ParseTxResponse(out)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/lib/utils.go b/lib/utils.go
index 4d4c7fc..b961eaa 100644
--- a/lib/utils.go
+++ b/lib/utils.go
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
-	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"os/user"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -18,64 +18,63 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/yaml"
 )
 
-func getSequenceFromFile(seqFile *os.File) (sequence uint64, err error) {
-	var sequenceString string
-	lineCount := int64(0)
+func readSequenceFromFile(seqFile *os.File) (sequence uint64, err error) {
 	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(seqFile)
-	for scanner.Scan() {
-		sequenceString = scanner.Text()
-		lineCount++
+
+	// read the first line
+	if !scanner.Scan() {
+		if err := scanner.Err(); err != nil {
+			return 0, fmt.Errorf("reading sequence file: %w", err)
+		}
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("sequence file empty: %s", seqFile.Name())
 	}
-	err = scanner.Err()
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-	if lineCount == 0 {
-		err = errors.New("Sequence file empty " + seqFile.Name() + ": no lines")
-		return
-	} else if lineCount != 1 {
-		err = errors.New("Malformed " + seqFile.Name() + ": wrong number of lines")
-		return
+
+	sequenceString := scanner.Text()
+
+	// check for additional lines
+	if scanner.Scan() {
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("malformed sequence file %s: contains multiple lines", seqFile.Name())
 	}
+
 	sequence, err = strconv.ParseUint(sequenceString, 10, 64)
 	if err != nil {
-		return
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("parsing sequence number: %w", err)
 	}
+
 	return
 }
 
 func getSequenceFromChain(clientCtx client.Context) (sequence uint64, err error) {
-	// get sequence number from chain
 	account, err := clientCtx.AccountRetriever.GetAccount(clientCtx, clientCtx.FromAddress)
 	if err != nil {
-		return
+		return 0, fmt.Errorf("retrieving account: %w", err)
 	}
-	sequence = account.GetSequence()
-	return
+	return account.GetSequence(), nil
 }
 
-func createSequenceDirectory() (path string, err error) {
+func getOrCreateSequenceDirectory() (path string, err error) {
 	usr, err := user.Current()
 	if err != nil {
-		return
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("getting current user: %w", err)
 	}
-	homeDir := usr.HomeDir
+
 	path = filepath.Join(GetConfig().RootDir, "sequence")
+
 	// expand tilde to user's home directory
 	if strings.HasPrefix(path, "~/") {
-		path = filepath.Join(homeDir, path[2:])
+		path = filepath.Join(usr.HomeDir, path[2:])
 	}
-	_, err = os.Stat(path)
-	// directory already exists
-	if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		return
+
+	// create directory if it doesn't exist
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(path, os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("creating sequence directory: %w", err)
 	}
-	err = os.Mkdir(path, os.ModePerm)
+
 	return
 }
 
 func openSequenceFile(fromAddress sdk.AccAddress) (file *os.File, err error) {
-	path, err := createSequenceDirectory()
+	path, err := getOrCreateSequenceDirectory()
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
@@ -85,23 +84,28 @@ func openSequenceFile(fromAddress sdk.AccAddress) (file *os.File, err error) {
 
 	file, err = os.OpenFile(filename, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE, 0644)
 	if err != nil {
-		return
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("opening sequence file: %w", err)
 	}
+
 	return
 }
 
-// GetTxResponseFromOut converts strings to numbers and unmarshalles out into TxResponse struct
-func GetTxResponseFromOut(out *bytes.Buffer) (txResponse sdk.TxResponse, err error) {
-	m := regexp.MustCompile(`"([0-9]+?)"`)
-	str := m.ReplaceAllString(out.String(), "${1}")
+// ParseTxResponse converts output buffer to TxResponse
+func ParseTxResponse(out *bytes.Buffer) (txResponse sdk.TxResponse, err error) {
+	// Convert string numbers to actual numbers
+	numericRegex := regexp.MustCompile(`"([0-9]+?)"`)
+	jsonStr := numericRegex.ReplaceAllString(out.String(), "${1}")
 
 	// We might have YAML here, so we need to convert to JSON first, because TxResponse struct lacks `yaml:"height,omitempty"`, etc.
 	// Since JSON is a subset of YAML, passing JSON through YAMLToJSON is a no-op and the result is the byte array of the JSON again.
-	j, err := yaml.YAMLToJSON([]byte(str))
+	jsonBytes, err := yaml.YAMLToJSON([]byte(jsonStr))
 	if err != nil {
-		return
+		return sdk.TxResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("converting YAML to JSON: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(jsonBytes, &txResponse); err != nil {
+		return sdk.TxResponse{}, fmt.Errorf("unmarshaling transaction response: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	err = json.Unmarshal(j, &txResponse)
 	return
 }
diff --git a/tests/e2e/asset/suite.go b/tests/e2e/asset/suite.go
index c6e222a..41c9f78 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/asset/suite.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/asset/suite.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func (s *E2ETestSuite) TestNotarizeAsset() {
 			s.Require().NoError(err)
 		}
 
-		txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+		txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 		s.Require().NoError(err)
 
 		s.Require().NoError(s.network.WaitForNextBlock())
diff --git a/tests/e2e/dao/basic/suite.go b/tests/e2e/dao/basic/suite.go
index 45b4362..8efe0a2 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/dao/basic/suite.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/dao/basic/suite.go
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ func (s *E2ETestSuite) TestMintToken() {
 	out, err = lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(addr, msg1)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	s.Require().Equal(int(2), int(txResponse.Code))
 }
diff --git a/tests/e2e/dao/msgs/restricted_msgs_suite.go b/tests/e2e/dao/msgs/restricted_msgs_suite.go
index 50c8f11..d72edd0 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/dao/msgs/restricted_msgs_suite.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/dao/msgs/restricted_msgs_suite.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ func (s *RestrictedMsgsE2ESuite) TestRestrictedMsgsValidator() {
 	out, err := lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(val.Address, msg)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	s.Require().Equal(int(0), int(txResponse.Code))
 }
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func (s *RestrictedMsgsE2ESuite) TestRestrictedMsgsNonValidator() {
 		out, err := lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(addr, msg)
 		s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-		txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+		txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 		s.Require().NoError(err)
 		s.Require().Equal(int(18), int(txResponse.Code))
 		s.Require().NoError(s.network.WaitForNextBlock())
diff --git a/tests/e2e/dao/pop/selection_suite.go b/tests/e2e/dao/pop/selection_suite.go
index aab89e6..5908d13 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/dao/pop/selection_suite.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/dao/pop/selection_suite.go
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ func (s *SelectionE2ETestSuite) TestTokenRedeemClaim() {
 	out, err := lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(addr, createClaimMsg)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	s.Require().Equal(int(0), int(txResponse.Code))
 
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ func (s *SelectionE2ETestSuite) TestTokenRedeemClaim() {
 	out, err = lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(val.Address, valConfirmMsg)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
-	txResponse, err = lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err = lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	s.Require().Equal(int(0), int(txResponse.Code))
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/machine/suite.go b/tests/e2e/machine/suite.go
index 695c251..b6c6104 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/machine/suite.go
+++ b/tests/e2e/machine/suite.go
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func (s *E2ETestSuite) TestAttestMachine() {
 
 	_, err = clitestutil.ExecTestCLICmd(val.ClientCtx, machinecli.GetCmdMachineByPublicKey(), args)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
-	txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 
 	txResp, err := txcli.QueryTx(val.ClientCtx, txResponse.TxHash)
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ func (s *E2ETestSuite) TestInvalidAttestMachine() {
 
 	msg := machinetypes.NewMsgAttestMachine(addr.String(), &machine)
 	out, _ := lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(addr, msg)
-	txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	s.Require().Equal(int(txResponse.Code), int(4))
 
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ func (s *E2ETestSuite) TestInvalidAttestMachine() {
 
 	msg = machinetypes.NewMsgAttestMachine(addr.String(), &machine)
 	out, _ = lib.BroadcastTxWithFileLock(addr, msg)
-	txResponse, err = lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err = lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	s.Require().NoError(err)
 	s.Require().Equal(int(txResponse.Code), int(3))
 }
diff --git a/testutil/cli/cmd.go b/testutil/cli/cmd.go
index c425748..9397a31 100644
--- a/testutil/cli/cmd.go
+++ b/testutil/cli/cmd.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func ExecTestCLICmd(clientCtx client.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, extraArgs []st
 		return
 	}
 
-	txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(output)
+	txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(output)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func ExecTestCLICmd(clientCtx client.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, extraArgs []st
 
 // GetRawLogFromTxOut queries the TxHash of out from the chain and returns the RawLog from the answer.
 func GetRawLogFromTxOut(val *network.Validator, out *bytes.Buffer) (rawLog string, err error) {
-	txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ func GetRawLogFromTxOut(val *network.Validator, out *bytes.Buffer) (rawLog strin
 		return
 	}
 
-	txRes, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txRes, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/testutil/e2e/tx.go b/testutil/e2e/tx.go
index 24d4d77..fe84c32 100644
--- a/testutil/e2e/tx.go
+++ b/testutil/e2e/tx.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ func BuildSignBroadcastTx(t *testing.T, addr sdk.AccAddress, msgs ...sdk.Msg) (o
 		t.Log("broadcast tx failed: " + err.Error())
 		return
 	}
-	txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+	txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Log("getting tx response from out failed: " + err.Error())
 		return
diff --git a/util/issue_commands.go b/util/issue_commands.go
index 5856cc4..d46b665 100644
--- a/util/issue_commands.go
+++ b/util/issue_commands.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func buildSignBroadcastTx(goCtx context.Context, loggingContext string, sendingV
 			GetAppLogger().Error(ctx, err, loggingContext+" broadcast tx failed: %v, %v", addr, msg)
 			return
 		}
-		txResponse, err := lib.GetTxResponseFromOut(out)
+		txResponse, err := lib.ParseTxResponse(out)
 		if err != nil {
 			GetAppLogger().Error(ctx, err, loggingContext+" getting tx response from out failed: %v", out)
 			return