diff --git a/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/keeper/relay.go b/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/keeper/relay.go
index 2e3a896858a..bbd15f32f46 100644
--- a/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/keeper/relay.go
+++ b/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/keeper/relay.go
@@ -75,26 +75,19 @@ func (k Keeper) createOutgoingPacket(
 	return packet.Sequence, nil
 }
 
-func (k Keeper) AuthenticateTx(ctx sdk.Context, msgs []sdk.Msg, portId string) error {
-	seen := map[string]bool{}
-	var signers []sdk.AccAddress
-	for _, msg := range msgs {
-		for _, addr := range msg.GetSigners() {
-			if !seen[addr.String()] {
-				signers = append(signers, addr)
-				seen[addr.String()] = true
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	interchainAccountAddr, found := k.GetInterchainAccountAddress(ctx, portId)
+// AuthenticateTx ensures the provided msgs contain the correct interchain account signer address retrieved
+// from state using the provided controller port identifier
+func (k Keeper) AuthenticateTx(ctx sdk.Context, msgs []sdk.Msg, portID string) error {
+	interchainAccountAddr, found := k.GetInterchainAccountAddress(ctx, portID)
 	if !found {
-		return sdkerrors.ErrUnauthorized
+		return sdkerrors.Wrapf(types.ErrInterchainAccountNotFound, "failed to retrieve interchain account on port %s", portID)
 	}
 
-	for _, signer := range signers {
-		if interchainAccountAddr != signer.String() {
-			return sdkerrors.ErrUnauthorized
+	for _, msg := range msgs {
+		for _, signer := range msg.GetSigners() {
+			if interchainAccountAddr != signer.String() {
+				return sdkerrors.Wrapf(sdkerrors.ErrUnauthorized, "unexpected signer address: expected %s, got %s", interchainAccountAddr, signer.String())
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -102,33 +95,26 @@ func (k Keeper) AuthenticateTx(ctx sdk.Context, msgs []sdk.Msg, portId string) e
 }
 
 func (k Keeper) executeTx(ctx sdk.Context, sourcePort, destPort, destChannel string, msgs []sdk.Msg) error {
-	err := k.AuthenticateTx(ctx, msgs, sourcePort)
-	if err != nil {
+	if err := k.AuthenticateTx(ctx, msgs, sourcePort); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	for _, msg := range msgs {
-		err := msg.ValidateBasic()
-		if err != nil {
+		if err := msg.ValidateBasic(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 
-	cacheContext, writeFn := ctx.CacheContext()
+	// CacheContext returns a new context with the multi-store branched into a cached storage object
+	// writeCache is called only if all msgs succeed, performing state transitions atomically
+	cacheCtx, writeCache := ctx.CacheContext()
 	for _, msg := range msgs {
-		_, msgErr := k.executeMsg(cacheContext, msg)
-		if msgErr != nil {
-			err = msgErr
-			break
+		if _, err := k.executeMsg(cacheCtx, msg); err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// Write the state transitions if all handlers succeed.
-	writeFn()
+	writeCache()
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -158,8 +144,7 @@ func (k Keeper) OnRecvPacket(ctx sdk.Context, packet channeltypes.Packet) error
 			return err
 		}
 
-		err = k.executeTx(ctx, packet.SourcePort, packet.DestinationPort, packet.DestinationChannel, msgs)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err = k.executeTx(ctx, packet.SourcePort, packet.DestinationPort, packet.DestinationChannel, msgs); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
diff --git a/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/types/packet.go b/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/types/packet.go
index 8342f911bbf..3c5223f4390 100644
--- a/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/types/packet.go
+++ b/modules/apps/27-interchain-accounts/types/packet.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ func (iapd InterchainAccountPacketData) ValidateBasic() error {
 	if len(iapd.Memo) > MaxMemoCharLength {
 		return sdkerrors.Wrapf(ErrInvalidOutgoingData, "packet data memo cannot be greater than %d characters", MaxMemoCharLength)
 	}
-	// TODO: add type validation when data type enum supports unspecified type
 
 	return nil
 }