diff --git a/proto_text.c b/proto_text.c
index ab1130f186..649def6486 100644
--- a/proto_text.c
+++ b/proto_text.c
@@ -1758,11 +1758,7 @@ static void process_marithmetic_command(conn *c, token_t *tokens, const size_t n
     case OK:
         if (c->noreply)
             resp->skip = true;
-        if (settings.meta_response_old) {
-            memcpy(resp->wbuf, "OK ", 3);
-        } else {
-            memcpy(resp->wbuf, "HD ", 3);
-        }
+        // *it was filled, set the status below.
         break;
     case NON_NUMERIC:
         errstr = "CLIENT_ERROR cannot increment or decrement non-numeric value";
@@ -1785,7 +1781,7 @@ static void process_marithmetic_command(conn *c, token_t *tokens, const size_t n
                     item_created = true;
                 } else {
                     // Not sure how we can get here if we're holding the lock.
-                    memcpy(resp->wbuf, "NS ", 3);
+                    memcpy(resp->wbuf, "NS", 2);
                 }
             } else {
                 errstr = "SERVER_ERROR Out of memory allocating new item";
@@ -1800,14 +1796,14 @@ static void process_marithmetic_command(conn *c, token_t *tokens, const size_t n
             }
             pthread_mutex_unlock(&c->thread->stats.mutex);
             // won't have a valid it here.
-            memcpy(p, "NF ", 3);
-            p += 3;
+            memcpy(p, "NF", 2);
+            p += 2;
         }
         break;
     case DELTA_ITEM_CAS_MISMATCH:
         // also returns without a valid it.
-        memcpy(p, "EX ", 3);
-        p += 3;
+        memcpy(p, "EX", 2);
+        p += 2;
         break;
     }
 
diff --git a/t/metaget.t b/t/metaget.t
index 06f1623c6e..f9538fc7c1 100644
--- a/t/metaget.t
+++ b/t/metaget.t
@@ -210,16 +210,16 @@ my $sock = $server->sock;
 {
     diag "marithmetic tests";
     print $sock "ma mo\r\n";
-    like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^NF/, "incr miss");
+    like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^NF\r/, "incr miss");
 
     print $sock "ma mo D1\r\n";
-    like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^NF/, "incr miss with argument");
+    like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^NF\r/, "incr miss with argument");
 
     print $sock "set mo 0 0 1\r\n1\r\n";
     like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^STORED/, "stored with set");
 
     print $sock "ma mo\r\n";
-    like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^HD/, "incr'd a set value");
+    like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^HD\r/, "incr'd a set value");
 
     print $sock "set mo 0 0 1\r\nq\r\n";
     like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^STORED/, "stored with set");
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ my $sock = $server->sock;
     like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^CLIENT_ERROR /, "cannot incr non-numeric value");
 
     print $sock "ma mu N90\r\n";
-    like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^HD/, "incr with seed");
+    like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^HD\r/, "incr with seed");
     my $res = mget($sock, 'mu', 's t v Ofoo k');
     ok(keys %$res, "not a miss");
     ok(find_flags($res, 'st'), "got main flags back");
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ my $sock = $server->sock;
     is($res->{val}, '0', 'land at 0 for over-decrement');
 
     print $sock "ma mi q D1\r\nmn\r\n";
-    like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^MN/, "quiet increment");
+    like(scalar <$sock>, qr/^MN\r/, "quiet increment");
 
     # CAS routines.
     $res = marith($sock, 'mc', 'N0 c v');