diff --git a/plugins/transport/memcached/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/memcached/netty/MemcachedDecoder.java b/plugins/transport/memcached/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/memcached/netty/MemcachedDecoder.java
index 3d8d060b8c2..e8ea51473d1 100644
--- a/plugins/transport/memcached/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/memcached/netty/MemcachedDecoder.java
+++ b/plugins/transport/memcached/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/memcached/netty/MemcachedDecoder.java
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 package org.elasticsearch.memcached.netty;
 
+import org.elasticsearch.Version;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.Unicode;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.logging.ESLogger;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.netty.buffer.ChannelBuffer;
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ public class MemcachedDecoder extends FrameDecoder {
     private volatile StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer();
 
     private volatile MemcachedRestRequest request;
+    private volatile boolean ending = false;
 
     public MemcachedDecoder(ESLogger logger) {
         super(false);
@@ -65,7 +67,10 @@ public class MemcachedDecoder extends FrameDecoder {
             }
             short magic = buffer.readUnsignedByte();
             if (magic == 0x80) {
-                if (buffer.readableBytes() < 23) return null;
+                if (buffer.readableBytes() < 23) {
+                    buffer.resetReaderIndex(); // but back magic
+                    return null;
+                }
                 short opcode = buffer.readUnsignedByte();
                 short keyLength = buffer.readShort();
                 short extraLength = buffer.readUnsignedByte();
@@ -139,22 +144,23 @@ public class MemcachedDecoder extends FrameDecoder {
                 int readableBytes = buffer.readableBytes();
                 for (int i = 0; i < readableBytes; i++) {
                     byte next = buffer.readByte();
-                    if (next == CR) {
-                        next = buffer.readByte();
-                        if (next == LF) {
-                            done = true;
-                            break;
-                        }
-                    } else if (next == LF) {
+                    if (!ending && next == CR) {
+                        ending = true;
+                    } else if (ending && next == LF) {
+                        ending = false;
                         done = true;
                         break;
+                    } else if (ending) {
+                        logger.error("Corrupt stream, expected LF, found [0x{}]", Integer.toHexString(next));
+                        throw new StreamCorruptedException("Expecting LF after CR");
                     } else {
                         sb.append((char) next);
                     }
                 }
                 if (!done) {
-                    sb.setLength(0);
-                    buffer.resetReaderIndex();
+                    // let's keep the buffer and bytes read
+//                    buffer.discardReadBytes();
+                    buffer.markReaderIndex();
                     return null;
                 }
 
@@ -163,27 +169,36 @@ public class MemcachedDecoder extends FrameDecoder {
                 sb.setLength(0);
 
                 String cmd = args[0];
-                String uri = args[1];
                 if ("get".equals(cmd)) {
-                    request = new MemcachedRestRequest(RestRequest.Method.GET, uri, null, -1, false);
+                    request = new MemcachedRestRequest(RestRequest.Method.GET, args[1], null, -1, false);
                     if (args.length > 3) {
                         request.setData(Unicode.fromStringAsBytes(args[2]));
                     }
                     return request;
                 } else if ("delete".equals(cmd)) {
-                    request = new MemcachedRestRequest(RestRequest.Method.DELETE, uri, null, -1, false);
+                    request = new MemcachedRestRequest(RestRequest.Method.DELETE, args[1], null, -1, false);
                     //                if (args.length > 3) {
                     //                    request.setData(Unicode.fromStringAsBytes(args[2]));
                     //                }
                     return request;
                 } else if ("set".equals(cmd)) {
-                    this.request = new MemcachedRestRequest(RestRequest.Method.POST, uri, null, Integer.parseInt(args[4]), false);
+                    this.request = new MemcachedRestRequest(RestRequest.Method.POST, args[1], null, Integer.parseInt(args[4]), false);
                     buffer.markReaderIndex();
+                } else if ("version".equals(cmd)) { // sent as a noop
+                    byte[] bytes = Version.full().getBytes();
+                    ChannelBuffer writeBuffer = ChannelBuffers.dynamicBuffer(bytes.length);
+                    writeBuffer.writeBytes(bytes);
+                    channel.write(writeBuffer);
+                    return MemcachedDispatcher.IGNORE_REQUEST;
                 } else if ("quit".equals(cmd)) {
-                    channel.disconnect();
+                    if (channel.isConnected()) { // we maybe in the process of clearing the queued bits
+                        channel.disconnect();
+                    }
                 } else {
                     logger.error("Unsupported command [{}], ignoring and closing connection", cmd);
-                    channel.disconnect();
+                    if (channel.isConnected()) { // we maybe in the process of clearing the queued bits
+                        channel.disconnect();
+                    }
                     return null;
                 }
             }
@@ -215,7 +230,13 @@ public class MemcachedDecoder extends FrameDecoder {
 
     @Override public void exceptionCaught(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, ExceptionEvent e) throws Exception {
         this.request = null;
-        sb.setLength(0);
-        e.getCause().printStackTrace();
+        this.ending = false;
+        this.sb.setLength(0);
+
+        if (ctx.getChannel().isConnected()) {
+            ctx.getChannel().disconnect();
+        }
+
+        logger.error("caught exception on memcached decoder", e);
     }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file