diff --git a/cproxy.c b/cproxy.c
index bf10871a..8705327a 100644
--- a/cproxy.c
+++ b/cproxy.c
@@ -1337,7 +1337,8 @@ conn *cproxy_connect_downstream_conn(downstream *d,
                            thread->base,
                            &cproxy_downstream_funcs, d);
         if (c != NULL ) {
-            c->protocol = behavior->downstream_protocol;
+            c->protocol = d->upstream_conn->peer_protocol ?
+                d->upstream_conn->peer_protocol : behavior->downstream_protocol;
             c->thread = thread;
             c->cmd_start_time = start;
 
@@ -1695,7 +1696,8 @@ bool cproxy_forward(downstream *d) {
     if (IS_ASCII(d->upstream_conn->protocol)) {
         // ASCII upstream.
         //
-        if (IS_ASCII(d->ptd->behavior_pool.base.downstream_protocol)) {
+        if (IS_ASCII(d->ptd->behavior_pool.base.downstream_protocol) ||
+            IS_ASCII(d->upstream_conn->peer_protocol)) {
             return cproxy_forward_a2a_downstream(d);
         } else {
             return cproxy_forward_a2b_downstream(d);
@@ -2929,7 +2931,8 @@ conn *zstored_acquire_downstream_conn(downstream *d,
 
     char host_ident_buf[300];
     format_host_ident(host_ident_buf, sizeof(host_ident_buf), msst,
-                      behavior->downstream_protocol);
+                      (d->upstream_conn->peer_protocol ?
+                       d->upstream_conn->peer_protocol : behavior->downstream_protocol));
 
     conn *dc;
 
diff --git a/cproxy_protocol_a2a.c b/cproxy_protocol_a2a.c
index ca67d66c..7c48343b 100644
--- a/cproxy_protocol_a2a.c
+++ b/cproxy_protocol_a2a.c
@@ -346,6 +346,12 @@ bool cproxy_forward_a2a_simple_downstream(downstream *d,
     //
     bool self = false;
 
+    if (!strcmp(command, "version")) {
+        /* fake key for version command handling */
+        key = "v";
+        key_len = 1;
+    }
+
     conn *c = cproxy_find_downstream_conn(d, key, key_len,
                                           &self);
     if (c != NULL) {
diff --git a/memcached.h b/memcached.h
index 50b487a2..e99a937b 100644
--- a/memcached.h
+++ b/memcached.h
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ struct conn {
     char *host_ident; // Uniquely identifies a memcached server, including
                       // address:port and possibly optional bucket/usr/pwd info.
     char *peer_host;    // this and the following two paramters are used for mcmux
-    int peer_protocol;  // compatiblity mode
+    unsigned int peer_protocol;  // compatiblity mode
     int peer_port;
 };