diff --git a/programs/bench.c b/programs/bench.c
index 663b30743..2dd1cfb0f 100644
--- a/programs/bench.c
+++ b/programs/bench.c
@@ -581,6 +581,7 @@ int BMK_benchFiles(const char** fileNamesTable, unsigned nbFiles, const char* di
 {
     double const compressibility = (double)g_compressibilityDefault / 100;
 
+    if (cLevel < 1) cLevel = 1;   /* minimum compression level */
     if (cLevel > ZSTD_maxCLevel()) cLevel = ZSTD_maxCLevel();
     if (cLevelLast > ZSTD_maxCLevel()) cLevelLast = ZSTD_maxCLevel();
     if (cLevelLast < cLevel) cLevelLast = cLevel;
diff --git a/programs/zstdcli.c b/programs/zstdcli.c
index a7b4fddc8..050d7a6a2 100644
--- a/programs/zstdcli.c
+++ b/programs/zstdcli.c
@@ -370,10 +370,12 @@ int main(int argCount, const char* argv[])
                     if (!strcmp(argument, "--keep")) { FIO_setRemoveSrcFile(0); continue; }
                     if (!strcmp(argument, "--rm")) { FIO_setRemoveSrcFile(1); continue; }
                     if (!strcmp(argument, "--priority=rt")) { setRealTimePrio = 1; continue; }
+#ifdef ZSTD_GZCOMPRESS
                     if (!strcmp(argument, "--format=gzip")) { suffix = GZ_EXTENSION; FIO_setCompressionType(FIO_gzipCompression); continue; }
+#endif
 
                     /* long commands with arguments */
-#ifndef  ZSTD_NODICT
+#ifndef ZSTD_NODICT
                     if (longCommandWArg(&argument, "--cover=")) {
                       cover=1; if (!parseCoverParameters(argument, &coverParams)) CLEAN_RETURN(badusage(programName));
                       continue;
diff --git a/tests/playTests.sh b/tests/playTests.sh
index 88c0ecdfe..5933b14e6 100755
--- a/tests/playTests.sh
+++ b/tests/playTests.sh
@@ -304,11 +304,32 @@ $ECHO "\n**** benchmark mode tests **** "
 
 $ECHO "bench one file"
 ./datagen > tmp1
-$ZSTD -bi1 tmp1
+$ZSTD -bi0 tmp1
 $ECHO "bench multiple levels"
-$ZSTD -i1b1e3 tmp1
+$ZSTD -i0b0e3 tmp1
 $ECHO "with recursive and quiet modes"
-$ZSTD -rqi1b1e3 tmp1
+$ZSTD -rqi1b1e2 tmp1
+
+
+$ECHO "\n**** gzip compatibility tests **** "
+
+GZIPMODE=1
+$ZSTD --format=gzip -V || GZIPMODE=0
+if [ $GZIPMODE -eq 1 ]; then
+    GZIPEXE=1
+    which gzip || GZIPEXE=0
+    if [ $GZIPEXE -eq 1 ]; then
+        ./datagen > tmp
+        $ZSTD --format=gzip -f tmp
+        gzip -t -v tmp.gz
+        gzip -f tmp
+        $ZSTD -d -f -v tmp.gz
+    else
+        $ECHO "gzip binary not detected"
+    fi
+else
+    $ECHO "gzip mode not supported"
+fi
 
 
 $ECHO "\n**** zstd round-trip tests **** "
@@ -317,10 +338,10 @@ roundTripTest
 roundTripTest -g15K       # TableID==3
 roundTripTest -g127K      # TableID==2
 roundTripTest -g255K      # TableID==1
-roundTripTest -g513K      # TableID==0
-roundTripTest -g512K 6    # greedy, hash chain
-roundTripTest -g512K 16   # btlazy2
-roundTripTest -g512K 19   # btopt
+roundTripTest -g522K      # TableID==0
+roundTripTest -g519K 6    # greedy, hash chain
+roundTripTest -g517K 16   # btlazy2
+roundTripTest -g516K 19   # btopt
 
 rm tmp*