diff --git a/lib/parser/javascript.js b/lib/parser/javascript.js
index 991761b1ec..bdb7578841 100644
--- a/lib/parser/javascript.js
+++ b/lib/parser/javascript.js
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ ReplyParser.prototype._parseResult = function (type) {
             throw new IncompleteReadBuffer("Wait for more data.");
         }
 
+        if (type === 45) {
+            var result = this._buffer.toString(this._encoding, start, end);
+            return new Error(result);
+        }
+
         if (this.options.return_buffers) {
             return this._buffer.slice(start, end);
         } else {
@@ -76,12 +81,8 @@ ReplyParser.prototype._parseResult = function (type) {
             throw new IncompleteReadBuffer("Wait for more data.");
         }
 
-        if (this.options.return_buffers) {
-            return this._buffer.slice(start, end);
-        }
-
         // return the coerced numeric value
-        return +small_toString(this._buffer, start, end);
+        return +this._buffer.toString('ascii', start, end);
     } else if (type === 36) { // $
         // set a rewind point, as the packet could be larger than the
         // buffer in memory
@@ -123,7 +124,7 @@ ReplyParser.prototype._parseResult = function (type) {
             throw new IncompleteReadBuffer("Wait for more data.");
         }
 
-        var reply = [ ];
+        var reply = [];
         var ntype, i, res;
 
         offset = this._offset - 1;
@@ -152,36 +153,25 @@ ReplyParser.prototype.execute = function (buffer) {
 
     while (true) {
         offset = this._offset;
-        try {
-            // at least 4 bytes: :1\r\n
-            if (this._bytesRemaining() < 4) {
-                break;
-            }
+        // at least 4 bytes: :1\r\n
+        if (this._bytesRemaining() < 4) {
+            break;
+        }
 
+        try {
             type = this._buffer[this._offset++];
 
             if (type === 43) { // +
                 ret = this._parseResult(type);
 
-                if (ret === null) {
-                    break;
-                }
-
                 this.send_reply(ret);
             } else  if (type === 45) { // -
                 ret = this._parseResult(type);
 
-                if (ret === null) {
-                    break;
-                }
-                this.send_error(new Error(ret));
+                this.send_error(ret);
             } else if (type === 58) { // :
                 ret = this._parseResult(type);
 
-                if (ret === null) {
-                    break;
-                }
-
                 this.send_reply(ret);
             } else if (type === 36) { // $
                 ret = this._parseResult(type);
@@ -219,9 +209,6 @@ ReplyParser.prototype.execute = function (buffer) {
 };
 
 ReplyParser.prototype.append = function (newBuffer) {
-    if (!newBuffer) {
-        return;
-    }
 
     // first run
     if (this._buffer === null) {
@@ -238,27 +225,13 @@ ReplyParser.prototype.append = function (newBuffer) {
         return;
     }
 
-    // very large packet
-    // check for concat, if we have it, use it
-    if (Buffer.concat !== undefined) {
-        this._buffer = Buffer.concat([this._buffer.slice(this._offset), newBuffer]);
-    } else {
-        var remaining = this._bytesRemaining(),
-            newLength = remaining + newBuffer.length,
-            tmpBuffer = new Buffer(newLength);
-
-        this._buffer.copy(tmpBuffer, 0, this._offset);
-        newBuffer.copy(tmpBuffer, remaining, 0);
-
-        this._buffer = tmpBuffer;
-    }
-
+    this._buffer = Buffer.concat([this._buffer.slice(this._offset), newBuffer]);
     this._offset = 0;
 };
 
 ReplyParser.prototype.parseHeader = function () {
     var end   = this._packetEndOffset(),
-        value = small_toString(this._buffer, this._offset, end - 1);
+        value = this._buffer.toString('ascii', this._offset, end - 1);
 
     this._offset = end + 1;
 
@@ -270,10 +243,6 @@ ReplyParser.prototype._packetEndOffset = function () {
 
     while (this._buffer[offset] !== 0x0d && this._buffer[offset + 1] !== 0x0a) {
         offset++;
-
-        if (offset >= this._buffer.length) {
-            throw new IncompleteReadBuffer("didn't see LF after NL reading multi bulk count (" + offset + " => " + this._buffer.length + ", " + this._offset + ")");
-        }
     }
 
     offset++;