diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
index b8bfe5b719..2e0ceb4a01 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.txt
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ Trunk (unreleased changes)
     HDFS-234. Integration with BookKeeper logging system. (Ivan Kelly 
     via jitendra)
 
+    HDFS-2663. Optional protobuf parameters are not handled correctly.
+    (suresh)
+
   IMPROVEMENTS
 
     HADOOP-7524 Change RPC to allow multiple protocols including multuple 
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/ClientNamenodeProtocolServerSideTranslatorPB.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/ClientNamenodeProtocolServerSideTranslatorPB.java
index 10527f5ac1..1204a76c4e 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/ClientNamenodeProtocolServerSideTranslatorPB.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/ClientNamenodeProtocolServerSideTranslatorPB.java
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceStability;
 import org.apache.hadoop.fs.Options.Rename;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.ClientProtocol;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.HdfsFileStatus;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.LocatedBlock;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.LocatedBlocks;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.AbandonBlockRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.AbandonBlockResponseProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.AddBlockRequestProto;
@@ -52,6 +55,7 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetAdditionalDatanodeResponseProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetBlockLocationsRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetBlockLocationsResponseProto;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetBlockLocationsResponseProto.Builder;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetContentSummaryRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetContentSummaryResponseProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetDatanodeReportRequestProto;
@@ -124,6 +128,7 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.HdfsProtos.LocatedBlockProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.HdfsProtos.UpgradeStatusReportProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocolR23Compatible.ProtocolSignatureWritable;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.common.UpgradeStatusReport;
 import org.apache.hadoop.io.Text;
 import org.apache.hadoop.ipc.ProtocolSignature;
 import org.apache.hadoop.ipc.RPC;
@@ -208,11 +213,16 @@ public GetBlockLocationsResponseProto getBlockLocations(
       RpcController controller, GetBlockLocationsRequestProto req)
       throws ServiceException {
     try {
-      return GetBlockLocationsResponseProto
-          .newBuilder()
-          .setLocations(
-              PBHelper.convert(server.getBlockLocations(req.getSrc(),
-                  req.getOffset(), req.getLength()))).build();
+      LocatedBlocks b = server.getBlockLocations(req.getSrc(), req.getOffset(),
+          req.getLength());
+      Builder builder = GetBlockLocationsResponseProto
+          .newBuilder();
+      if (b != null) {
+        builder.setLocations(
+            PBHelper.convert(server.getBlockLocations(req.getSrc(),
+                req.getOffset(), req.getLength()))).build();
+      }
+      return builder.build();
     } catch (IOException e) {
       throw new ServiceException(e);
     }
@@ -325,7 +335,7 @@ public AddBlockResponseProto addBlock(RpcController controller,
       return AddBlockResponseProto.newBuilder().setBlock(
           PBHelper.convert(
           server.addBlock(req.getSrc(), req.getClientName(), 
-                PBHelper.convert(req.getPrevious()), 
+                req.hasPrevious() ? PBHelper.convert(req.getPrevious()) : null, 
                 PBHelper.convert(
                   (DatanodeInfoProto[]) req.getExcludeNodesList().toArray()))))
            .build();
@@ -594,10 +604,14 @@ public DistributedUpgradeProgressResponseProto distributedUpgradeProgress(
       RpcController controller, DistributedUpgradeProgressRequestProto req)
       throws ServiceException {
     try {
-      UpgradeStatusReportProto result = PBHelper.convert(server
-          .distributedUpgradeProgress(PBHelper.convert(req.getAction())));
-      return DistributedUpgradeProgressResponseProto.newBuilder()
-          .setReport(result).build();
+      UpgradeStatusReport result = server.distributedUpgradeProgress(PBHelper
+          .convert(req.getAction()));
+      DistributedUpgradeProgressResponseProto.Builder builder = 
+          DistributedUpgradeProgressResponseProto.newBuilder();
+      if (result != null) {
+        builder.setReport(PBHelper.convert(result));
+      }
+      return builder.build();
     } catch (IOException e) {
       throw new ServiceException(e);
     }
@@ -636,9 +650,13 @@ public MetaSaveResponseProto metaSave(RpcController controller,
   public GetFileInfoResponseProto getFileInfo(RpcController controller,
       GetFileInfoRequestProto req) throws ServiceException {
     try {
-      HdfsFileStatusProto result = 
-          PBHelper.convert(server.getFileInfo(req.getSrc()));
-      return GetFileInfoResponseProto.newBuilder().setFs(result).build();
+      HdfsFileStatus res = server.getFileInfo(req.getSrc());
+      GetFileInfoResponseProto.Builder builder = 
+          GetFileInfoResponseProto.newBuilder();
+      if (res != null) {
+        builder.setFs(PBHelper.convert(res));
+      }
+      return builder.build();
     } catch (IOException e) {
       throw new ServiceException(e);
     }
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/ClientNamenodeProtocolTranslatorPB.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/ClientNamenodeProtocolTranslatorPB.java
index 83aca3987b..75fbc7bc8e 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/ClientNamenodeProtocolTranslatorPB.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/ClientNamenodeProtocolTranslatorPB.java
@@ -83,14 +83,17 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.CreateSymlinkRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.DeleteRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.DistributedUpgradeProgressRequestProto;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.DistributedUpgradeProgressResponseProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.FinalizeUpgradeRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.FsyncRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetAdditionalDatanodeRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetBlockLocationsRequestProto;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetBlockLocationsResponseProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetContentSummaryRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetDatanodeReportRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetDelegationTokenRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetFileInfoRequestProto;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetFileInfoResponseProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetFileLinkInfoRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetFsStatusRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.ClientNamenodeProtocolProtos.GetLinkTargetRequestProto;
@@ -205,7 +208,10 @@ public LocatedBlocks getBlockLocations(String src, long offset, long length)
         .setLength(length)
         .build();
     try {
-      return PBHelper.convert(rpcProxy.getBlockLocations(null, req).getLocations());
+      GetBlockLocationsResponseProto resp = rpcProxy.getBlockLocations(null,
+          req);
+      return resp.hasLocations() ? 
+        PBHelper.convert(resp.getLocations()) : null;
     } catch (ServiceException e) {
       throw ProtobufHelper.getRemoteException(e);
     }
@@ -329,12 +335,15 @@ public LocatedBlock addBlock(String src, String clientName,
       throws AccessControlException, FileNotFoundException,
       NotReplicatedYetException, SafeModeException, UnresolvedLinkException,
       IOException {
-    AddBlockRequestProto req = AddBlockRequestProto.newBuilder().setSrc(src)
-        .setClientName(clientName).setPrevious(PBHelper.convert(previous))
-        .addAllExcludeNodes(Arrays.asList(PBHelper.convert(excludeNodes)))
-        .build();
+    AddBlockRequestProto.Builder builder = AddBlockRequestProto.newBuilder();
+    builder.setSrc(src)
+        .setClientName(clientName)
+        .addAllExcludeNodes(Arrays.asList(PBHelper.convert(excludeNodes)));
+    if (previous != null) {
+      builder.setPrevious(PBHelper.convert(previous));
+    }
     try {
-      return PBHelper.convert(rpcProxy.addBlock(null, req).getBlock());
+      return PBHelper.convert(rpcProxy.addBlock(null, builder.build()).getBlock());
     } catch (ServiceException e) {
       throw ProtobufHelper.getRemoteException(e);
     }
@@ -615,8 +624,9 @@ public UpgradeStatusReport distributedUpgradeProgress(UpgradeAction action)
         DistributedUpgradeProgressRequestProto.newBuilder().
         setAction(PBHelper.convert(action)).build();
     try {
-      return PBHelper.convert(
-          rpcProxy.distributedUpgradeProgress(null, req).getReport());
+      DistributedUpgradeProgressResponseProto res = rpcProxy
+          .distributedUpgradeProgress(null, req);
+      return res.hasReport() ? PBHelper.convert(res.getReport()) : null;
     } catch (ServiceException e) {
       throw ProtobufHelper.getRemoteException(e);
     }
@@ -653,7 +663,8 @@ public HdfsFileStatus getFileInfo(String src) throws AccessControlException,
     GetFileInfoRequestProto req = GetFileInfoRequestProto.newBuilder()
         .setSrc(src).build();
     try {
-      return PBHelper.convert(rpcProxy.getFileInfo(null, req).getFs());
+      GetFileInfoResponseProto res = rpcProxy.getFileInfo(null, req);
+      return res.hasFs() ? PBHelper.convert(res.getFs()) : null;
     } catch (ServiceException e) {
       throw ProtobufHelper.getRemoteException(e);
     }
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/DatanodeProtocolClientSideTranslatorPB.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/DatanodeProtocolClientSideTranslatorPB.java
index e05a884cd6..66db4c39cc 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/DatanodeProtocolClientSideTranslatorPB.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/DatanodeProtocolClientSideTranslatorPB.java
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ public DatanodeCommand blockReport(DatanodeRegistration registration,
     } catch (ServiceException se) {
       throw ProtobufHelper.getRemoteException(se);
     }
-    return PBHelper.convert(resp.getCmd());
+    return resp.hasCmd() ? PBHelper.convert(resp.getCmd()) : null;
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ public UpgradeCommand processUpgradeCommand(UpgradeCommand comm)
     } catch (ServiceException se) {
       throw ProtobufHelper.getRemoteException(se);
     }
-    return PBHelper.convert(resp.getCmd());
+    return resp.hasCmd() ? PBHelper.convert(resp.getCmd()) : null;
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/DatanodeProtocolServerSideTranslatorPB.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/DatanodeProtocolServerSideTranslatorPB.java
index 25f08aee5d..2dbf9150e9 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/DatanodeProtocolServerSideTranslatorPB.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/DatanodeProtocolServerSideTranslatorPB.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.DatanodeProtocolProtos.BlockReportResponseProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.DatanodeProtocolProtos.CommitBlockSynchronizationRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.DatanodeProtocolProtos.CommitBlockSynchronizationResponseProto;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.DatanodeProtocolProtos.DatanodeCommandProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.DatanodeProtocolProtos.ErrorReportRequestProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.DatanodeProtocolProtos.ErrorReportResponseProto;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.protocol.proto.DatanodeProtocolProtos.HeartbeatRequestProto;
@@ -108,7 +109,9 @@ public HeartbeatResponseProto sendHeartbeat(RpcController controller,
         .newBuilder();
     if (cmds != null) {
       for (int i = 0; i < cmds.length; i++) {
-        builder.addCmds(i, PBHelper.convert(cmds[i]));
+        if (cmds[i] != null) {
+          builder.addCmds(PBHelper.convert(cmds[i]));
+        }
       }
     }
     return builder.build();
@@ -129,8 +132,12 @@ public BlockReportResponseProto blockReport(RpcController controller,
     } catch (IOException e) {
       throw new ServiceException(e);
     }
-    return BlockReportResponseProto.newBuilder().setCmd(PBHelper.convert(cmd))
-        .build();
+    BlockReportResponseProto.Builder builder = 
+        BlockReportResponseProto.newBuilder();
+    if (cmd != null) {
+      builder.setCmd(PBHelper.convert(cmd));
+    }
+    return builder.build();
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -180,14 +187,20 @@ public VersionResponseProto versionRequest(RpcController controller,
   @Override
   public ProcessUpgradeResponseProto processUpgrade(RpcController controller,
       ProcessUpgradeRequestProto request) throws ServiceException {
-    UpgradeCommand cmd;
+    UpgradeCommand ret;
     try {
-      cmd = impl.processUpgradeCommand(PBHelper.convert(request.getCmd()));
+      UpgradeCommand cmd = request.hasCmd() ? PBHelper
+          .convert(request.getCmd()) : null;
+      ret = impl.processUpgradeCommand(cmd);
     } catch (IOException e) {
       throw new ServiceException(e);
     }
-    return ProcessUpgradeResponseProto.newBuilder()
-        .setCmd(PBHelper.convert(cmd)).build();
+    ProcessUpgradeResponseProto.Builder builder = 
+        ProcessUpgradeResponseProto.newBuilder();
+    if (ret != null) {
+      builder.setCmd(PBHelper.convert(ret));
+    }
+    return builder.build();
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/PBHelper.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/PBHelper.java
index 6be4366069..c684ee2688 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/PBHelper.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/protocolPB/PBHelper.java
@@ -127,6 +127,10 @@
 
 /**
  * Utilities for converting protobuf classes to and from implementation classes.
+ * 
+ * Note that when converting from an internal type to protobuf type, the
+ * converter never return null for protobuf type. The check for internal type
+ * being null must be done before calling the convert() method.
  */
 public class PBHelper {
   private static final RegisterCommandProto REG_CMD_PROTO = 
@@ -370,6 +374,7 @@ public static NamespaceInfo convert(NamespaceInfoProto info) {
   }
 
   public static NamenodeCommand convert(NamenodeCommandProto cmd) {
+    if (cmd == null) return null;
     switch (cmd.getType()) {
     case CheckPointCommand:
       CheckpointCommandProto chkPt = cmd.getCheckpointCmd();
@@ -426,7 +431,8 @@ static public DatanodeInfo convert(DatanodeInfoProto di) {
     if (di == null) return null;
     return new DatanodeInfo(
         PBHelper.convert(di.getId()),
-        di.getLocation(), di.getHostName(),
+        di.hasLocation() ? di.getLocation() : null , 
+        di.hasHostName() ? di.getHostName() : null,
         di.getCapacity(),  di.getDfsUsed(),  di.getRemaining(),
         di.getBlockPoolUsed()  ,  di.getLastUpdate() , di.getXceiverCount() ,
         PBHelper.convert(di.getAdminState())); 
@@ -434,10 +440,16 @@ static public DatanodeInfo convert(DatanodeInfoProto di) {
   
   static public DatanodeInfoProto convertDatanodeInfo(DatanodeInfo di) {
     if (di == null) return null;
-    return DatanodeInfoProto.newBuilder().
+    DatanodeInfoProto.Builder builder = DatanodeInfoProto.newBuilder();
+    if (di.getHostName() != null) {
+      builder.setHostName(di.getHostName());
+    }
+    if (di.getNetworkLocation() != null) {
+      builder.setLocation(di.getNetworkLocation());
+    }
+        
+    return builder.
      setId(PBHelper.convert((DatanodeID) di)).
-     setLocation(di.getNetworkLocation()).
-     setHostName(di.getHostName()).
      setCapacity(di.getCapacity()).
      setDfsUsed(di.getDfsUsed()).
      setRemaining(di.getRemaining()).
@@ -777,9 +789,14 @@ public static BalancerBandwidthCommand convert(
 
   public static ReceivedDeletedBlockInfoProto convert(
       ReceivedDeletedBlockInfo receivedDeletedBlockInfo) {
-    return ReceivedDeletedBlockInfoProto.newBuilder()
-        .setBlock(PBHelper.convert(receivedDeletedBlockInfo.getBlock()))
-        .setDeleteHint(receivedDeletedBlockInfo.getDelHints()).build();
+    ReceivedDeletedBlockInfoProto.Builder builder = 
+        ReceivedDeletedBlockInfoProto.newBuilder();
+    
+    if (receivedDeletedBlockInfo.getDelHints() != null) {
+      builder.setDeleteHint(receivedDeletedBlockInfo.getDelHints());
+    }
+    return builder.setBlock(PBHelper.convert(receivedDeletedBlockInfo.getBlock()))
+        .build();
   }
 
   public static UpgradeCommandProto convert(UpgradeCommand comm) {
@@ -803,7 +820,7 @@ public static UpgradeCommandProto convert(UpgradeCommand comm) {
   public static ReceivedDeletedBlockInfo convert(
       ReceivedDeletedBlockInfoProto proto) {
     return new ReceivedDeletedBlockInfo(PBHelper.convert(proto.getBlock()),
-        proto.getDeleteHint());
+        proto.hasDeleteHint() ? proto.getDeleteHint() : null);
   }
   
   public static NamespaceInfoProto convert(NamespaceInfo info) {
@@ -863,13 +880,10 @@ public static List<LocatedBlockProto> convertLocatedBlock2(List<LocatedBlock> lb
   
   // LocatedBlocks
   public static LocatedBlocks convert(LocatedBlocksProto lb) {
-    if (lb == null) {
-      return null;
-    }
     return new LocatedBlocks(
         lb.getFileLength(), lb.getUnderConstruction(),
         PBHelper.convertLocatedBlock(lb.getBlocksList()),
-        PBHelper.convert(lb.getLastBlock()),
+        lb.hasLastBlock() ? PBHelper.convert(lb.getLastBlock()) : null,
         lb.getIsLastBlockComplete());
   }
   
@@ -877,11 +891,15 @@ public static LocatedBlocksProto convert(LocatedBlocks lb) {
     if (lb == null) {
       return null;
     }
-    return LocatedBlocksProto.newBuilder().
-      setFileLength(lb.getFileLength()).
-      setUnderConstruction(lb.isUnderConstruction()).
-      addAllBlocks(PBHelper.convertLocatedBlock2(lb.getLocatedBlocks())).
-      setLastBlock(PBHelper.convert(lb.getLastLocatedBlock())).setIsLastBlockComplete(lb.isLastBlockComplete()).build();
+    LocatedBlocksProto.Builder builder = 
+        LocatedBlocksProto.newBuilder();
+    if (lb.getLastLocatedBlock() != null) {
+      builder.setLastBlock(PBHelper.convert(lb.getLastLocatedBlock()));
+    }
+    return builder.setFileLength(lb.getFileLength())
+        .setUnderConstruction(lb.isUnderConstruction())
+        .addAllBlocks(PBHelper.convertLocatedBlock2(lb.getLocatedBlocks()))
+        .setIsLastBlockComplete(lb.isLastBlockComplete()).build();
   }
   
   public static FsServerDefaults convert(FsServerDefaultsProto fs) {
@@ -982,11 +1000,16 @@ public static HdfsFileStatusProto convert(HdfsFileStatus fs) {
       setPermission(PBHelper.convert(fs.getPermission())).
       setOwner(fs.getOwner()).
       setGroup(fs.getGroup()).
-      setSymlink(ByteString.copyFrom(fs.getSymlinkInBytes())).
       setPath(ByteString.copyFrom(fs.getLocalNameInBytes()));
-    LocatedBlocks locations = null;
+    
+    if (fs.getSymlink() != null) {
+      builder.setSymlink(ByteString.copyFrom(fs.getSymlinkInBytes()));
+    }
     if (fs instanceof HdfsLocatedFileStatus) {
-      builder.setLocations(PBHelper.convert(locations));
+      LocatedBlocks locations = ((HdfsLocatedFileStatus)fs).getBlockLocations();
+      if (locations != null) {
+        builder.setLocations(PBHelper.convert(locations));
+      }
     }
     return builder.build();
   }
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/ClientNamenodeProtocol.proto b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/ClientNamenodeProtocol.proto
index 17b4d1d90e..7a52460ef0 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/ClientNamenodeProtocol.proto
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/ClientNamenodeProtocol.proto
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ message GetBlockLocationsRequestProto {
 }
 
 message GetBlockLocationsResponseProto {
-  required LocatedBlocksProto locations = 1;
+  optional LocatedBlocksProto locations = 1;
 }
 
 message GetServerDefaultsRequestProto { // No parameters
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ message AbandonBlockResponseProto { // void response
 message AddBlockRequestProto {
   required string src = 1;
   required string clientName = 2;
-  required ExtendedBlockProto previous = 3;
+  optional ExtendedBlockProto previous = 3;
   repeated DatanodeInfoProto excludeNodes = 4;
 }
 
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ message DistributedUpgradeProgressRequestProto {
   required UpgradeActionProto action = 1;
 }
 message DistributedUpgradeProgressResponseProto {
-  required UpgradeStatusReportProto report = 1;
+  optional UpgradeStatusReportProto report = 1;
 }
 
 message ListCorruptFileBlocksRequestProto {
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ message GetFileInfoRequestProto {
 }
 
 message GetFileInfoResponseProto {
-  required HdfsFileStatusProto fs = 1;
+  optional HdfsFileStatusProto fs = 1;
 }
 
 message GetFileLinkInfoRequestProto {
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/DatanodeProtocol.proto b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/DatanodeProtocol.proto
index b98a2c2e97..71f609e40a 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/DatanodeProtocol.proto
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/DatanodeProtocol.proto
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ message HeartbeatRequestProto {
  * cmds - Commands from namenode to datanode.
  */
 message HeartbeatResponseProto {
-  repeated DatanodeCommandProto cmds = 1;
+  repeated DatanodeCommandProto cmds = 1; // Returned commands can be null
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/hdfs.proto b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/hdfs.proto
index 9fbf2b969a..cc45593b29 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/hdfs.proto
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/proto/hdfs.proto
@@ -30,7 +30,8 @@ message ExtendedBlockProto {
   required string poolId = 1;   // Block pool id - gloablly unique across clusters
   required uint64 blockId = 2;  // the local id within a pool
   required uint64 generationStamp = 3;
-  optional uint64 numBytes = 4;  // block len does not belong in ebid - here for historical reasons
+  optional uint64 numBytes = 4 [default = 0];  // len does not belong in ebid 
+                                               // here for historical reasons
 }
 
 /**
@@ -65,12 +66,12 @@ message DatanodeInfosProto {
  */
 message DatanodeInfoProto {
   required DatanodeIDProto id = 1;
-  optional uint64 capacity = 2;
-  optional uint64 dfsUsed = 3;
-  optional uint64 remaining = 4;
-  optional uint64 blockPoolUsed = 5;
-  optional uint64 lastUpdate = 6;
-  optional uint32 xceiverCount = 7;
+  optional uint64 capacity = 2 [default = 0];
+  optional uint64 dfsUsed = 3 [default = 0];
+  optional uint64 remaining = 4 [default = 0];
+  optional uint64 blockPoolUsed = 5 [default = 0];
+  optional uint64 lastUpdate = 6 [default = 0];
+  optional uint32 xceiverCount = 7 [default = 0];
   optional string location = 8;
   optional string hostName = 9;
   enum AdminState {
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ message DatanodeInfoProto {
     DECOMMISSIONED = 2;
   }
 
-  optional AdminState adminState = 10;
+  optional AdminState adminState = 10 [default = NORMAL];
 }
 
 /**
@@ -162,8 +163,8 @@ message HdfsFileStatusProto {
   optional bytes symlink = 9;             // if symlink, target encoded java UTF8 
 
   // Optional fields for file
-  optional uint32 block_replication = 10; // Actually a short - only 16bits used
-  optional uint64 blocksize = 11;
+  optional uint32 block_replication = 10 [default = 0]; // only 16bits used
+  optional uint64 blocksize = 11 [default = 0];
   optional LocatedBlocksProto locations = 12;  // suppled only if asked by client
 } 
 
@@ -218,7 +219,7 @@ message NamenodeRegistrationProto {
     CHECKPOINT = 3;
   }
   required StorageInfoProto storageInfo = 3;  // Node information
-  optional NamenodeRoleProto role = 4;        // Namenode role
+  optional NamenodeRoleProto role = 4 [default = NAMENODE];        // Namenode role
 }
 
 /**
@@ -264,7 +265,7 @@ message CheckpointCommandProto {
 message BlockProto {
   required uint64 blockId = 1;
   required uint64 genStamp = 2;
-  optional uint64 numBytes = 3;
+  optional uint64 numBytes = 3 [default = 0];
 }
 
 /**
@@ -313,7 +314,7 @@ message NamespaceInfoProto {
 message BlockKeyProto {
   required uint32 keyId = 1;      // Key identifier
   required uint64 expiryDate = 2; // Expiry time in milliseconds
-  required bytes keyBytes = 3;    // Key secret
+  optional bytes keyBytes = 3;    // Key secret
 }
 
 /**