diff --git a/client/http/codec.go b/client/http/codec.go
index 0512c5adce9f..b5ea888b59c2 100644
--- a/client/http/codec.go
+++ b/client/http/codec.go
@@ -64,11 +64,11 @@ func encodeBytes(data []byte) []byte {
 	return result
 }
 
-func decodeBytes(b []byte) ([]byte, []byte, error) {
+func decodeBytes(b []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 	buf := make([]byte, 0, len(b))
 	for {
 		if len(b) < encGroupSize+1 {
-			return nil, nil, errors.New("insufficient bytes to decode value")
+			return nil, errors.New("insufficient bytes to decode value")
 		}
 
 		groupBytes := b[:encGroupSize+1]
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func decodeBytes(b []byte) ([]byte, []byte, error) {
 
 		padCount := encMarker - marker
 		if padCount > encGroupSize {
-			return nil, nil, errors.Errorf("invalid marker byte, group bytes %q", groupBytes)
+			return nil, errors.Errorf("invalid marker byte, group bytes %q", groupBytes)
 		}
 
 		realGroupSize := encGroupSize - padCount
@@ -89,11 +89,11 @@ func decodeBytes(b []byte) ([]byte, []byte, error) {
 			// Check validity of padding bytes.
 			for _, v := range group[realGroupSize:] {
 				if v != encPad {
-					return nil, nil, errors.Errorf("invalid padding byte, group bytes %q", groupBytes)
+					return nil, errors.Errorf("invalid padding byte, group bytes %q", groupBytes)
 				}
 			}
 			break
 		}
 	}
-	return b, buf, nil
+	return buf, nil
 }
diff --git a/client/http/codec_test.go b/client/http/codec_test.go
index cf3f42430fee..fa8d413a0d12 100644
--- a/client/http/codec_test.go
+++ b/client/http/codec_test.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func TestBytesCodec(t *testing.T) {
 		b := encodeBytes(input.enc)
 		require.Equal(t, input.dec, b)
 
-		_, d, err := decodeBytes(b)
+		d, err := decodeBytes(b)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		require.Equal(t, input.enc, d)
 	}
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ func TestBytesCodec(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, input := range errInputs {
-		_, _, err := decodeBytes(input)
+		_, err := decodeBytes(input)
 		require.Error(t, err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/client/http/types.go b/client/http/types.go
index fb95927accf8..1b706f0223c7 100644
--- a/client/http/types.go
+++ b/client/http/types.go
@@ -327,12 +327,12 @@ func (r *Rule) UnmarshalJSON(bytes []byte) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	_, r.StartKey, err = decodeBytes(startKey)
+	r.StartKey, err = decodeBytes(startKey)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	_, r.EndKey, err = decodeBytes(endKey)
+	r.EndKey, err = decodeBytes(endKey)
 
 	return err
 }
@@ -388,12 +388,12 @@ func (r *RuleOp) UnmarshalJSON(bytes []byte) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	_, r.StartKey, err = decodeBytes(startKey)
+	r.StartKey, err = decodeBytes(startKey)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	_, r.EndKey, err = decodeBytes(endKey)
+	r.EndKey, err = decodeBytes(endKey)
 
 	return err
 }