diff --git a/command/agent/http.go b/command/agent/http.go
index b8b523ea3d83..f17e1df5db98 100644
--- a/command/agent/http.go
+++ b/command/agent/http.go
@@ -763,13 +763,17 @@ func parseWait(resp http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, b *structs.QueryOpti
 func parseConsistency(resp http.ResponseWriter, req *http.Request, b *structs.QueryOptions) {
 	query := req.URL.Query()
 	if staleVal, ok := query["stale"]; ok {
+		if len(staleVal) == 0 || staleVal[0] == "" {
+			b.AllowStale = true
+			return
+		}
 		staleQuery, err := strconv.ParseBool(staleVal[0])
 		if err != nil {
 			resp.WriteHeader(400)
-			resp.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("Expect `true` or `false` for `stale` query string parameter, got %s", staleVal[0])))
+			_, _ = resp.Write([]byte(fmt.Sprintf("Expect `true` or `false` for `stale` query string parameter, got %s", staleVal[0])))
+			return
 		}
-
-		b.AllowStale = staleQuery || staleVal[0] == ""
+		b.AllowStale = staleQuery
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/command/operator_debug_test.go b/command/operator_debug_test.go
index d986ac26a29f..25d4378d29df 100644
--- a/command/operator_debug_test.go
+++ b/command/operator_debug_test.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func runTestCases(t *testing.T, cases testCases) {
 			out := ui.OutputWriter.String()
 			outerr := ui.ErrorWriter.String()
 
-			assert.Equalf(t, code, c.expectedCode, "did not get expected exit code")
+			assert.Equalf(t, c.expectedCode, code, "did not get expected exit code")
 
 			if len(c.expectedOutputs) > 0 {
 				if assert.NotEmpty(t, out, "command output was empty") {