diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/31-tcpin.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/31-tcpin.js
index a3cafd141..e49405634 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/31-tcpin.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/31-tcpin.js
@@ -517,6 +517,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         this.port = Number(n.port);
         this.out = n.out;
         this.ret = n.ret || "buffer";
+        this.newline = n.newline;
         this.splitc = n.splitc;
         if (n.tls) {
             var tlsNode = RED.nodes.getNode(n.tls);
@@ -802,7 +803,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                         if (clients[connection_id].client) {
                             clients[connection_id].connecting = true;
 
-                            var connOpts = {host: host, port: port};
+                            var connOpts = {host:host, port:port};
                             if (n.tls) {
                                 connOpts = tlsNode.addTLSOptions(connOpts);
                             }
diff --git a/test/nodes/core/network/31-tcprequest_spec.js b/test/nodes/core/network/31-tcprequest_spec.js
index dc0755c1b..532e870bd 100644
--- a/test/nodes/core/network/31-tcprequest_spec.js
+++ b/test/nodes/core/network/31-tcprequest_spec.js
@@ -84,9 +84,17 @@ describe('TCP Request Node', function() {
             n2.on("input", msg => {
                 try {
                     if (typeof result === 'object') {
-                        msg.should.have.properties(Object.assign({}, result, {payload: Buffer.from(result.payload)}));
+                        if (flow[0].ret === "string") {
+                            msg.should.have.properties(Object.assign({}, result, {payload: result.payload}));
+                        } else {
+                            msg.should.have.properties(Object.assign({}, result, {payload: Buffer.from(result.payload)}));
+                        }
                     } else {
-                        msg.should.have.property('payload', Buffer.from(result));
+                        if (flow[0].ret === "string") {
+                            msg.should.have.property('payload', result);
+                        } else {
+                            msg.should.have.property('payload', Buffer.from(result));
+                        }
                     }
                     done();
                 } catch(err) {
@@ -245,10 +253,23 @@ describe('TCP Request Node', function() {
             }, done);
         });
 
+        it('should send & receive, then keep connection, and split return strings', function(done) {
+            var flow = [{id:"n1", type:"tcp request", server:"localhost", port:port, out:"sit", ret:"string", newline:"<A>", wires:[["n2"]] },
+                        {id:"n2", type:"helper"}];
+            testTCPMany(flow, [{
+                payload: "foo<A>bar",
+                topic: 'boo'
+            }], {
+                payload: "ACK:foo<A>",
+                topic: 'boo'
+            }, done);
+        });
+
         it('should send & recv data to/from server:port from msg', function(done) {
             var flow = [{id:"n1", type:"tcp request", server:"", port:"", out:"time", splitc: "0", wires:[["n2"]] },
                         {id:"n2", type:"helper"}];
-            testTCPMany(flow, [{
+            testTCPMany(flow, [
+                {
                     payload: "f",
                     host: "localhost",
                     port: port