diff --git a/contentprovider.go b/contentprovider.go
index 1c2809dd2..c3c35fa65 100644
--- a/contentprovider.go
+++ b/contentprovider.go
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ func (p *contentProvider) fillContentMatches(ms []*candidateMatch, numContextLin
 		m := ms[0]
 		num := p.newlines().atOffset(m.byteOffset)
 		lineStart := int(p.newlines().lineStart(num))
-		lineEnd := int(p.newlines().lineEnd(num, true))
+		lineEnd := int(p.newlines().lineEnd(num))
 
 		var lineCands []*candidateMatch
 
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ func (p *contentProvider) fillContentMatches(ms []*candidateMatch, numContextLin
 
 		for len(ms) > 0 {
 			m := ms[0]
-			if int(m.byteOffset) <= lineEnd {
+			if int(m.byteOffset) < lineEnd {
 				endMatch = m.byteOffset + m.byteMatchSz
 				lineCands = append(lineCands, m)
 				ms = ms[1:]
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ func (p *contentProvider) fillContentMatches(ms []*candidateMatch, numContextLin
 		// crosses a line boundary. Prevent confusion by
 		// taking lines until we pass the last match
 		for lineEnd < len(data) && endMatch > uint32(lineEnd) {
-			next := bytes.IndexByte(data[lineEnd+1:], '\n')
+			next := bytes.IndexByte(data[lineEnd:], '\n')
 			if next == -1 {
 				lineEnd = len(data)
 			} else {
@@ -487,11 +487,7 @@ func (nls newlines) lineStart(lineNumber int) uint32 {
 // last byte of the line. lineNumber is 1-based. If lineNumber is out
 // of range of the lines in the file, the return value will be clamped to
 // [0,fileSize].
-//
-// If trimNewline is set, the offset exclude any line-terminating newline.
-// Note: this does _not_ trim any carriage returns and should probably not be
-// used by default. It only exists for backwards compatibility.
-func (nls newlines) lineEnd(lineNumber int, trimNewline bool) uint32 {
+func (nls newlines) lineEnd(lineNumber int) uint32 {
 	// nls.locs[0] + 1 is the start of the 2nd line of data.
 	endIdx := lineNumber - 1
 
@@ -499,8 +495,6 @@ func (nls newlines) lineEnd(lineNumber int, trimNewline bool) uint32 {
 		return 0
 	} else if endIdx >= len(nls.locs) {
 		return nls.fileSize
-	} else if trimNewline {
-		return nls.locs[endIdx]
 	} else {
 		return nls.locs[endIdx] + 1
 	}
@@ -514,7 +508,7 @@ func (nls newlines) getLines(data []byte, low, high int) []byte {
 	}
 
 	lowStart := nls.lineStart(low)
-	highEnd := nls.lineEnd(high-1, false)
+	highEnd := nls.lineEnd(high - 1)
 
 	return data[lowStart:highEnd]
 }
diff --git a/contentprovider_test.go b/contentprovider_test.go
index 47d63b425..f237c82bc 100644
--- a/contentprovider_test.go
+++ b/contentprovider_test.go
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ func TestAtOffset(t *testing.T) {
 			if gotLineStart := nls.lineStart(gotLineNumber); gotLineStart != tt.lineStart {
 				t.Fatalf("expected line start %d, got %d", tt.lineStart, gotLineStart)
 			}
-			if gotLineEnd := nls.lineEnd(gotLineNumber, false); gotLineEnd != tt.lineEnd {
+			if gotLineEnd := nls.lineEnd(gotLineNumber); gotLineEnd != tt.lineEnd {
 				t.Fatalf("expected line end %d, got %d", tt.lineEnd, gotLineEnd)
 			}
 		})
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ func TestLineBounds(t *testing.T) {
 			if gotStart != tt.start {
 				t.Fatalf("expected line start %d, got %d", tt.start, gotStart)
 			}
-			gotEnd := nls.lineEnd(tt.lineNumber, false)
+			gotEnd := nls.lineEnd(tt.lineNumber)
 			if gotEnd != tt.end {
 				t.Fatalf("expected line end %d, got %d", tt.end, gotEnd)
 			}
diff --git a/index_test.go b/index_test.go
index 6e6514a27..5a2b0091a 100644
--- a/index_test.go
+++ b/index_test.go
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ func (s *memSeeker) Size() (uint32, error) {
 func TestNewlines(t *testing.T) {
 	b := testIndexBuilder(t, nil,
 		Document{Name: "filename", Content: []byte("line1\nline2\nbla")})
-	// ---------------------------------------------012345-678901-234
+	// -------------------------------------------012345-678901-234
 
 	t.Run("LineMatches", func(t *testing.T) {
 		sres := searchForTest(t, b, &query.Substring{Pattern: "ne2"})
@@ -216,15 +216,15 @@ func TestNewlines(t *testing.T) {
 					LineOffset:  2,
 					MatchLength: 3,
 				}},
-				Line:       []byte("line2"),
+				Line:       []byte("line2\n"),
 				LineStart:  6,
-				LineEnd:    11,
+				LineEnd:    12,
 				LineNumber: 2,
 			}},
 		}}
 
-		if !reflect.DeepEqual(matches, want) {
-			t.Errorf("got %v, want %v", matches, want)
+		if diff := cmp.Diff(matches, want); diff != "" {
+			t.Fatal(diff)
 		}
 	})
 
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ func TestQueryNewlines(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 		m := matches[0]
 		if len(m.LineMatches) != 2 {
-			t.Fatalf("got %d line matches, want exactly two", len(m.LineMatches))
+			t.Fatalf("got %d line matches, want exactly two %#v", len(m.LineMatches), m.LineMatches)
 		}
 	})
 
diff --git a/matchtree.go b/matchtree.go
index e22b02cd5..81490266e 100644
--- a/matchtree.go
+++ b/matchtree.go
@@ -700,7 +700,7 @@ func (t *andLineMatchTree) matches(cp *contentProvider, cost int, known map[matc
 		}
 		prev = line
 		byteStart := int(cp.newlines().lineStart(line))
-		byteEnd := int(cp.newlines().lineEnd(line, false))
+		byteEnd := int(cp.newlines().lineEnd(line))
 		lines = append(lines, lineRange{byteStart, byteEnd})
 	}
 
diff --git a/testdata/backcompat/new_v16.00000.zoekt b/testdata/backcompat/new_v16.00000.zoekt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cd69358f6
Binary files /dev/null and b/testdata/backcompat/new_v16.00000.zoekt differ
diff --git a/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/ctagsrepo_v16.00000.golden b/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/ctagsrepo_v16.00000.golden
index 2ec38c772..6c5faaacd 100644
--- a/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/ctagsrepo_v16.00000.golden
+++ b/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/ctagsrepo_v16.00000.golden
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
         "Language": "go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "ZnVuYyBtYWluKCkgew==",
+            "Line": "ZnVuYyBtYWluKCkgewo=",
             "LineStart": 69,
-            "LineEnd": 82,
+            "LineEnd": 83,
             "LineNumber": 10,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@
         "Language": "go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "cGFja2FnZSBtYWlu",
+            "Line": "cGFja2FnZSBtYWluCg==",
             "LineStart": 0,
-            "LineEnd": 12,
+            "LineEnd": 13,
             "LineNumber": 1,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@
         "Language": "go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "CW51bSAgICAgPSA1",
+            "Line": "CW51bSAgICAgPSA1Cg==",
             "LineStart": 34,
-            "LineEnd": 46,
+            "LineEnd": 47,
             "LineNumber": 6,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
@@ -104,9 +104,9 @@
         "Language": "go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "CW1lc3NhZ2UgPSAiaGVsbG8i",
+            "Line": "CW1lc3NhZ2UgPSAiaGVsbG8iCg==",
             "LineStart": 47,
-            "LineEnd": 65,
+            "LineEnd": 66,
             "LineNumber": 7,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
diff --git a/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/ctagsrepo_v17.00000.golden b/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/ctagsrepo_v17.00000.golden
index de1f98e2f..d8054cc34 100644
--- a/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/ctagsrepo_v17.00000.golden
+++ b/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/ctagsrepo_v17.00000.golden
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
         "Language": "go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "ZnVuYyBtYWluKCkgew==",
+            "Line": "ZnVuYyBtYWluKCkgewo=",
             "LineStart": 69,
-            "LineEnd": 82,
+            "LineEnd": 83,
             "LineNumber": 10,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@
         "Language": "go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "cGFja2FnZSBtYWlu",
+            "Line": "cGFja2FnZSBtYWluCg==",
             "LineStart": 0,
-            "LineEnd": 12,
+            "LineEnd": 13,
             "LineNumber": 1,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@
         "Language": "go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "CW51bSAgICAgPSA1",
+            "Line": "CW51bSAgICAgPSA1Cg==",
             "LineStart": 34,
-            "LineEnd": 46,
+            "LineEnd": 47,
             "LineNumber": 6,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
@@ -104,9 +104,9 @@
         "Language": "go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "CW1lc3NhZ2UgPSAiaGVsbG8i",
+            "Line": "CW1lc3NhZ2UgPSAiaGVsbG8iCg==",
             "LineStart": 47,
-            "LineEnd": 65,
+            "LineEnd": 66,
             "LineNumber": 7,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
diff --git a/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo17_v17.00000.golden b/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo17_v17.00000.golden
index 2d11f1f0f..452429bcf 100644
--- a/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo17_v17.00000.golden
+++ b/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo17_v17.00000.golden
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
         "Language": "Go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "ZnVuYyBtYWluKCkgew==",
+            "Line": "ZnVuYyBtYWluKCkgewo=",
             "LineStart": 69,
-            "LineEnd": 82,
+            "LineEnd": 83,
             "LineNumber": 10,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@
         "Language": "Go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "cGFja2FnZSBtYWlu",
+            "Line": "cGFja2FnZSBtYWluCg==",
             "LineStart": 0,
-            "LineEnd": 12,
+            "LineEnd": 13,
             "LineNumber": 1,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
diff --git a/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo2_v16.00000.golden b/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo2_v16.00000.golden
index 82a6112d8..cf70c4e0d 100644
--- a/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo2_v16.00000.golden
+++ b/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo2_v16.00000.golden
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
         "Language": "Go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "ZnVuYyBtYWluKCkgew==",
+            "Line": "ZnVuYyBtYWluKCkgewo=",
             "LineStart": 33,
-            "LineEnd": 46,
+            "LineEnd": 47,
             "LineNumber": 7,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@
         "Language": "Go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "cGFja2FnZSBtYWlu",
+            "Line": "cGFja2FnZSBtYWluCg==",
             "LineStart": 0,
-            "LineEnd": 12,
+            "LineEnd": 13,
             "LineNumber": 1,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
diff --git a/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo_v16.00000.golden b/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo_v16.00000.golden
index ed2532855..7f5f3c41c 100644
--- a/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo_v16.00000.golden
+++ b/testdata/golden/TestReadSearch/repo_v16.00000.golden
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
         "Language": "Go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "ZnVuYyBtYWluKCkgew==",
+            "Line": "ZnVuYyBtYWluKCkgewo=",
             "LineStart": 69,
-            "LineEnd": 82,
+            "LineEnd": 83,
             "LineNumber": 10,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@
         "Language": "Go",
         "LineMatches": [
           {
-            "Line": "cGFja2FnZSBtYWlu",
+            "Line": "cGFja2FnZSBtYWluCg==",
             "LineStart": 0,
-            "LineEnd": 12,
+            "LineEnd": 13,
             "LineNumber": 1,
             "Before": null,
             "After": null,
diff --git a/web/e2e_test.go b/web/e2e_test.go
index 1566e219b..e0be04a71 100644
--- a/web/e2e_test.go
+++ b/web/e2e_test.go
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ func TestContextLines(t *testing.T) {
 							{
 								Pre:   "f",
 								Match: "our",
-								Post:  "th",
+								Post:  "th\n",
 							},
 						},
 					},
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ func TestContextLines(t *testing.T) {
 							{
 								Pre:   "f",
 								Match: "our",
-								Post:  "th",
+								Post:  "th\n",
 							},
 						},
 						Before: "second snippet\nthird thing\n",
@@ -453,7 +453,7 @@ func TestContextLines(t *testing.T) {
 							{
 								Pre:   "",
 								Match: "one",
-								Post:  " line",
+								Post:  " line\n",
 							},
 						},
 						After: "second snippet\nthird thing\n",
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ func TestContextLines(t *testing.T) {
 							{
 								Pre:   "",
 								Match: "one",
-								Post:  " line",
+								Post:  " line\n",
 							},
 						},
 						After: "second snippet\nthird thing\nfourth\nfifth block\nsixth example\nseventh",
@@ -537,6 +537,7 @@ func TestContextLines(t *testing.T) {
 							{
 								Pre:   "\t",
 								Match: "trois",
+								Post:  "\n",
 							},
 						},
 						Before: "un   \n \n",
@@ -558,7 +559,7 @@ func TestContextLines(t *testing.T) {
 							{
 								Pre:   "to carry ",
 								Match: "water",
-								Post:  " in the no later bla",
+								Post:  " in the no later bla\n",
 							},
 						},
 						Before: "\n\n\n\n",
@@ -580,6 +581,7 @@ func TestContextLines(t *testing.T) {
 							{
 								Pre:   "",
 								Match: "pastures",
+								Post:  "\n",
 							},
 						},
 						Before: "green\n",