diff --git a/broker.go b/broker.go
index 51e34a6f3..7c559cfcb 100644
--- a/broker.go
+++ b/broker.go
@@ -1135,9 +1135,9 @@ func (b *Broker) decode(pd packetDecoder, version int16) (err error) {
 
 	if version >= 1 {
 		b.rack, err = pd.getNullableString()
-	}
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	b.addr = net.JoinHostPort(host, fmt.Sprint(port))
diff --git a/consumer_group.go b/consumer_group.go
index 02d75089a..f47eac725 100644
--- a/consumer_group.go
+++ b/consumer_group.go
@@ -472,6 +472,9 @@ func (c *consumerGroup) joinGroupRequest(coordinator *Broker, topics []string) (
 	if c.config.Version.IsAtLeast(V2_3_0_0) {
 		req.Version = 5
 		req.GroupInstanceId = c.groupInstanceId
+		if c.config.Version.IsAtLeast(V2_4_0_0) {
+			req.Version = 6
+		}
 	}
 
 	meta := &ConsumerGroupMemberMetadata{
diff --git a/join_group_request.go b/join_group_request.go
index 3fb41774c..e8cbc46cd 100644
--- a/join_group_request.go
+++ b/join_group_request.go
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ func (p *GroupProtocol) decode(pd packetDecoder) (err error) {
 		return err
 	}
 	p.Metadata, err = pd.getBytes()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, err = pd.getEmptyTaggedFieldArray()
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -23,6 +27,7 @@ func (p *GroupProtocol) encode(pe packetEncoder) (err error) {
 	if err := pe.putBytes(p.Metadata); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	pe.putEmptyTaggedFieldArray()
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -93,6 +98,7 @@ func (r *JoinGroupRequest) encode(pe packetEncoder) error {
 			if err := pe.putBytes(metadata); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
+			pe.putEmptyTaggedFieldArray()
 		}
 	} else {
 		if err := pe.putArrayLength(len(r.OrderedGroupProtocols)); err != nil {
@@ -105,6 +111,7 @@ func (r *JoinGroupRequest) encode(pe packetEncoder) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	pe.putEmptyTaggedFieldArray()
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -157,7 +164,8 @@ func (r *JoinGroupRequest) decode(pd packetDecoder, version int16) (err error) {
 		r.OrderedGroupProtocols = append(r.OrderedGroupProtocols, protocol)
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	_, err = pd.getEmptyTaggedFieldArray()
+	return err
 }
 
 func (r *JoinGroupRequest) key() int16 {
@@ -169,15 +177,28 @@ func (r *JoinGroupRequest) version() int16 {
 }
 
 func (r *JoinGroupRequest) headerVersion() int16 {
+	if r.Version >= 6 {
+		return 2
+	}
 	return 1
 }
 
 func (r *JoinGroupRequest) isValidVersion() bool {
-	return r.Version >= 0 && r.Version <= 5
+	return r.Version >= 0 && r.Version <= 6
+}
+
+func (r *JoinGroupRequest) isFlexible() bool {
+	return r.isFlexibleVersion(r.Version)
+}
+
+func (r *JoinGroupRequest) isFlexibleVersion(version int16) bool {
+	return version >= 6
 }
 
 func (r *JoinGroupRequest) requiredVersion() KafkaVersion {
 	switch r.Version {
+	case 6:
+		return V2_4_0_0
 	case 5:
 		return V2_3_0_0
 	case 4:
diff --git a/join_group_request_test.go b/join_group_request_test.go
index eb13c7d2c..0ff5b150a 100644
--- a/join_group_request_test.go
+++ b/join_group_request_test.go
@@ -99,6 +99,20 @@ var (
 		0, 3, 'o', 'n', 'e', // Protocol name
 		0, 0, 0, 3, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, // protocol metadata
 	}
+
+	joinGroupRequestV6 = []byte{
+		10, 'T', 'e', 's', 't', 'G', 'r', 'o', 'u', 'p', // Group ID
+		0, 0, 0, 100, // Session timeout
+		0, 0, 0, 200, // Rebalance timeout
+		12, 'O', 'n', 'e', 'P', 'r', 'o', 't', 'o', 'c', 'o', 'l', // Member ID
+		4, 'g', 'i', 'd', // GroupInstanceId
+		9, 'c', 'o', 'n', 's', 'u', 'm', 'e', 'r', // Protocol Type
+		2,                // 1 group protocol
+		4, 'o', 'n', 'e', // Protocol name
+		4, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, // protocol metadata
+		0, // empty tagged fields
+		0, // empty tagged fields
+	}
 )
 
 func TestJoinGroupRequestV3plus(t *testing.T) {
@@ -129,6 +143,26 @@ func TestJoinGroupRequestV3plus(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			"v6",
+			6,
+			joinGroupRequestV6,
+			&JoinGroupRequest{
+				Version:          6,
+				GroupId:          "TestGroup",
+				SessionTimeout:   100,
+				RebalanceTimeout: 200,
+				MemberId:         "OneProtocol",
+				GroupInstanceId:  &groupInstanceId,
+				ProtocolType:     "consumer",
+				GroupProtocols: map[string][]byte{
+					"one": {1, 2, 3},
+				},
+				OrderedGroupProtocols: []*GroupProtocol{
+					{Name: "one", Metadata: []byte{1, 2, 3}},
+				},
+			},
+		},
 	}
 	for _, c := range tests {
 		request := new(JoinGroupRequest)
diff --git a/join_group_response.go b/join_group_response.go
index 0a8ea4f48..bdabe0a8a 100644
--- a/join_group_response.go
+++ b/join_group_response.go
@@ -81,8 +81,10 @@ func (r *JoinGroupResponse) encode(pe packetEncoder) error {
 		if err := pe.putBytes(member.Metadata); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+		pe.putEmptyTaggedFieldArray()
 	}
 
+	pe.putEmptyTaggedFieldArray()
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -121,7 +123,8 @@ func (r *JoinGroupResponse) decode(pd packetDecoder, version int16) (err error)
 		return err
 	}
 	if n == 0 {
-		return nil
+		_, err = pd.getEmptyTaggedFieldArray()
+		return err
 	}
 
 	r.Members = make([]GroupMember, n)
@@ -145,9 +148,14 @@ func (r *JoinGroupResponse) decode(pd packetDecoder, version int16) (err error)
 		}
 
 		r.Members[i] = GroupMember{MemberId: memberId, GroupInstanceId: groupInstanceId, Metadata: memberMetadata}
+
+		if _, err := pd.getEmptyTaggedFieldArray(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	_, err = pd.getEmptyTaggedFieldArray()
+	return err
 }
 
 func (r *JoinGroupResponse) key() int16 {
@@ -159,15 +167,28 @@ func (r *JoinGroupResponse) version() int16 {
 }
 
 func (r *JoinGroupResponse) headerVersion() int16 {
+	if r.Version >= 6 {
+		return 1
+	}
 	return 0
 }
 
 func (r *JoinGroupResponse) isValidVersion() bool {
-	return r.Version >= 0 && r.Version <= 5
+	return r.Version >= 0 && r.Version <= 6
+}
+
+func (r *JoinGroupResponse) isFlexible() bool {
+	return r.isFlexibleVersion(r.Version)
+}
+
+func (r *JoinGroupResponse) isFlexibleVersion(version int16) bool {
+	return version >= 6
 }
 
 func (r *JoinGroupResponse) requiredVersion() KafkaVersion {
 	switch r.Version {
+	case 6:
+		return V2_4_0_0
 	case 5:
 		return V2_3_0_0
 	case 4:
diff --git a/join_group_response_test.go b/join_group_response_test.go
index e86602732..7d2c00406 100644
--- a/join_group_response_test.go
+++ b/join_group_response_test.go
@@ -190,6 +190,32 @@ var (
 		0, 3, 'g', 'i', 'd', // GroupInstanceId
 		0, 0, 0, 3, 1, 2, 3, // Metadata
 	}
+
+	joinGroupResponseV6 = []byte{
+		0, 0, 0, 100, // ThrottleTimeMs
+		0x00, 0x00, // No error
+		0x00, 0x01, 0x02, 0x03, // Generation ID
+		9, 'p', 'r', 'o', 't', 'o', 'c', 'o', 'l', // Protocol name chosen
+		4, 'f', 'o', 'o', // Leader ID
+		4, 'b', 'a', 'r', // Member ID
+		2,                // One member info
+		4, 'm', 'i', 'd', // memberId
+		4, 'g', 'i', 'd', // GroupInstanceId
+		4, 1, 2, 3, // Metadata
+		0, // empty tagged fields
+		0, // empty tagged fields
+	}
+
+	joinGroupResponseV6MemberIDRequired = []byte{
+		0, 0, 0, 100, // throttle time
+		0, 79, // member ID required error
+		255, 255, 255, 255, // generation id
+		1, // protocol name
+		1, // leader id
+		4, 'f', 'o', 'o',
+		1, // no members
+		0, // empty tagged fields
+	}
 )
 
 func TestJoinGroupResponse3plus(t *testing.T) {
@@ -217,6 +243,38 @@ func TestJoinGroupResponse3plus(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			"v6",
+			6,
+			joinGroupResponseV6,
+			&JoinGroupResponse{
+				Version:       6,
+				ThrottleTime:  100,
+				Err:           ErrNoError,
+				GenerationId:  0x00010203,
+				GroupProtocol: "protocol",
+				LeaderId:      "foo",
+				MemberId:      "bar",
+				Members: []GroupMember{
+					{"mid", &groupInstanceId, []byte{1, 2, 3}},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			"v6 member id required",
+			6,
+			joinGroupResponseV6MemberIDRequired,
+			&JoinGroupResponse{
+				Version:       6,
+				ThrottleTime:  100,
+				Err:           ErrMemberIdRequired,
+				GenerationId:  -1,
+				GroupProtocol: "",
+				LeaderId:      "",
+				MemberId:      "foo",
+				Members:       nil,
+			},
+		},
 	}
 	for _, c := range tests {
 		response := new(JoinGroupResponse)
diff --git a/real_decoder.go b/real_decoder.go
index 9f74b86aa..ddeb5435d 100644
--- a/real_decoder.go
+++ b/real_decoder.go
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ func (rd *realFlexibleDecoder) getStringLength() (int, error) {
 
 func (rd *realFlexibleDecoder) getString() (string, error) {
 	length, err := rd.getStringLength()
-	if err != nil {
+	if err != nil || length == -1 {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
diff --git a/request_test.go b/request_test.go
index f8bd8dc7f..581d08232 100644
--- a/request_test.go
+++ b/request_test.go
@@ -344,8 +344,7 @@ func TestAllocateBodyProtocolVersions(t *testing.T) {
 				apiKeyOffsetFetch: 6, // up from 5
 				// TODO: FindCoordinatorRequest v3 is not supported, but expected for KafkaVersion 2.4.0
 				// apiKeyFindCoordinator:             3, // up from 2
-				// TODO: JoinGroupRequest v6 is not supported, but expected for KafkaVersion 2.4.0
-				// apiKeyJoinGroup:                   6, // up from 6
+				apiKeyJoinGroup:                   6, // up from 5
 				apiKeyHeartbeat:                   4, // up from 3
 				apiKeyLeaveGroup:                  4, // up from 2
 				apiKeySyncGroup:                   4, // up from 3