diff --git a/go/trace/trace.go b/go/trace/trace.go
index 768d98a546e..25a96e78a7b 100644
--- a/go/trace/trace.go
+++ b/go/trace/trace.go
@@ -147,8 +147,9 @@ func StartTracing(serviceName string) io.Closer {
 	}
 
 	currentTracer = tracer
-
-	log.Infof("successfully started tracing with [%s]", *tracingServer)
+	if *tracingServer != "noop" {
+		log.Infof("successfully started tracing with [%s]", *tracingServer)
+	}
 
 	return closer
 }
diff --git a/go/vt/vtgate/plan_executor_test.go b/go/vt/vtgate/plan_executor_test.go
index 29752b8bc1e..4714729e253 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtgate/plan_executor_test.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtgate/plan_executor_test.go
@@ -1120,13 +1120,24 @@ func TestPlanExecutorExplain(t *testing.T) {
 	logChan := QueryLogger.Subscribe("Test")
 	defer QueryLogger.Unsubscribe(logChan)
 
-	sql := "explain format = vitess select * from user"
-	result, err := executorExec(executor, sql, map[string]*querypb.BindVariable{})
+	bindVars := map[string]*querypb.BindVariable{}
+	result, err := executorExec(executor, "explain format = vitess select * from user", bindVars)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
-	resultText := fmt.Sprintf("%v", result.Rows)
-	utils.MustMatch(t, `[[VARCHAR("Route") VARCHAR("SelectScatter") VARCHAR("TestExecutor") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("UNKNOWN") VARCHAR("select * from user")]]`, resultText, "")
+	require.Equal(t,
+		`[[VARCHAR("Route") VARCHAR("SelectScatter") VARCHAR("TestExecutor") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("UNKNOWN") VARCHAR("select * from user")]]`,
+		fmt.Sprintf("%v", result.Rows))
 
+	result, err = executorExec(executor, "explain format = vitess select 42", bindVars)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	expected :=
+		`[[VARCHAR("Projection") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("UNKNOWN") VARCHAR("")] ` +
+			`[VARCHAR("└─ SingleRow") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("UNKNOWN") VARCHAR("")]]`
+	require.Equal(t,
+		`[[VARCHAR("Projection") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("UNKNOWN") VARCHAR("")] `+
+			`[VARCHAR("└─ SingleRow") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("") VARCHAR("UNKNOWN") VARCHAR("")]]`,
+		expected,
+		fmt.Sprintf("%v", result.Rows), fmt.Sprintf("%v", result.Rows))
 }
 
 func TestPlanExecutorOtherAdmin(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/go/vt/vtgate/planbuilder/explain.go b/go/vt/vtgate/planbuilder/explain.go
index 64f11e9b080..74d912dddbf 100644
--- a/go/vt/vtgate/planbuilder/explain.go
+++ b/go/vt/vtgate/planbuilder/explain.go
@@ -47,13 +47,18 @@ func buildExplainPlan(input engine.Primitive) (engine.Primitive, error) {
 		if line.descr.TargetDestination != nil {
 			targetDest = line.descr.TargetDestination.String()
 		}
+		keyspaceName := ""
+		if line.descr.Keyspace != nil {
+			keyspaceName = line.descr.Keyspace.Name
+		}
+
 		rows = append(rows, []sqltypes.Value{
-			sqltypes.NewVarChar(line.header + line.descr.OperatorType),
-			sqltypes.NewVarChar(line.descr.Variant),
-			sqltypes.NewVarChar(line.descr.Keyspace.Name),
-			sqltypes.NewVarChar(targetDest),
-			sqltypes.NewVarChar(line.descr.TargetTabletType.String()),
-			sqltypes.NewVarChar(extractQuery(line.descr.Other)),
+			sqltypes.NewVarChar(line.header + line.descr.OperatorType), // operator
+			sqltypes.NewVarChar(line.descr.Variant),                    // variant
+			sqltypes.NewVarChar(keyspaceName),                          // keyspace
+			sqltypes.NewVarChar(targetDest),                            // destination
+			sqltypes.NewVarChar(line.descr.TargetTabletType.String()),  // tabletType
+			sqltypes.NewVarChar(extractQuery(line.descr.Other)),        // query
 		})
 	}