diff --git a/test/cpp/qps/qps_driver.cc b/test/cpp/qps/qps_driver.cc
index 30795157cbb..ebbf931933e 100644
--- a/test/cpp/qps/qps_driver.cc
+++ b/test/cpp/qps/qps_driver.cc
@@ -108,7 +108,10 @@ static void QpsDriver() {
       params->set_req_size(FLAGS_simple_req_size);
     }
   } else {
-    GPR_ASSERT(false);  // not yet implemented
+    // choose a reasonable default
+    auto params =
+        client_config.mutable_payload_config()->mutable_simple_params();
+    params->set_resp_size(1);
   }
 
   client_config.set_async_client_threads(FLAGS_async_client_threads);
diff --git a/test/cpp/qps/single_run_localhost.sh b/test/cpp/qps/single_run_localhost.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 771cf0fd60a..f5356f18343
--- a/test/cpp/qps/single_run_localhost.sh
+++ b/test/cpp/qps/single_run_localhost.sh
@@ -1,64 +1,56 @@
-#!/ bin / sh
-#Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
-#All rights reserved.
+#!/bin/sh
+# Copyright 2015, Google Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
 #
-#Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
-#modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
-#met:
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+# met:
 #
-#* Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
-#notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
-#* Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
-#copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
-#in the documentation and / or other materials provided with the
-#distribution.
-#* Neither the name of Google Inc.nor the names of its
-#contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
-#this software without specific prior written permission.
+#     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+# copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+# in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+# distribution.
+#     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+# contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+# this software without specific prior written permission.
 #
-#THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
-#"AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
-#LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
-#A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
-#OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
-#SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES(INCLUDING, BUT NOT
-#LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
-#DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
-#THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
-#(INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
-#OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+# OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
 
-#performs a single qps run with one client and one server
+# performs a single qps run with one client and one server
 
-set -
-        ex
+set -ex
 
-                cd
-                $(dirname $0) /
-                    ../../
-                    ..
+cd $(dirname $0)/../../..
 
-                    killall qps_worker
-    || true
+killall qps_worker || true
 
-    config = opt
+config=opt
 
-    NUMCPUS =`python2 .7 - c
-             'import multiprocessing; print multiprocessing.cpu_count()'`
+NUMCPUS=`python2.7 -c 'import multiprocessing; print multiprocessing.cpu_count()'`
 
-             make CONFIG = $config qps_worker qps_driver -
-                           j$NUMCPUS
+make CONFIG=$config qps_worker qps_driver -j$NUMCPUS
 
-                               bins
-                               / $config / qps_worker
-                           - driver_port
-                           10000 &PID1 = $ !bins / $config / qps_worker
-                                         - driver_port 10010 &PID2 = $ !
+bins/$config/qps_worker -driver_port 10000 &
+PID1=$!
+bins/$config/qps_worker -driver_port 10010 &
+PID2=$!
 
-    export QPS_WORKERS = "localhost:10000,localhost:10010"
+export QPS_WORKERS="localhost:10000,localhost:10010"
 
-                             bins
-                             / $config / qps_driver $ *
+bins/$config/qps_driver $*
+
+kill -2 $PID1 $PID2
+wait
 
-                             kill
-                         - 2 $PID1 $PID2 wait