diff --git a/examples/cord_ep/main.c b/examples/cord_ep/main.c
index b02f51de62..7e27f0f8c5 100644
--- a/examples/cord_ep/main.c
+++ b/examples/cord_ep/main.c
@@ -56,8 +56,9 @@ static ssize_t _handler_dummy(coap_pkt_t *pdu,
     int16_t val = 23;
 
     gcoap_resp_init(pdu, buf, len, COAP_CODE_CONTENT);
-    size_t plen = fmt_s16_dec((char *)pdu->payload, val);
-    return gcoap_finish(pdu, plen, COAP_FORMAT_TEXT);
+    size_t resp_len = coap_opt_finish(pdu, COAP_OPT_FINISH_PAYLOAD);
+    resp_len += fmt_s16_dec((char *)pdu->payload, val);
+    return resp_len;
 }
 
 static ssize_t _handler_info(coap_pkt_t *pdu,
@@ -66,9 +67,10 @@ static ssize_t _handler_info(coap_pkt_t *pdu,
     (void)ctx;
 
     gcoap_resp_init(pdu, buf, len, COAP_CODE_CONTENT);
+    size_t resp_len = coap_opt_finish(pdu, COAP_OPT_FINISH_PAYLOAD);
     size_t slen = sizeof("SOME NODE INFOMRATION");
     memcpy(pdu->payload, "SOME NODE INFOMRATION", slen);
-    return gcoap_finish(pdu, slen, COAP_FORMAT_TEXT);
+    return resp_len + slen;
 }
 
 static const coap_resource_t _resources[] = {
diff --git a/examples/cord_epsim/main.c b/examples/cord_epsim/main.c
index 99a4dd446f..60a64615e0 100644
--- a/examples/cord_epsim/main.c
+++ b/examples/cord_epsim/main.c
@@ -34,9 +34,11 @@ static ssize_t text_resp(coap_pkt_t *pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len,
                          const char *text, unsigned format)
 {
     gcoap_resp_init(pdu, buf, len, COAP_CODE_CONTENT);
+    coap_opt_add_format(pdu, format);
+    ssize_t resp_len = coap_opt_finish(pdu, COAP_OPT_FINISH_PAYLOAD);
     size_t slen = strlen(text);
     memcpy(pdu->payload, text, slen);
-    return gcoap_finish(pdu, slen, format);
+    return resp_len + slen;
 }
 
 static ssize_t handler_info(coap_pkt_t *pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *ctx)
diff --git a/examples/gcoap/gcoap_cli.c b/examples/gcoap/gcoap_cli.c
index 2aaa8822f7..2e0caeb702 100644
--- a/examples/gcoap/gcoap_cli.c
+++ b/examples/gcoap/gcoap_cli.c
@@ -109,11 +109,12 @@ static ssize_t _stats_handler(coap_pkt_t* pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, void *c
     switch(method_flag) {
         case COAP_GET:
             gcoap_resp_init(pdu, buf, len, COAP_CODE_CONTENT);
+            coap_opt_add_format(pdu, COAP_FORMAT_TEXT);
+            size_t resp_len = coap_opt_finish(pdu, COAP_OPT_FINISH_PAYLOAD);
 
             /* write the response buffer with the request count value */
-            size_t payload_len = fmt_u16_dec((char *)pdu->payload, req_count);
-
-            return gcoap_finish(pdu, payload_len, COAP_FORMAT_TEXT);
+            resp_len += fmt_u16_dec((char *)pdu->payload, req_count);
+            return resp_len;
 
         case COAP_PUT:
             /* convert the payload to an integer and update the internal
@@ -136,11 +137,13 @@ static ssize_t _riot_board_handler(coap_pkt_t *pdu, uint8_t *buf, size_t len, vo
 {
     (void)ctx;
     gcoap_resp_init(pdu, buf, len, COAP_CODE_CONTENT);
+    coap_opt_add_format(pdu, COAP_FORMAT_TEXT);
+    size_t resp_len = coap_opt_finish(pdu, COAP_OPT_FINISH_PAYLOAD);
+
     /* write the RIOT board name in the response buffer */
-    /* must be 'greater than' to account for payload marker byte */
-    if (pdu->payload_len > strlen(RIOT_BOARD)) {
+    if (pdu->payload_len >= strlen(RIOT_BOARD)) {
         memcpy(pdu->payload, RIOT_BOARD, strlen(RIOT_BOARD));
-        return gcoap_finish(pdu, strlen(RIOT_BOARD), COAP_FORMAT_TEXT);
+        return resp_len + strlen(RIOT_BOARD);
     }
     else {
         puts("gcoap_cli: msg buffer too small");
@@ -249,23 +252,23 @@ int gcoap_cli_cmd(int argc, char **argv)
     if (((argc == apos + 3) && (code_pos == 0)) ||
         ((argc == apos + 4) && (code_pos != 0))) {
         gcoap_req_init(&pdu, &buf[0], GCOAP_PDU_BUF_SIZE, code_pos+1, argv[apos+2]);
-        if (argc == apos + 4) {
-            /* must be 'greater than' to account for payload marker byte */
-            if (pdu.payload_len > strlen(argv[apos+3])) {
-                memcpy(pdu.payload, argv[apos+3], strlen(argv[apos+3]));
+        coap_hdr_set_type(pdu.hdr, msg_type);
+
+        size_t paylen = (argc == apos + 4) ? strlen(argv[apos+3]) : 0;
+        if (paylen) {
+            coap_opt_add_format(&pdu, COAP_FORMAT_TEXT);
+            len = coap_opt_finish(&pdu, COAP_OPT_FINISH_PAYLOAD);
+            if (pdu.payload_len >= paylen) {
+                memcpy(pdu.payload, argv[apos+3], paylen);
+                len += paylen;
             }
             else {
                 puts("gcoap_cli: msg buffer too small");
                 return 1;
             }
         }
-        coap_hdr_set_type(pdu.hdr, msg_type);
-
-        if (argc == apos + 4) {
-            len = gcoap_finish(&pdu, strlen(argv[apos+3]), COAP_FORMAT_TEXT);
-        }
         else {
-            len = gcoap_finish(&pdu, 0, COAP_FORMAT_NONE);
+            len = coap_opt_finish(&pdu, COAP_OPT_FINISH_NONE);
         }
 
         printf("gcoap_cli: sending msg ID %u, %u bytes\n", coap_get_id(&pdu),
@@ -279,8 +282,9 @@ int gcoap_cli_cmd(int argc, char **argv)
                     &_resources[0])) {
             case GCOAP_OBS_INIT_OK:
                 DEBUG("gcoap_cli: creating /cli/stats notification\n");
-                size_t payload_len = fmt_u16_dec((char *)pdu.payload, req_count);
-                len = gcoap_finish(&pdu, payload_len, COAP_FORMAT_TEXT);
+                coap_opt_add_format(&pdu, COAP_FORMAT_TEXT);
+                len = coap_opt_finish(&pdu, COAP_OPT_FINISH_PAYLOAD);
+                len += fmt_u16_dec((char *)pdu.payload, req_count);
                 gcoap_obs_send(&buf[0], len, &_resources[0]);
                 break;
             case GCOAP_OBS_INIT_UNUSED:
diff --git a/sys/net/application_layer/cord/ep/cord_ep.c b/sys/net/application_layer/cord/ep/cord_ep.c
index 19af6a173e..2e2d84ee1a 100644
--- a/sys/net/application_layer/cord/ep/cord_ep.c
+++ b/sys/net/application_layer/cord/ep/cord_ep.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ static int _update_remove(unsigned code, gcoap_resp_handler_t handle)
         return CORD_EP_ERR;
     }
     coap_hdr_set_type(pkt.hdr, COAP_TYPE_CON);
-    ssize_t pkt_len = gcoap_finish(&pkt, 0, COAP_FORMAT_NONE);
+    ssize_t pkt_len = coap_opt_finish(&pkt, COAP_OPT_FINISH_NONE);
 
     /* send request */
     gcoap_req_send2(buf, pkt_len, &_rd_remote, handle);
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ static int _discover_internal(const sock_udp_ep_t *remote,
     }
     coap_hdr_set_type(pkt.hdr, COAP_TYPE_CON);
     gcoap_add_qstring(&pkt, "rt", "core.rd");
-    size_t pkt_len = gcoap_finish(&pkt, 0, COAP_FORMAT_NONE);
+    size_t pkt_len = coap_opt_finish(&pkt, COAP_OPT_FINISH_NONE);
     res = gcoap_req_send2(buf, pkt_len, remote, _on_discover);
     if (res < 0) {
         return CORD_EP_ERR;
diff --git a/sys/net/application_layer/cord/epsim/cord_epsim.c b/sys/net/application_layer/cord/epsim/cord_epsim.c
index b9b6a8d810..6a2f56bc7b 100644
--- a/sys/net/application_layer/cord/epsim/cord_epsim.c
+++ b/sys/net/application_layer/cord/epsim/cord_epsim.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ int cord_epsim_register(void)
         return CORD_EPSIM_ERROR;
     }
     /* finish, we don't have any payload */
-    ssize_t len = gcoap_finish(&pkt, 0, COAP_FORMAT_NONE);
+    ssize_t len = coap_opt_finish(&pkt, COAP_OPT_FINISH_NONE);
     if (gcoap_req_send2(buf, len, &remote, NULL) == 0) {
         return CORD_EPSIM_ERROR;
     }