diff --git a/src/netbeans.c b/src/netbeans.c
index 409580a..a5c504a 100644
--- a/src/netbeans.c
+++ b/src/netbeans.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 
 /* The first implementation (working only with Netbeans) returned "1.1".  The
  * protocol implemented here also supports A-A-P. */
-static char *ExtEdProtocolVersion = "2.3";
+static char *ExtEdProtocolVersion = "2.4";
 
 static long pos2off __ARGS((buf_T *, pos_T *));
 static pos_T *off2pos __ARGS((buf_T *, long));
@@ -1271,6 +1271,29 @@
 	    nb_reply_text(cmdno, text);
 /* =====================================================================*/
 	}
+	else if (streq((char *)cmd, "getAnno"))
+	{
+	    long linenum = 0;
+#ifdef FEAT_SIGNS
+	    if (buf == NULL || buf->bufp == NULL)
+	    {
+		nbdebug(("    null bufp in getAnno"));
+		EMSG("E652: null bufp in getAnno");
+		retval = FAIL;
+	    }
+	    else
+	    {
+		int serNum;
+
+		cp = (char *)args;
+		serNum = strtol(cp, &cp, 10);
+		/* If the sign isn't found linenum will be zero. */
+		linenum = (long)buf_findsign(buf->bufp, serNum);
+	    }
+#endif
+	    nb_reply_nr(cmdno, linenum);
+/* =====================================================================*/
+	}
 	else if (streq((char *)cmd, "getLength"))
 	{
 	    long len = 0;
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index c1b3045..656de07 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -667,6 +667,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    163,
+/**/
     162,
 /**/
     161,