diff --git a/cli/tests/unit/kv_test.ts b/cli/tests/unit/kv_test.ts
index 0af8f338d2..0c1b95fa6a 100644
--- a/cli/tests/unit/kv_test.ts
+++ b/cli/tests/unit/kv_test.ts
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ dbTest("compare and mutate", async (db) => {
     .check({ key: ["t"], versionstamp: currentValue.versionstamp })
     .set(currentValue.key, "2")
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   assertEquals(res.versionstamp, "00000000000000020000");
 
   const newValue = await db.get(["t"]);
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ dbTest("compare and mutate", async (db) => {
     .check({ key: ["t"], versionstamp: currentValue.versionstamp })
     .set(currentValue.key, "3")
     .commit();
-  assertEquals(res, null);
+  assert(!res.ok);
 
   const newValue2 = await db.get(["t"]);
   assertEquals(newValue2.versionstamp, "00000000000000020000");
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ dbTest("compare and mutate not exists", async (db) => {
     .check({ key: ["t"], versionstamp: null })
     .set(["t"], "1")
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
 
   const newValue = await db.get(["t"]);
   assertEquals(newValue.versionstamp, "00000000000000010000");
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ dbTest("compare and mutate not exists", async (db) => {
     .check({ key: ["t"], versionstamp: null })
     .set(["t"], "2")
     .commit();
-  assertEquals(res, null);
+  assert(!res.ok);
 });
 
 dbTest("atomic mutation helper (sum)", async (db) => {
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ dbTest("compare multiple and mutate", async (db) => {
     .set(currentValue1.key, "3")
     .set(currentValue2.key, "4")
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
 
   const newValue1 = await db.get(["t1"]);
   assertEquals(newValue1.versionstamp, "00000000000000030000");
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ dbTest("compare multiple and mutate", async (db) => {
     .set(newValue1.key, "5")
     .set(newValue2.key, "6")
     .commit();
-  assertEquals(res2, null);
+  assert(!res2.ok);
 
   const newValue3 = await db.get(["t1"]);
   assertEquals(newValue3.versionstamp, "00000000000000030000");
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation ordering (set before delete)", async (db) => {
     .set(["a"], "2")
     .delete(["a"])
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result.value, null);
 });
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation ordering (delete before set)", async (db) => {
     .delete(["a"])
     .set(["a"], "2")
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result.value, "2");
 });
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=set", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: "1", type: "set" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result.value, "1");
 });
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=set overwrite", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: "2", type: "set" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result.value, "2");
 });
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=delete", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], type: "delete" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result.value, null);
 });
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=delete no exists", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], type: "delete" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result.value, null);
 });
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=sum", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: new Deno.KvU64(1n), type: "sum" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result.value, new Deno.KvU64(11n));
 });
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=sum no exists", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: new Deno.KvU64(1n), type: "sum" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assert(result.value);
   assertEquals(result.value, new Deno.KvU64(1n));
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=sum wrap around", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: new Deno.KvU64(10n), type: "sum" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result.value, new Deno.KvU64(9n));
 
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=sum wrap around", async (db) => {
       type: "sum",
     })
     .commit();
-  assert(res2);
+  assert(res2.ok);
   const result2 = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result2.value, new Deno.KvU64(8n));
 });
@@ -423,14 +423,14 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=min", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: new Deno.KvU64(5n), type: "min" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result.value, new Deno.KvU64(5n));
 
   const res2 = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: new Deno.KvU64(15n), type: "min" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res2);
+  assert(res2.ok);
   const result2 = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result2.value, new Deno.KvU64(5n));
 });
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=min no exists", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: new Deno.KvU64(1n), type: "min" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assert(result.value);
   assertEquals(result.value, new Deno.KvU64(1n));
@@ -477,14 +477,14 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=max", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: new Deno.KvU64(5n), type: "max" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result.value, new Deno.KvU64(10n));
 
   const res2 = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: new Deno.KvU64(15n), type: "max" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res2);
+  assert(res2.ok);
   const result2 = await db.get(["a"]);
   assertEquals(result2.value, new Deno.KvU64(15n));
 });
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ dbTest("atomic mutation type=max no exists", async (db) => {
   const res = await db.atomic()
     .mutate({ key: ["a"], value: new Deno.KvU64(1n), type: "max" })
     .commit();
-  assert(res);
+  assert(res.ok);
   const result = await db.get(["a"]);
   assert(result.value);
   assertEquals(result.value, new Deno.KvU64(1n));
diff --git a/cli/tsc/dts/lib.deno.unstable.d.ts b/cli/tsc/dts/lib.deno.unstable.d.ts
index f169e0254b..cd008ec1e3 100644
--- a/cli/tsc/dts/lib.deno.unstable.d.ts
+++ b/cli/tsc/dts/lib.deno.unstable.d.ts
@@ -1757,10 +1757,12 @@ declare namespace Deno {
   }
 
   /** @category KV */
-  export interface KvCommitResult {
+  export type KvCommitResult = {
+    ok: true;
+
     /** The versionstamp of the value committed to KV. */
     versionstamp: string;
-  }
+  } | { ok: false };
 
   /** **UNSTABLE**: New API, yet to be vetted.
    *
@@ -1855,19 +1857,17 @@ declare namespace Deno {
      */
     delete(key: KvKey): this;
     /**
-     * Commit the operation to the KV store. Returns a value indicating whether
-     * checks passed and mutations were performed. If the operation failed
-     * because of a failed check, the return value will be `null`. If the
-     * operation failed for any other reason (storage error, invalid value,
-     * etc.), an exception will be thrown. If the operation succeeded, the
-     * return value will be a {@linkcode Deno.KvCommitResult} object containing
-     * the versionstamp of the value committed to KV.
+     * Commit the operation to the KV store. Returns a {@linkcode Deno.KvCommitResult}
+     * value indicating whether checks passed and mutations were performed.
+     * If the operation failed for any other reason than a failed check (storage
+     * error, invalid value, etc.), an exception will be thrown.
      *
-     * If the commit returns `null`, one may create a new atomic operation with
-     * updated checks and mutations and attempt to commit it again. See the note
-     * on optimistic locking in the documentation for {@linkcode Deno.AtomicOperation}.
+     * If the `ok` field in the return value is `false`, one may create a new
+     * atomic operation with updated checks and mutations and attempt to commit it
+     * again. See the note on optimistic locking in the documentation for
+     * {@linkcode Deno.AtomicOperation}.
      */
-    commit(): Promise<KvCommitResult | null>;
+    commit(): Promise<KvCommitResult>;
   }
 
   /** **UNSTABLE**: New API, yet to be vetted.
@@ -1967,7 +1967,10 @@ declare namespace Deno {
      * await db.set(["foo"], "bar");
      * ```
      */
-    set(key: KvKey, value: unknown): Promise<KvCommitResult>;
+    set(
+      key: KvKey,
+      value: unknown,
+    ): Promise<{ versionstamp: string }>;
 
     /**
      * Delete the value for the given key from the database. If no value exists
diff --git a/ext/kv/01_db.ts b/ext/kv/01_db.ts
index da29a09521..433f6d2e53 100644
--- a/ext/kv/01_db.ts
+++ b/ext/kv/01_db.ts
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ class AtomicOperation {
     return this;
   }
 
-  async commit(): Promise<Deno.KvCommitResult | null> {
+  async commit(): Promise<Deno.KvCommitResult> {
     const versionstamp = await core.opAsync(
       "op_kv_atomic_write",
       this.#rid,
@@ -274,8 +274,8 @@ class AtomicOperation {
       this.#mutations,
       [], // TODO(@losfair): enqueue
     );
-    if (versionstamp === null) return null;
-    return { versionstamp };
+    if (versionstamp === null) return { ok: false };
+    return { ok: true, versionstamp };
   }
 
   then() {