diff --git a/include/ctl-client.h b/include/ctl-client.h
index 4a26873c..fd9c72ea 100644
--- a/include/ctl-client.h
+++ b/include/ctl-client.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ struct ctl_client* ctl_client_new(const char* socket_path, void* userdata);
 void ctl_client_destroy(struct ctl_client*);
 void* ctl_client_userdata(struct ctl_client*);
 
+#define PRINT_JSON 0x00000001
 
 int ctl_client_run_command(struct ctl_client* self,
-		int argc, char* argv[]);
+		int argc, char* argv[], unsigned flags);
diff --git a/src/ctl-client.c b/src/ctl-client.c
index d74159f0..6f036bf6 100644
--- a/src/ctl-client.c
+++ b/src/ctl-client.c
@@ -245,20 +245,104 @@ static struct jsonipc_response* ctl_client_wait_for_response(struct ctl_client*
 	return response;
 }
 
+static void print_error(struct jsonipc_response* response, const char* method)
+{
+	printf("Error (%d)", response->code);
+	if (!response->data)
+		goto out;
+	json_t* data = response->data;
+	if (json_is_string(data))
+		printf(": %s", json_string_value(data));
+	else if (json_is_object(data) &&
+			json_is_string(json_object_get(data, "error")))
+		printf(": %s", json_string_value(json_object_get(data, "error")));
+	else
+		json_dumpf(response->data, stdout, JSON_INDENT(2));
+out:
+	printf("\n");
+}
+
+static void print_help(json_t* data)
+{
+	if (json_object_get(data, "commands")) {
+		printf("Allowed commands:\n");
+		json_t* cmd_list = json_object_get(data, "commands");
+		size_t index;
+		json_t *value;
+
+		json_array_foreach(cmd_list, index, value) {
+			printf("  - %s\n", json_string_value(value));
+		}
+		printf("\nRun 'wayvncctl command-name --help' for command-specific details.\n");
+		return;
+	}
+	const char *key;
+	json_t *value;
+
+	json_object_foreach(data, key, value) {
+		char *desc = NULL;
+		json_t* params = NULL;
+		json_unpack(value, "{s:s, s?o}", "description", &desc,
+				"params", &params);
+		printf("Usage: wayvncctl [options] %s%s\n\n%s\n", key,
+				params ? " [params]" : "",
+				desc);
+		if (params) {
+			printf("\nParameters:");
+			const char* param_name;
+			json_t* param_value;
+			json_object_foreach(params, param_name, param_value) {
+				printf("\n  --%s=...\n    %s\n", param_name,
+						json_string_value(param_value));
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+static void pretty_version(json_t* data)
+{
+	printf("wayvnc is running:\n");
+	const char *key;
+	json_t *value;
+	json_object_foreach(data, key, value)
+		printf("  %s: %s\n", key, json_string_value(value));
+}
+
+static void pretty_print(json_t* data, const char* method)
+{
+	if (strcmp(method, "help") == 0)
+		print_help(data);
+	else if (strcmp(method, "version") == 0)
+		pretty_version(data);
+	else
+		json_dumpf(data, stdout, JSON_INDENT(2));
+}
+
+static void print_compact_json(json_t* data)
+{
+	json_dumpf(data, stdout, JSON_COMPACT);
+	printf("\n");
+}
+
 static int ctl_client_print_response(struct ctl_client* self,
-		struct jsonipc_response* response)
+		struct jsonipc_request*  request,
+		struct jsonipc_response* response,
+		unsigned flags)
 {
 	DEBUG("Response code: %d", response->code);
 	if (response->data) {
-		char* data = json_dumps(response->data, JSON_INDENT(4));
-		printf("%s\n", data);
-		free(data);
+		if (flags & PRINT_JSON)
+			print_compact_json(response->data);
+		else if (response->code == 0)
+			pretty_print(response->data, request->method);
+		else
+			print_error(response, request->method);
 	}
 	return response->code;
 }
 
 int ctl_client_run_command(struct ctl_client* self,
-		int argc, char* argv[])
+		int argc, char* argv[], unsigned flags)
 {
 	int result = -1;
 	struct jsonipc_request*	request = ctl_client_parse_args(self, argc, argv);
@@ -272,7 +356,7 @@ int ctl_client_run_command(struct ctl_client* self,
 	if (!response)
 		goto receive_failure;
 
-	result = ctl_client_print_response(self, response);
+	result = ctl_client_print_response(self, request, response, flags);
 
 	jsonipc_response_destroy(response);
 receive_failure:
diff --git a/src/wayvncctl.c b/src/wayvncctl.c
index e7f75619..12cfecf6 100644
--- a/src/wayvncctl.c
+++ b/src/wayvncctl.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ static int wayvncctl_usage(FILE* stream, int rc)
 "Try the \"help\" command for a list of available commands.\n"
 "\n"
 "    -S,--socket=<path>                        Wayvnc control socket path.\n"
+"    -j,--json                                 Output json on stdout.\n"
 "                                              Default: $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/wayvncctl\n"
 "    -V,--version                              Show version info.\n"
 "    -v,--verbose                              Be more verbose.\n"
@@ -72,13 +73,16 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 {
 	struct wayvncctl self = { 0 };
 
-	static const char* shortopts = "+S:hVv";
+	static const char* shortopts = "+S:hVvj";
 
 	bool verbose = false;
 	const char* socket_path = NULL;
 
+	unsigned flags = 0;
+
 	static const struct option longopts[] = {
 		{ "socket", required_argument, NULL, 'S' },
+		{ "json", no_argument, NULL, 'j' },
 		{ "help", no_argument, NULL, 'h' },
 		{ "version", no_argument, NULL, 'V' },
 		{ "verbose", no_argument, NULL, 'v' },
@@ -94,6 +98,9 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 		case 'S':
 			socket_path = optarg;
 			break;
+		case 'j':
+			flags |= PRINT_JSON;
+			break;
 		case 'v':
 			verbose = true;
 			break;
@@ -113,7 +120,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 	if (!self.ctl)
 		goto ctl_client_failure;
 
-	int result = ctl_client_run_command(self.ctl, argc, argv);
+	int result = ctl_client_run_command(self.ctl, argc, argv, flags);
 
 	ctl_client_destroy(self.ctl);
 
diff --git a/wayvncctl.scd b/wayvncctl.scd
index c2d20d7a..d00ac3b6 100644
--- a/wayvncctl.scd
+++ b/wayvncctl.scd
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ wayvncctl - A control client for wayvnc(1)
 	Set wayvnc control socket path. Default: $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/wayvncctl
 	or /tmp/wayvncctl-$UID
 
+*-j, --json*
+	Produce json output to stdout.
+
 *-V, --version*
 	Show version info.
 
@@ -38,30 +41,25 @@ Query the server for all available command names:
 
 ```
 $ wayvncctl help
-{
-    "commands": [
-        "help",
-        "version",
-        "set-output",
-	...
-    ]
-}
+Allowed commands:
+  - help
+  - version
+  - set-output
+
+Run 'wayvncctl command-name --help' for command-specific details.
 ```
 
 Get help on the "help" command:
 
 ```
-$ wayvncctl help --command help
-{
-    "help": {
-        "description": "List all commands, or show usage of a specific command",
-        "params": [
-            {
-                "command": "The command to show (optional)"
-            }
-        ]
-    }
-}
+$ wayvncctl help --help
+Usage: wayvncctl [options] help [params]
+
+List all commands, or show usage of a specific command
+
+Parameters:
+  --command=...
+    The command to show (optional)
 ```
 
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