diff --git a/command/alloc_status.go b/command/alloc_status.go
index 21cc39e6a..ff9af16a3 100644
--- a/command/alloc_status.go
+++ b/command/alloc_status.go
@@ -44,11 +44,11 @@ Alloc Status Options:
   -verbose
     Show full information.
 
-  -format
-    Display specified format, "json" or "template".
+  -json
+    Display information with json format.
 
   -t
-    Sets the template with golang templates format.
+    Set golang templates format and display information with it.
 `
 
 	return strings.TrimSpace(helpText)
@@ -59,15 +59,15 @@ func (c *AllocStatusCommand) Synopsis() string {
 }
 
 func (c *AllocStatusCommand) Run(args []string) int {
-	var short, displayStats, verbose bool
-	var format, tmpl string
+	var short, displayStats, verbose, json bool
+	var tmpl string
 
 	flags := c.Meta.FlagSet("alloc-status", FlagSetClient)
 	flags.Usage = func() { c.Ui.Output(c.Help()) }
 	flags.BoolVar(&short, "short", false, "")
 	flags.BoolVar(&verbose, "verbose", false, "")
 	flags.BoolVar(&displayStats, "stats", false, "")
-	flags.StringVar(&format, "format", "default", "")
+	flags.BoolVar(&json, "json", false, "")
 	flags.StringVar(&tmpl, "t", "", "")
 
 	if err := flags.Parse(args); err != nil {
@@ -140,7 +140,13 @@ func (c *AllocStatusCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	}
 
 	// If output format is specified, format and output the data
-	if format != "default" {
+	var format string
+	if json {
+		format = "json"
+	} else if len(tmpl) > 0 {
+		format = "template"
+	}
+	if len(format) > 0 {
 		f, err := DataFormat(format, tmpl)
 		if err != nil {
 			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error getting formatter: %s", err))
diff --git a/command/data_format.go b/command/data_format.go
index 492562941..c11887b9b 100644
--- a/command/data_format.go
+++ b/command/data_format.go
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ type DataFormatter interface {
 func DataFormat(format, tmpl string) (DataFormatter, error) {
 	switch format {
 	case "json":
+		if len(tmpl) > 0 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("json format does not support template option.")
+		}
 		return &JSONFormat{}, nil
 	case "template":
 		return &TemplateFormat{tmpl}, nil
diff --git a/command/eval_status.go b/command/eval_status.go
index ff8becd66..88799d3fd 100644
--- a/command/eval_status.go
+++ b/command/eval_status.go
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ Eval Status Options:
   -verbose
     Show full information.
 
-  -format
-    Display specified format, "json" or "template".
+  -json
+    Display information with json format.
 
   -t
-    Sets the template with golang templates format.
+    Set golang templates format and display information with it.
 `
 
 	return strings.TrimSpace(helpText)
@@ -47,14 +47,14 @@ func (c *EvalStatusCommand) Synopsis() string {
 }
 
 func (c *EvalStatusCommand) Run(args []string) int {
-	var monitor, verbose bool
-	var format, tmpl string
+	var monitor, verbose, json bool
+	var tmpl string
 
 	flags := c.Meta.FlagSet("eval-status", FlagSetClient)
 	flags.Usage = func() { c.Ui.Output(c.Help()) }
 	flags.BoolVar(&monitor, "monitor", false, "")
 	flags.BoolVar(&verbose, "verbose", false, "")
-	flags.StringVar(&format, "format", "default", "")
+	flags.BoolVar(&json, "json", false, "")
 	flags.StringVar(&tmpl, "t", "", "")
 
 	if err := flags.Parse(args); err != nil {
@@ -134,7 +134,13 @@ func (c *EvalStatusCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	}
 
 	// If output format is specified, format and output the data
-	if format != "default" {
+	var format string
+	if json {
+		format = "json"
+	} else if len(tmpl) > 0 {
+		format = "template"
+	}
+	if len(format) > 0 {
 		f, err := DataFormat(format, tmpl)
 		if err != nil {
 			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error getting formatter: %s", err))
diff --git a/command/node_status.go b/command/node_status.go
index 274bc8967..13d4a154c 100644
--- a/command/node_status.go
+++ b/command/node_status.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ type NodeStatusCommand struct {
 	list_allocs bool
 	self        bool
 	stats       bool
-	format      string
+	json        bool
 	tmpl        string
 }
 
@@ -69,11 +69,11 @@ Node Status Options:
   -verbose
     Display full information.
 
-  -format
-    Display specified format, "json" or "template".
+  -json
+    Display information with json format.
 
   -t
-    Sets the template with golang templates format.
+    Set golang templates format and display information with it.
 `
 	return strings.TrimSpace(helpText)
 }
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ func (c *NodeStatusCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	flags.BoolVar(&c.list_allocs, "allocs", false, "")
 	flags.BoolVar(&c.self, "self", false, "")
 	flags.BoolVar(&c.stats, "stats", false, "")
-	flags.StringVar(&c.format, "format", "default", "")
+	flags.BoolVar(&c.json, "json", false, "")
 	flags.StringVar(&c.tmpl, "t", "", "")
 
 	if err := flags.Parse(args); err != nil {
@@ -227,8 +227,14 @@ func (c *NodeStatusCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	}
 
 	// If output format is specified, format and output the data
-	if c.format != "default" {
-		f, err := DataFormat(c.format, c.tmpl)
+	var format string
+	if c.json {
+		format = "json"
+	} else if len(c.tmpl) > 0 {
+		format = "template"
+	}
+	if len(format) > 0 {
+		f, err := DataFormat(format, c.tmpl)
 		if err != nil {
 			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error getting formatter: %s", err))
 			return 1
diff --git a/command/status.go b/command/status.go
index a11ad6e6b..dcca9c1bd 100644
--- a/command/status.go
+++ b/command/status.go
@@ -46,12 +46,6 @@ Status Options:
 
   -verbose
     Display full information.
-
-  -format
-    Display specified format, "json" or "template".
-
-  -t
-    Sets the template with golang templates format.
 `
 	return strings.TrimSpace(helpText)
 }
@@ -62,15 +56,12 @@ func (c *StatusCommand) Synopsis() string {
 
 func (c *StatusCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 	var short bool
-	var format, tmpl string
 
 	flags := c.Meta.FlagSet("status", FlagSetClient)
 	flags.Usage = func() { c.Ui.Output(c.Help()) }
 	flags.BoolVar(&short, "short", false, "")
 	flags.BoolVar(&c.showEvals, "evals", false, "")
 	flags.BoolVar(&c.verbose, "verbose", false, "")
-	flags.StringVar(&format, "format", "default", "")
-	flags.StringVar(&tmpl, "t", "", "")
 
 	if err := flags.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return 1
@@ -154,23 +145,6 @@ func (c *StatusCommand) Run(args []string) int {
 		return 1
 	}
 
-	// If output format is specified, format and output the data
-	if format != "default" {
-		f, err := DataFormat(format, tmpl)
-		if err != nil {
-			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error getting formatter: %s", err))
-			return 1
-		}
-
-		out, err := f.TransformData(job)
-		if err != nil {
-			c.Ui.Error(fmt.Sprintf("Error transform the data: %s", err))
-			return 1
-		}
-		c.Ui.Output(out)
-		return 0
-	}
-
 	// Check if it is periodic
 	sJob, err := convertApiJob(job)
 	if err != nil {