diff --git a/cli/parse.go b/cli/parse.go
index eebd6b43..e8926759 100644
--- a/cli/parse.go
+++ b/cli/parse.go
@@ -45,16 +45,6 @@ func Parse(ctx context.Context, input []string, stdin *os.File, root *cmds.Comma
 		return req, err
 	}
 
-	// if no encoding was specified by user, default to plaintext encoding
-	// (if command doesn't support plaintext, use JSON instead)
-	if enc := req.Options[cmds.EncLong]; enc == "" {
-		if req.Command.Encoders != nil && req.Command.Encoders[cmds.Text] != nil {
-			req.SetOption(cmds.EncLong, cmds.Text)
-		} else {
-			req.SetOption(cmds.EncLong, cmds.JSON)
-		}
-	}
-
 	return req, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/cli/run.go b/cli/run.go
index 46b68280..f57c29a6 100644
--- a/cli/run.go
+++ b/cli/run.go
@@ -102,8 +102,6 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, root *cmds.Command,
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	cmd := req.Command
-
 	env, err := buildEnv(req.Context, req)
 	if err != nil {
 		printErr(err)
@@ -119,14 +117,6 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, root *cmds.Command,
 		return err
 	}
 
-	encTypeStr, _ := req.Options[cmds.EncLong].(string)
-	encType := cmds.EncodingType(encTypeStr)
-
-	// use JSON if text was requested but the command doesn't have a text-encoder
-	if _, ok := cmd.Encoders[encType]; encType == cmds.Text && !ok {
-		req.Options[cmds.EncLong] = cmds.JSON
-	}
-
 	re, err := NewResponseEmitter(stdout, stderr, req)
 	if err != nil {
 		printErr(err)
diff --git a/command.go b/command.go
index f31b3de2..0937eb8e 100644
--- a/command.go
+++ b/command.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ package cmds
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"strings"
 
 	files "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-files"
@@ -30,6 +31,10 @@ type Function func(*Request, ResponseEmitter, Environment) error
 // PostRunMap is the map used in Command.PostRun.
 type PostRunMap map[PostRunType]func(Response, ResponseEmitter) error
 
+// DisplayCLI supplies an function for console output in local
+// processes in combination with a text Encoder.
+type DisplayCLI func(res Response, stdout, stderr io.Writer) error
+
 // Command is a runnable command, with input arguments and options (flags).
 // It can also have Subcommands, to group units of work into sets.
 type Command struct {
@@ -62,6 +67,10 @@ type Command struct {
 	// the local process.
 	PostRun PostRunMap
 
+	// DisplayCLI is for text output in local process in
+	// combination with 'text' Encoder.
+	DisplayCLI DisplayCLI
+
 	// Encoders encode results from Run (and/or PostRun) in the desired
 	// encoding.
 	Encoders EncoderMap
diff --git a/executor.go b/executor.go
index f25f5e68..209c03eb 100644
--- a/executor.go
+++ b/executor.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package cmds
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"os"
 )
 
 type Executor interface {
@@ -51,9 +52,20 @@ func (x *executor) Execute(req *Request, re ResponseEmitter, env Environment) er
 		}
 	}
 
-	// contains the error returned by PostRun
+	// contains the error returned by DisplayCLI or PostRun
 	errCh := make(chan error, 1)
-	if cmd.PostRun != nil {
+	if cmd.DisplayCLI != nil && GetEncoding(req, "json") == "text" {
+		var (
+			res   Response
+		)
+
+		re, res = NewChanResponsePair(req)
+
+		go func() {
+			defer close(errCh)
+			errCh <- cmd.DisplayCLI(res, os.Stdout, os.Stderr)
+		}()
+	} else if cmd.PostRun != nil {
 		if typer, ok := re.(interface {
 			Type() PostRunType
 		}); ok && cmd.PostRun[typer.Type()] != nil {
diff --git a/http/client.go b/http/client.go
index d19c9fb9..0a0589e4 100644
--- a/http/client.go
+++ b/http/client.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs-cmds"
@@ -132,6 +133,11 @@ func (c *client) Execute(req *cmds.Request, re cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.En
 		}
 	}
 
+	if cmd.DisplayCLI != nil &&
+		cmds.GetEncoding(req, cmds.Undefined) == cmds.Text {
+		return cmd.DisplayCLI(res, os.Stdout, os.Stderr)
+	}
+
 	return cmds.Copy(re, res)
 }