diff --git a/pkg/marshal/json_converter.go b/pkg/marshal/json_converter.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 5ca9961d..00000000
--- a/pkg/marshal/json_converter.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,54 +0,0 @@
-package marshal
-
-import (
-	"encoding/json"
-	"fmt"
-	"strconv"
-
-	yaml "github.com/mikefarah/yaml/v2"
-)
-
-type JsonConverter interface {
-	JsonToString(context interface{}) (string, error)
-}
-
-type jsonConverter struct{}
-
-func NewJsonConverter() JsonConverter {
-	return &jsonConverter{}
-}
-
-func (j *jsonConverter) JsonToString(context interface{}) (string, error) {
-	out, err := json.Marshal(j.toJSON(context))
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("error printing yaml as json: %v", err)
-	}
-	return string(out), nil
-}
-
-func (j *jsonConverter) toJSON(context interface{}) interface{} {
-	switch context := context.(type) {
-	case []interface{}:
-		oldArray := context
-		newArray := make([]interface{}, len(oldArray))
-		for index, value := range oldArray {
-			newArray[index] = j.toJSON(value)
-		}
-		return newArray
-	case yaml.MapSlice:
-		oldMap := context
-		newMap := make(map[string]interface{})
-		for _, entry := range oldMap {
-			if str, ok := entry.Key.(string); ok {
-				newMap[str] = j.toJSON(entry.Value)
-			} else if i, ok := entry.Key.(int); ok {
-				newMap[strconv.Itoa(i)] = j.toJSON(entry.Value)
-			} else if b, ok := entry.Key.(bool); ok {
-				newMap[strconv.FormatBool(b)] = j.toJSON(entry.Value)
-			}
-		}
-		return newMap
-	default:
-		return context
-	}
-}
diff --git a/pkg/marshal/json_converter_test.go b/pkg/marshal/json_converter_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index e49fbd28..00000000
--- a/pkg/marshal/json_converter_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,48 +0,0 @@
-package marshal
-
-import (
-	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/mikefarah/yq/v2/test"
-)
-
-func TestJsonToString(t *testing.T) {
-	var data = test.ParseData(`
----
-b:
-  c: 2
-`)
-	got, _ := NewJsonConverter().JsonToString(data)
-	test.AssertResult(t, "{\"b\":{\"c\":2}}", got)
-}
-
-func TestJsonToString_withIntKey(t *testing.T) {
-	var data = test.ParseData(`
----
-b:
-  2: c
-`)
-	got, _ := NewJsonConverter().JsonToString(data)
-	test.AssertResult(t, `{"b":{"2":"c"}}`, got)
-}
-
-func TestJsonToString_withBoolKey(t *testing.T) {
-	var data = test.ParseData(`
----
-b:
-  false: c
-`)
-	got, _ := NewJsonConverter().JsonToString(data)
-	test.AssertResult(t, `{"b":{"false":"c"}}`, got)
-}
-
-func TestJsonToString_withArray(t *testing.T) {
-	var data = test.ParseData(`
----
-b:
-  - item: one
-  - item: two
-`)
-	got, _ := NewJsonConverter().JsonToString(data)
-	test.AssertResult(t, "{\"b\":[{\"item\":\"one\"},{\"item\":\"two\"}]}", got)
-}
diff --git a/pkg/marshal/yaml_converter.go b/pkg/marshal/yaml_converter.go
deleted file mode 100644
index b5826da8..00000000
--- a/pkg/marshal/yaml_converter.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,43 +0,0 @@
-package marshal
-
-import (
-	"strings"
-
-	yaml "github.com/mikefarah/yaml/v2"
-	errors "github.com/pkg/errors"
-)
-
-type YamlConverter interface {
-	YamlToString(context interface{}, trimOutput bool) (string, error)
-}
-
-type yamlConverter struct{}
-
-func NewYamlConverter() YamlConverter {
-	return &yamlConverter{}
-}
-
-func (y *yamlConverter) YamlToString(context interface{}, trimOutput bool) (string, error) {
-	switch context := context.(type) {
-	case string:
-		return context, nil
-	default:
-		return y.marshalContext(context, trimOutput)
-	}
-}
-
-func (y *yamlConverter) marshalContext(context interface{}, trimOutput bool) (string, error) {
-	out, err := yaml.Marshal(context)
-
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", errors.Wrap(err, "error printing yaml")
-	}
-
-	outStr := string(out)
-	// trim the trailing new line as it's easier for a script to add
-	// it in if required than to remove it
-	if trimOutput {
-		return strings.Trim(outStr, "\n "), nil
-	}
-	return outStr, nil
-}
diff --git a/pkg/marshal/yaml_converter_test.go b/pkg/marshal/yaml_converter_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 35e9a4d1..00000000
--- a/pkg/marshal/yaml_converter_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,52 +0,0 @@
-package marshal
-
-import (
-	"testing"
-
-	"github.com/mikefarah/yq/v2/test"
-)
-
-func TestYamlToString(t *testing.T) {
-	var raw = `b:
-  c: 2
-`
-	var data = test.ParseData(raw)
-	got, _ := NewYamlConverter().YamlToString(data, false)
-	test.AssertResult(t, raw, got)
-}
-
-func TestYamlToString_withTrim(t *testing.T) {
-	var raw = `b:
-  c: 2`
-	var data = test.ParseData(raw)
-	got, _ := NewYamlConverter().YamlToString(data, true)
-	test.AssertResult(t, raw, got)
-}
-
-func TestYamlToString_withIntKey(t *testing.T) {
-	var raw = `b:
-  2: c
-`
-	var data = test.ParseData(raw)
-	got, _ := NewYamlConverter().YamlToString(data, false)
-	test.AssertResult(t, raw, got)
-}
-
-func TestYamlToString_withBoolKey(t *testing.T) {
-	var raw = `b:
-  false: c
-`
-	var data = test.ParseData(raw)
-	got, _ := NewYamlConverter().YamlToString(data, false)
-	test.AssertResult(t, raw, got)
-}
-
-func TestYamlToString_withArray(t *testing.T) {
-	var raw = `b:
-- item: one
-- item: two
-`
-	var data = test.ParseData(raw)
-	got, _ := NewYamlConverter().YamlToString(data, false)
-	test.AssertResult(t, raw, got)
-}
diff --git a/yq.go b/yq.go
index 5a21169c..c0d576c4 100644
--- a/yq.go
+++ b/yq.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
 
-	"github.com/mikefarah/yq/v3/pkg/marshal"
 	"github.com/mikefarah/yq/v3/pkg/yqlib"
 
 	errors "github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -31,8 +30,6 @@ var version = false
 var docIndex = "0"
 var log = logging.MustGetLogger("yq")
 var lib = yqlib.NewYqLib(log)
-var jsonConverter = marshal.NewJsonConverter()
-var yamlConverter = marshal.NewYamlConverter()
 var valueParser = yqlib.NewValueParser()
 
 func main() {
@@ -595,13 +592,6 @@ func parseValue(argument string) yaml.Node {
 	return yaml.Node{Value: argument, Tag: tag, Kind: yaml.ScalarNode}
 }
 
-func toString(context interface{}) (string, error) {
-	if outputToJSON {
-		return jsonConverter.JsonToString(context)
-	}
-	return yamlConverter.YamlToString(context, true)
-}
-
 func safelyRenameFile(from string, to string) {
 	if renameError := os.Rename(from, to); renameError != nil {
 		log.Debugf("Error renaming from %v to %v, attempting to copy contents", from, to)