diff --git a/acceptance_tests/output-format.sh b/acceptance_tests/output-format.sh
index 4d9c3f1a..a36290b5 100755
--- a/acceptance_tests/output-format.sh
+++ b/acceptance_tests/output-format.sh
@@ -37,10 +37,32 @@ EOL
 }
 EOM
 
-  X=$(./yq e -o=json test.yml)
+  X=$(./yq e --output-format=json test.yml)
   assertEquals "$expected" "$X"
 
-  X=$(./yq ea -o=json test.yml)
+  X=$(./yq ea --output-format=json test.yml)
+  assertEquals "$expected" "$X"
+}
+
+testOutputJsonShort() {
+  cat >test.yml <<EOL
+a: {b: ["cat"]}
+EOL
+
+  read -r -d '' expected << EOM
+{
+  "a": {
+    "b": [
+      "cat"
+    ]
+  }
+}
+EOM
+
+  X=$(./yq e -o=j test.yml)
+  assertEquals "$expected" "$X"
+
+  X=$(./yq ea -o=j test.yml)
   assertEquals "$expected" "$X"
 }
 
@@ -53,10 +75,26 @@ EOL
 a.b.c.0 = cat
 EOM
 
-  X=$(./yq e -o=props test.yml)
+  X=$(./yq e --output-format=props test.yml)
   assertEquals "$expected" "$X"
 
-  X=$(./yq ea -o=props test.yml)
+  X=$(./yq ea --output-format=props test.yml)
+  assertEquals "$expected" "$X"
+}
+
+testOutputPropertiesShort() {
+  cat >test.yml <<EOL
+a: {b: {c: ["cat"]}}
+EOL
+
+  read -r -d '' expected << EOM
+a.b.c.0 = cat
+EOM
+
+  X=$(./yq e -o=p test.yml)
+  assertEquals "$expected" "$X"
+
+  X=$(./yq ea -o=p test.yml)
   assertEquals "$expected" "$X"
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index cbe2fffc..11842d0c 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ See https://mikefarah.gitbook.io/yq/ for detailed documentation and examples.`,
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&outputFormat, "output-format", "o", "yaml", "[yaml|json|props] output format type.")
+	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&outputFormat, "output-format", "o", "yaml", "[yaml|y|json|j|props|p] output format type.")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&nullInput, "null-input", "n", false, "Don't read input, simply evaluate the expression given. Useful for creating yaml docs from scratch.")
 	rootCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&noDocSeparators, "no-doc", "N", false, "Don't print document separators (---)")
 
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/printer.go b/pkg/yqlib/printer.go
index 3042fb20..1d8031d3 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/printer.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/printer.go
@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@ const (
 
 func OutputFormatFromString(format string) (PrinterOutputFormat, error) {
 	switch format {
-	case "yaml":
+	case "yaml", "y":
 		return YamlOutputFormat, nil
-	case "json":
+	case "json", "j":
 		return JsonOutputFormat, nil
-	case "props":
+	case "props", "p":
 		return PropsOutputFormat, nil
 	default:
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("Unknown fromat '%v' please use [yaml|json|props]", format)