diff --git a/src/cmd_file.rs b/src/cmd_file.rs
index c9f7a991..35ee3f2a 100644
--- a/src/cmd_file.rs
+++ b/src/cmd_file.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use kittycad_modeling_cmds::{
     websocket::OkWebSocketResponseData,
 };
 
-use crate::cmd_kcl::write_deterministic_export;
+use crate::{cmd_kcl::write_deterministic_export, types::FormatOutput};
 
 /// Perform operations on CAD files.
 ///
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ pub struct CmdFileConvert {
     #[clap(long, short, value_enum)]
     pub format: Option<crate::types::FormatOutput>,
 
+    /// Output JSON to stdout, with human-readable status messages on stderr.
+    #[clap(long, conflicts_with = "format")]
+    pub json: bool,
+
     /// If true, the output file should be deterministic, meaning any date or time information
     /// will be replaced with a fixed value.
     /// This is useful for when pushing to version control.
@@ -126,6 +130,12 @@ impl crate::cmd::Command for CmdFileConvert {
             .create_conversion(self.output_format.clone(), src_format, &input.into())
             .await?;
 
+        let format = if self.json {
+            FormatOutput::Json
+        } else {
+            ctx.format(&self.format)?
+        };
+
         // If they specified an output file, save the output to that file.
         if file_conversion.status == kittycad::types::ApiCallStatus::Completed {
             if let Some(outputs) = file_conversion.outputs {
@@ -137,12 +147,21 @@ impl crate::cmd::Command for CmdFileConvert {
                     } else {
                         std::fs::write(&path, data)?;
                     }
-                    writeln!(
-                        ctx.io.out,
-                        "wrote file `{}` to {}",
-                        filename,
-                        path.to_str().unwrap_or("")
-                    )?;
+                    if format == FormatOutput::Table {
+                        writeln!(
+                            ctx.io.out,
+                            "wrote file `{}` to {}",
+                            filename,
+                            path.to_str().unwrap_or("")
+                        )?;
+                    } else {
+                        writeln!(
+                            ctx.io.err_out,
+                            "wrote file `{}` to {}",
+                            filename,
+                            path.to_str().unwrap_or("")
+                        )?;
+                    }
                 }
             } else {
                 anyhow::bail!(
@@ -156,7 +175,6 @@ impl crate::cmd::Command for CmdFileConvert {
         file_conversion.outputs = None;
 
         // Print the output of the conversion.
-        let format = ctx.format(&self.format)?;
         ctx.io.write_output(&format, &file_conversion)?;
 
         Ok(())
@@ -803,6 +821,7 @@ mod test {
                         output_format: kittycad::types::FileExportFormat::Obj,
                         src_format: None,
                         format: None,
+                        json: false,
                         deterministic:false,
 
                     }),
@@ -818,6 +837,7 @@ mod test {
                         output_format: kittycad::types::FileExportFormat::Obj,
                         src_format: None,
                         format: None,
+                        json: false,
                         deterministic:false,
                     }),
                     stdin: "".to_string(),
diff --git a/src/cmd_project.rs b/src/cmd_project.rs
index cce333b0..e6aece33 100644
--- a/src/cmd_project.rs
+++ b/src/cmd_project.rs
@@ -354,6 +354,10 @@ pub struct CmdProjectPublish {
     /// Command output format.
     #[clap(long, short, value_enum)]
     pub format: Option<FormatOutput>,
+
+    /// Output JSON to stdout, with human-readable status messages on stderr.
+    #[clap(long, conflicts_with = "format")]
+    pub json: bool,
 }
 
 #[async_trait::async_trait(?Send)]
@@ -369,14 +373,23 @@ impl crate::cmd::Command for CmdProjectPublish {
         if let ProjectTarget::Local { local, .. } = target {
             crate::project::persist_cloud_project_id(&local.project_toml, &environment, project.id)?;
         }
-        writeln!(
-            ctx.io.out,
+
+        let format = if self.json {
+            FormatOutput::Json
+        } else {
+            ctx.format(&self.format)?
+        };
+        let message = format!(
             "{} Submitted Zoo cloud project {} for publication review",
             ctx.io.color_scheme().success_icon(),
             project.id
-        )?;
+        );
+        if format == FormatOutput::Table {
+            writeln!(ctx.io.out, "{message}")?;
+        } else {
+            writeln!(ctx.io.err_out, "{message}")?;
+        }
 
-        let format = ctx.format(&self.format)?;
         write_project_output(ctx, &format, &project)?;
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -412,6 +425,10 @@ pub struct CmdProjectUpload {
     /// Command output format.
     #[clap(long, short, value_enum)]
     pub format: Option<FormatOutput>,
+
+    /// Output JSON to stdout, with human-readable status messages on stderr.
+    #[clap(long, conflicts_with = "format")]
+    pub json: bool,
 }
 
 #[async_trait::async_trait(?Send)]
@@ -443,16 +460,24 @@ impl crate::cmd::Command for CmdProjectUpload {
         };
 
         crate::project::persist_cloud_project_id(&local.project_toml, &environment, project.id)?;
-        writeln!(
-            ctx.io.out,
+        let format = if self.json {
+            FormatOutput::Json
+        } else {
+            ctx.format(&self.format)?
+        };
+        let message = format!(
             "{} {} Zoo cloud project id {} in {}",
             ctx.io.color_scheme().success_icon(),
             if existing_id.is_some() { "Updated" } else { "Stored" },
             project.id,
             local.project_toml.display()
-        )?;
+        );
+        if format == FormatOutput::Table {
+            writeln!(ctx.io.out, "{message}")?;
+        } else {
+            writeln!(ctx.io.err_out, "{message}")?;
+        }
 
-        let format = ctx.format(&self.format)?;
         write_project_output(ctx, &format, &project)?;
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/src/tests.rs b/src/tests.rs
index a0019f95..eeb7b56d 100644
--- a/src/tests.rs
+++ b/src/tests.rs
@@ -570,7 +570,26 @@ cli_tests! {
             ],
         )
         .setup(setup_authenticated)
-        .stdout_contains("Completed")
+        .stdout_contains("wrote file `source.stl`")
+    }
+
+    convert_a_file_as_json(_ctx) => {
+        TestItem::new(
+            "convert a file as json",
+            svec![
+                "zoo",
+                "file",
+                "convert",
+                "assets/in_obj.obj",
+                "/tmp/",
+                "--output-format",
+                "stl",
+                "--json",
+            ],
+        )
+        .setup(setup_authenticated)
+        .stderr_contains("wrote file `source.stl`")
+        .stdout_contains(r#""status": "completed""#)
     }
 
     get_the_file_volume(_ctx) => {