diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6164abe..0b3de51 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ $ npm install -g @theqrl/cli
 $ qrl-cli COMMAND
 running command...
 $ qrl-cli (-v|--version|version)
-@theqrl/cli/1.9.0 linux-x64 node-v16.13.1
+@theqrl/cli/1.9.0 linux-x64 node-v16.13.2
 $ qrl-cli --help [COMMAND]
 USAGE
   $ qrl-cli COMMAND
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@ OPTIONS
   -g, --grpc=grpc          advanced: grpc endpoint (for devnet/custom QRL network deployments)
   -h, --hexseed=hexseed    Secret (h)exseed/mnemonic of address notarization should be sent from
   -i, --otsindex=otsindex  Unused OTS key (i)ndex for message transaction
+  -j, --json               Return JSON response
   -m, --mainnet            uses mainnet for the notarization
   -p, --password=password  Encrypted QRL wallet file (p)assword
   -t, --testnet            uses testnet for the notarization
@@ -346,6 +347,7 @@ ARGUMENTS
 
 OPTIONS
   -g, --grpc=grpc          Custom grcp endpoint to connect a hosted QRL node (-g 127.0.0.1:19009)
+  -j, --json               Output in JSON
   -m, --mainnet            (default) Queries mainnet for the OTS state
   -p, --password=password  wallet file password if encrypted
   -t, --testnet            Queries testnet for the OTS state
diff --git a/src/commands/notarize.js b/src/commands/notarize.js
index abcd883..e484ad0 100644
--- a/src/commands/notarize.js
+++ b/src/commands/notarize.js
@@ -142,7 +142,9 @@ class Notarise extends Command {
       grpcEndpoint = 'mainnet-1.automated.theqrl.org:19009'
       network = 'Mainnet'
     }
-    this.log(white().bgBlue(network))
+    if (!flags.json){
+      this.log(white().bgBlue(network))
+    }
     // the data to notarise here, can be a file submitted (path) or a string passed on cli
     const spinner = ora({ text: 'Notarising Data...\n', }).start()
     if (args.dataHash) {
@@ -347,14 +349,20 @@ class Notarise extends Command {
       const pushTransactionRes = JSON.stringify(response.tx_hash)
       const txhash = JSON.parse(pushTransactionRes)
       if (txnHash === bytesToHex(txhash.data)) {
-        spinner4.succeed(`Transaction submitted to node: transaction ID: ${bytesToHex(txhash.data)}`)
-        
         // return link to explorer
         if (network === 'Mainnet') {
+          spinner4.succeed(`Transaction submitted to Mainnet node: transaction ID: ${bytesToHex(txhash.data)}`)
           spinner3.succeed(`https://explorer.theqrl.org/tx/${bytesToHex(txhash.data)}`)
+          if (flags.json){
+            this.log(`[{"tx_id":"${bytesToHex(txhash.data)}"}]`)
+          }
         }
         else if (network === 'Testnet') {
+          spinner4.succeed(`Transaction submitted to Testnet node: transaction ID: ${bytesToHex(txhash.data)}`)
           spinner3.succeed(`https://testnet-explorer.theqrl.org/tx/${bytesToHex(txhash.data)}`)
+          if (flags.json){
+            this.log(`[{"tx_id":"${bytesToHex(txhash.data)}"}]`)
+          }
         }
         // this.exit(0)
       } 
@@ -396,6 +404,13 @@ Notarise.flags = {
     description: 'uses mainnet for the notarization'
   }),
 
+  json: flags.boolean({
+    char: 'j',
+    default: false,
+    description: 'Return JSON response'
+  }),
+
+
   grpc: flags.string({
     char: 'g',
     required: false,
diff --git a/src/commands/ots.js b/src/commands/ots.js
index a447d1b..079833d 100644
--- a/src/commands/ots.js
+++ b/src/commands/ots.js
@@ -80,8 +80,11 @@ class OTSKey extends Command {
       grpcEndpoint = 'mainnet-1.automated.theqrl.org:19009'
       network = 'Mainnet'
     }
-    this.log(white().bgBlue(network))
-    const spinner = ora({text: 'Fetching OTS from API...'}).start()
+    let spinner = ""
+    if (!flags.json) {
+        this.log(white().bgBlue(network))
+        spinner = ora({text: 'Fetching OTS from API...'}).start()
+    }
     const Qrlnetwork = await new Qrlnode(grpcEndpoint)
     try {
       await Qrlnetwork.connect()
@@ -89,22 +92,27 @@ class OTSKey extends Command {
       let i = 0
       const count = 5
       while (Qrlnetwork.connection === false && i < count) {
-        spinner.succeed(`retry connection attempt: ${i}...`)
+        if (!flags.json) {
+            spinner.succeed(`retry connection attempt: ${i}...`)
+        }
         // eslint-disable-next-line no-await-in-loop
         await Qrlnetwork.connect()
         // eslint-disable-next-line no-plusplus
         i++
       }
     } catch (e) {
-      spinner.fail(`Failed to connect to node. Check network connection & parameters.\n${e}`)
+      this.log(`Failed to connect to node. Check network connection & parameters.\n${e}`)
       this.exit(1)
     }
 
     const request = { address: Buffer.from(address.substring(1), 'hex') }
     const response = await Qrlnetwork.api('GetOTS', request)
-    if (response.unused_ots_index_found) {
-      spinner.succeed(`Next unused OTS key: ${response.next_unused_ots_index}`)
+    if (response.unused_ots_index_found && flags.json) {
+      this.log(`[{"next_key": ${response.next_unused_ots_index}}]`)
       this.exit(0)
+    } else if (response.unused_ots_index_found && !flags.json) {
+        spinner.succeed(`Next unused OTS key: ${response.next_unused_ots_index}`)
+        this.exit(0)
     } else {
         this.log(`${red('⨉')} Unable to fetch an OTS key`)
         this.exit(1)
@@ -149,6 +157,12 @@ OTSKey.flags = {
   required: false,
   description: 'wallet file password if encrypted'
 }),
+  json: flags.boolean({
+  char: 'j',
+  required: false,
+  description: 'Output in JSON'
+}),
+
 }
 
-module.exports = {OTSKey}
+module.exports = {OTSKey}
\ No newline at end of file