diff --git a/cmd/podman/images/list.go b/cmd/podman/images/list.go
index 236ae15b44..4a9df5712d 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/images/list.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/images/list.go
@@ -141,8 +141,12 @@ func writeJSON(imageS []*entities.ImageSummary) error {
 		imgs = append(imgs, h)
 	}
 
-	enc := json.NewEncoder(os.Stdout)
-	return enc.Encode(imgs)
+	prettyJSON, err := json.MarshalIndent(imgs, "", "    ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	fmt.Println(string(prettyJSON))
+	return nil
 }
 
 func writeTemplate(imageS []*entities.ImageSummary) error {