diff --git a/cmd/helm/init.go b/cmd/helm/init.go
index 2982e95d2..fe5b40cc0 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/init.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/init.go
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ func (i *initCmd) run() error {
 		case "json":
 			var out bytes.Buffer
 			jsonb, err := yaml.ToJSON([]byte(body))
-			if err := json.Indent(&out, jsonb, "", "    "); err != nil {
+			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			tm := []byte("{\"apiVersion\":\"extensions/v1beta1\",\"kind\":\"Deployment\",")
diff --git a/cmd/helm/init_test.go b/cmd/helm/init_test.go
index 55b62d284..2e26652bf 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/init_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/init_test.go
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/client-go/pkg/apis/extensions/v1beta1"
 	testcore "k8s.io/client-go/testing"
 
+	"encoding/json"
+
 	"k8s.io/helm/cmd/helm/installer"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/helm/helmpath"
 )
@@ -302,3 +304,53 @@ func TestInitCmd_tlsOptions(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// TestInitCmd_output tests that init -o formats are unmarshal-able
+func TestInitCmd_output(t *testing.T) {
+	// This is purely defensive in this case.
+	home, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "helm_home")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	dbg := settings.Debug
+	settings.Debug = true
+	defer func() {
+		os.Remove(home)
+		settings.Debug = dbg
+	}()
+	fc := fake.NewSimpleClientset()
+	tests := []struct {
+		expectF    func([]byte, interface{}) error
+		expectName string
+	}{
+		{
+			json.Unmarshal,
+			"json",
+		},
+		{
+			yaml.Unmarshal,
+			"yaml",
+		},
+	}
+	for _, s := range tests {
+		var buf bytes.Buffer
+		cmd := &initCmd{
+			out:        &buf,
+			home:       helmpath.Home(home),
+			kubeClient: fc,
+			opts:       installer.Options{Output: installer.OutputFormat(s.expectName)},
+			namespace:  v1.NamespaceDefault,
+		}
+		if err := cmd.run(); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if got := len(fc.Actions()); got != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("expected no server calls, got %d", got)
+		}
+		d := &v1beta1.Deployment{}
+		if err = s.expectF(buf.Bytes(), &d); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("error unmarshalling init %s output %s %s", s.expectName, err, string(buf.Bytes()))
+		}
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/cmd/helm/installer/options.go b/cmd/helm/installer/options.go
index 29c39f4f3..3e315e2a4 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/installer/options.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/installer/options.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ type Options struct {
 	NodeSelectors string
 
 	// Output dumps the Tiller manifest in the specified format (e.g. JSON) but skips Helm/Tiller installation
-	Output outputFormat
+	Output OutputFormat
 
 	// Set merges additional values into the Tiller Deployment manifest
 	Values []string
@@ -114,23 +114,23 @@ func (opts *Options) valuesMap(m map[string]interface{}) (map[string]interface{}
 	return m, nil
 }
 
-type outputFormat string
+type OutputFormat string
 
-func (f *outputFormat) String() string {
+func (f *OutputFormat) String() string {
 	return string(*f)
 }
 
-func (f *outputFormat) Type() string {
-	return "outputFormat"
+func (f *OutputFormat) Type() string {
+	return "OutputFormat"
 }
 
 const (
-	fmtJSON outputFormat = "json"
+	fmtJSON OutputFormat = "json"
 	fmtYAML              = "yaml"
 )
 
-func (f *outputFormat) Set(s string) error {
-	for _, of := range []outputFormat{fmtJSON, fmtYAML} {
+func (f *OutputFormat) Set(s string) error {
+	for _, of := range []OutputFormat{fmtJSON, fmtYAML} {
 		if s == string(of) {
 			*f = of
 			return nil
diff --git a/docs/helm/helm_init.md b/docs/helm/helm_init.md
index de4ee75fe..5198f3c07 100644
--- a/docs/helm/helm_init.md
+++ b/docs/helm/helm_init.md
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ helm init
       --local-repo-url string    URL for local repository (default "http://127.0.0.1:8879/charts")
       --net-host                 install Tiller with net=host
       --node-selectors string    labels to specify the node on which Tiller is installed (app=tiller,helm=rocks)
-  -o, --output outputFormat      skip installation and output Tiller's manifest in specified format (json or yaml)
+  -o, --output OutputFormat      skip installation and output Tiller's manifest in specified format (json or yaml)
       --service-account string   name of service account
       --set stringArray          set values for the Tiller Deployment manifest (can specify multiple or separate values with commas: key1=val1,key2=val2)
       --skip-refresh             do not refresh (download) the local repository cache