diff --git a/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c b/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c
index 4c2dbe7369dd..040ff0157819 100644
--- a/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c
+++ b/src/cmd/flux-kvs.c
@@ -56,6 +56,16 @@ static void dump_kvs_dir (const flux_kvsdir_t *dir, bool Ropt, bool dopt);
 
 #define min(a,b) ((a)<(b)?(a):(b))
 
+static struct optparse_option get_opts[] =  {
+    { .name = "json", .key = 'j', .has_arg = 0,
+      .usage = "Interpret value(s) as encoded JSON",
+    },
+    { .name = "raw", .key = 'r', .has_arg = 0,
+      .usage = "Interpret value(s) as raw data",
+    },
+    OPTPARSE_TABLE_END
+};
+
 static struct optparse_option put_opts[] =  {
     { .name = "json", .key = 'j', .has_arg = 0,
       .usage = "Store value(s) as encoded JSON",
@@ -130,11 +140,11 @@ static struct optparse_option unlink_opts[] =  {
 
 static struct optparse_subcommand subcommands[] = {
     { "get",
-      "key [key...]",
+      "[-j|-r] key [key...]",
       "Get value stored under key",
       cmd_get,
       0,
-      NULL
+      get_opts
     },
     { "put",
       "[-j|-r] key=value [key=value...]",
@@ -349,7 +359,7 @@ static void output_key_json_str (const char *key,
 int cmd_get (optparse_t *p, int argc, char **argv)
 {
     flux_t *h = (flux_t *)optparse_get_data (p, "flux_handle");
-    const char *key, *json_str;
+    const char *key;
     flux_future_t *f;
     int optindex, i;
 
@@ -360,10 +370,28 @@ int cmd_get (optparse_t *p, int argc, char **argv)
     }
     for (i = optindex; i < argc; i++) {
         key = argv[i];
-        if (!(f = flux_kvs_lookup (h, 0, key))
-                || flux_kvs_lookup_get (f, &json_str) < 0)
+        if (!(f = flux_kvs_lookup (h, 0, key)))
             log_err_exit ("%s", key);
-        output_key_json_str (NULL, json_str, key);
+        if (optparse_hasopt (p, "json")) {
+            const char *json_str;
+            if (flux_kvs_lookup_get (f, &json_str) < 0)
+                log_err_exit ("%s", key);
+            output_key_json_str (NULL, json_str, key);
+        }
+        else if (optparse_hasopt (p, "raw")) {
+            const void *data;
+            int len;
+            if (flux_kvs_lookup_get_raw (f, &data, &len) < 0)
+                log_err_exit ("%s", key);
+            if (write_all (STDOUT_FILENO, data, len) < 0)
+                log_err_exit ("%s", key);
+        }
+        else {
+            const char *value;
+            if (flux_kvs_lookup_get (f, &value) < 0)
+                log_err_exit ("%s", key);
+            printf ("%s\n", value);
+        }
         flux_future_destroy (f);
     }
     return (0);
diff --git a/t/issues/t0441-kvs-put-get.sh b/t/issues/t0441-kvs-put-get.sh
index 9079a48676a4..f5b844eb7b72 100755
--- a/t/issues/t0441-kvs-put-get.sh
+++ b/t/issues/t0441-kvs-put-get.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,6 @@ TEST=issue441
 
 flux kvs put --json ${TEST}.x=foo
 
-flux kvs get ${TEST}.x.y && test $? -eq 1
+flux kvs get --json ${TEST}.x.y && test $? -eq 1
 
-flux kvs get ${TEST}.x   # fails if broker died
+flux kvs get --json ${TEST}.x   # fails if broker died
diff --git a/t/issues/t0821-kvs-segfault.sh b/t/issues/t0821-kvs-segfault.sh
index de3b2b051899..94c617ef98b4 100755
--- a/t/issues/t0821-kvs-segfault.sh
+++ b/t/issues/t0821-kvs-segfault.sh
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@
 
 TEST=issue0821
 flux kvs put --json ${TEST}="xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
-flux kvs get ${TEST}.x && test $? -eq 1
-flux kvs get ${TEST}   # fails if broker died
+flux kvs get --json ${TEST}.x && test $? -eq 1
+flux kvs get --json ${TEST}   # fails if broker died
diff --git a/t/t1000-kvs.t b/t/t1000-kvs.t
index 64729e007154..33bbb7a809a7 100755
--- a/t/t1000-kvs.t
+++ b/t/t1000-kvs.t
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ SUBDIR1=test.a.b.d
 SUBDIR2=test.a.b.e
 
 test_kvs_key() {
-	flux kvs get "$1" >output
+	flux kvs get --json "$1" >output
 	echo "$2" >expected
 	test_cmp expected output
 }
@@ -139,43 +139,43 @@ EOF
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink works' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.integer &&
-	  test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.integer
+	  test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.integer
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink works' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.double &&
-	  test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.double
+	  test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.double
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink works' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.string &&
-	  test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.string
+	  test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.string
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink works' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.emptystring &&
-	  test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.emptystring
+	  test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.emptystring
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink works' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.jsonnull &&
-	  test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.jsonnull
+	  test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.jsonnull
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink works' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.strnull &&
-	  test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.strnull
+	  test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.strnull
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink works' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.booleantrue &&
-	  test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.booleantrue
+	  test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.booleantrue
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink works' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.booleanfalse &&
-	  test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.booleanfalse
+	  test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.booleanfalse
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink works' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.array &&
-	  test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.array
+	  test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.array
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink works' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.object &&
-	  test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.object
+	  test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.object
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink dir works' '
         flux kvs unlink $SUBDIR1 &&
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: put (multiple)' '
 	flux kvs put --json $KEY.a=42 $KEY.b=3.14 $KEY.c=foo $KEY.d=true $KEY.e="[1,3,5]" $KEY.f="{\"a\":42}"
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: get (multiple)' '
-	flux kvs get $KEY.a $KEY.b $KEY.c $KEY.d $KEY.e $KEY.f >output &&
+	flux kvs get --json $KEY.a $KEY.b $KEY.c $KEY.d $KEY.e $KEY.f >output &&
 	cat >expected <<EOF &&
 42
 3.140000
@@ -231,12 +231,12 @@ EOF
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink (multiple)' '
 	flux kvs unlink $KEY.a $KEY.b $KEY.c $KEY.d $KEY.e $KEY.f &&
-          test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.a &&
-          test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.b &&
-          test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.c &&
-          test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.d &&
-          test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.e &&
-          test_must_fail flux kvs get $KEY.f
+          test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.a &&
+          test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.b &&
+          test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.c &&
+          test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.d &&
+          test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.e &&
+          test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $KEY.f
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink -R works' '
         flux kvs unlink -R $DIR &&
@@ -400,11 +400,11 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: ls key. fails if key does not exist' '
 #
 
 test_expect_success 'kvs: get a nonexistent key' '
-	test_must_fail flux kvs get NOT.A.KEY
+	test_must_fail flux kvs get --json NOT.A.KEY
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: try to retrieve a directory as key should fail' '
         flux kvs mkdir $DIR.a.b.c &&
-	test_must_fail flux kvs get $DIR
+	test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $DIR
 '
 
 #
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: link works' '
 	TARGET=$DIR.target &&
 	flux kvs put --json $TARGET=\"foo\" &&
 	flux kvs link $TARGET $DIR.link &&
-	OUTPUT=$(flux kvs get $DIR.link) &&
+	OUTPUT=$(flux kvs get --json $DIR.link) &&
 	test "$OUTPUT" = "foo"
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: readlink works' '
@@ -548,13 +548,13 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: link: path resolution when intermediate component is a
 	flux kvs unlink -Rf $DIR &&
 	flux kvs put --json $DIR.a.b.c=42 &&
 	flux kvs link $DIR.a.b $DIR.Z.Y &&
-	OUTPUT=$(flux kvs get $DIR.Z.Y.c) &&
+	OUTPUT=$(flux kvs get --json $DIR.Z.Y.c) &&
 	test "$OUTPUT" = "42"
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: link: path resolution with intermediate link and nonexistent key' '
 	flux kvs unlink -Rf $DIR &&
 	flux kvs link $DIR.a.b $DIR.Z.Y &&
-	test_must_fail flux kvs get $DIR.Z.Y
+	test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $DIR.Z.Y
 '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: link: intermediate link points to another link' '
 	flux kvs unlink -Rf $DIR &&
@@ -657,14 +657,14 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: link: error on link depth' '
 	flux kvs link $DIR.i $DIR.j &&
 	flux kvs link $DIR.j $DIR.k &&
 	flux kvs link $DIR.k $DIR.l &&
-        test_must_fail flux kvs get $DIR.l
+        test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $DIR.l
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'kvs: link: error on link depth, loop' '
 	flux kvs unlink -Rf $DIR &&
 	flux kvs link $DIR.link1 $DIR.link2 &&
 	flux kvs link $DIR.link2 $DIR.link1 &&
-        test_must_fail flux kvs get $DIR.link1
+        test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $DIR.link1
 '
 
 #
@@ -674,8 +674,8 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: copy works' '
         flux kvs unlink -Rf $DIR &&
 	flux kvs put --json $DIR.src=\"foo\" &&
         flux kvs copy $DIR.src $DIR.dest &&
-	OUTPUT1=$(flux kvs get $DIR.src) &&
-	OUTPUT2=$(flux kvs get $DIR.dest) &&
+	OUTPUT1=$(flux kvs get --json $DIR.src) &&
+	OUTPUT2=$(flux kvs get --json $DIR.dest) &&
 	test "$OUTPUT1" = "foo" &&
 	test "$OUTPUT2" = "foo"
 '
@@ -684,8 +684,8 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: move works' '
         flux kvs unlink -Rf $DIR &&
 	flux kvs put --json $DIR.src=\"foo\" &&
         flux kvs move $DIR.src $DIR.dest &&
-	test_must_fail flux kvs get $DIR.src &&
-	OUTPUT=$(flux kvs get $DIR.dest) &&
+	test_must_fail flux kvs get --json $DIR.src &&
+	OUTPUT=$(flux kvs get --json $DIR.dest) &&
 	test "$OUTPUT" = "foo"
 '
 
@@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ test_expect_success NO_CHAIN_LINT 'kvs: version and wait' '
 
 wait_watch_put() {
         i=0
-        while [ "$(flux kvs get $1 2> /dev/null)" != "$2" ] && [ $i -lt 50 ]
+        while [ "$(flux kvs get --json $1 2> /dev/null)" != "$2" ] && [ $i -lt 50 ]
         do
                 sleep 0.1
                 i=$((i + 1))
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ wait_watch_put() {
 
 wait_watch_empty() {
         i=0
-        while flux kvs get $1 2> /dev/null && [ $i -lt 50 ]
+        while flux kvs get --json $1 2> /dev/null && [ $i -lt 50 ]
         do
                 sleep 0.1
                 i=$((i + 1))
diff --git a/t/t1002-kvs-extra.t b/t/t1002-kvs-extra.t
index b7585b70ca0c..97de733d2aa9 100755
--- a/t/t1002-kvs-extra.t
+++ b/t/t1002-kvs-extra.t
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ KEY=test.a.b.c
 #
 #
 test_kvs_key() {
-	flux kvs get "$1" >output
+	flux kvs get --json "$1" >output
 	echo "$2" >expected
 	test_cmp output expected
 	#if ! test "$OUTPUT" = "$2"; then
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: put-treeobj: clobbers destination' '
 	flux kvs put --json $TEST.a=42 &&
 	${KVSBASIC} get-treeobj . >snapshot2 &&
 	${KVSBASIC} put-treeobj $TEST.a="`cat snapshot2`" &&
-	! flux kvs get $TEST.a &&
+	! flux kvs get --json $TEST.a &&
 	flux kvs dir $TEST.a
 '
 
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: valref that points to content store data can be read'
         flux kvs unlink -Rf $TEST &&
 	echo "$largeval" | flux content store &&
 	${KVSBASIC} put-treeobj $TEST.largeval2="{\"data\":[\"${largevalhash}\"],\"type\":\"valref\",\"ver\":1}" &&
-        flux kvs get $TEST.largeval2 | grep $largeval
+        flux kvs get --json $TEST.largeval2 | grep $largeval
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'kvs: valref that points to zero size content store data can be read' '
@@ -400,13 +400,13 @@ test_expect_success 'kvs: store 3x4 directory tree using kvsdir_put functions' '
 test_expect_success 'kvs: put on rank 0, exists on all ranks' '
 	flux kvs put --json $TEST.xxx=99 &&
 	VERS=$(flux kvs version) &&
-	flux exec sh -c "flux kvs wait ${VERS} && flux kvs get $TEST.xxx"
+	flux exec sh -c "flux kvs wait ${VERS} && flux kvs get --json $TEST.xxx"
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'kvs: unlink on rank 0, does not exist all ranks' '
 	flux kvs unlink -Rf $TEST.xxx &&
 	VERS=$(flux kvs version) &&
-	flux exec sh -c "flux kvs wait ${VERS} && ! flux kvs get $TEST.xxx"
+	flux exec sh -c "flux kvs wait ${VERS} && ! flux kvs get --json $TEST.xxx"
 '
 
 # commit test
diff --git a/t/t2000-wreck.t b/t/t2000-wreck.t
index 83d6a07dbf12..6ac1c1cb740a 100755
--- a/t/t2000-wreck.t
+++ b/t/t2000-wreck.t
@@ -182,25 +182,25 @@ test_expect_success 'wreckrun: -N without -n works' '
 test_expect_success 'wreckrun: -N without -n sets ntasks in kvs' '
 	flux wreckrun -l -N${SIZE} /bin/true &&
 	LWJ=$(last_job_path) &&
-	n=$(flux kvs get ${LWJ}.ntasks) &&
+	n=$(flux kvs get --json ${LWJ}.ntasks) &&
 	test "$n" = "${SIZE}"
 '
 test_expect_success 'wreckrun: -n without -N sets nnnodes in kvs' '
 	flux wreckrun -l -n${SIZE} /bin/true &&
 	LWJ=$(last_job_path) &&
-	n=$(flux kvs get ${LWJ}.nnodes) &&
+	n=$(flux kvs get --json ${LWJ}.nnodes) &&
 	test "$n" = "${SIZE}"
 '
 test_expect_success 'wreckrun: -t1 -N${SIZE} sets ntasks in kvs' '
 	flux wreckrun -l -t1 -N${SIZE} /bin/true &&
 	LWJ=$(last_job_path) &&
-	n=$(flux kvs get ${LWJ}.ntasks) &&
+	n=$(flux kvs get --json ${LWJ}.ntasks) &&
 	test "$n" = "${SIZE}"
 '
 test_expect_success 'wreckrun: -t1 -n${SIZE} sets nnodes in kvs' '
 	flux wreckrun -l -t1 -n${SIZE} /bin/true &&
 	LWJ=$(last_job_path) &&
-	n=$(flux kvs get ${LWJ}.nnodes) &&
+	n=$(flux kvs get --json ${LWJ}.nnodes) &&
 	test "$n" = "${SIZE}"
 '
 
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ test_expect_success NO_SCHED 'flux-submit: returns ENOSYS when sched not loaded'
 check_complete_link() {
     for i in `seq 0 5`; do
         lastepoch=$(flux kvs dir lwj-complete | awk -F. '{print $2}' | sort -n | tail -1)
-        flux kvs get lwj-complete.${lastepoch}.${1}.state && return 0
+        flux kvs get --json lwj-complete.${lastepoch}.${1}.state && return 0
         sleep 0.2
     done
     return 1
diff --git a/t/t2001-jsc.t b/t/t2001-jsc.t
index e5585b1e5adb..5901e732337e 100755
--- a/t/t2001-jsc.t
+++ b/t/t2001-jsc.t
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ test_expect_success 'jstat 8: query detects bad inputs' '
 
 test_expect_success 'jstat 9: update state-pair' "
     flux jstat update 1 state-pair '{\"state-pair\": {\"ostate\": 13, \"nstate\": 12}}' &&
-    flux kvs get $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).state > output.9.1 &&
+    flux kvs get --json $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).state > output.9.1 &&
     cat >expected.9.1 <<-EOF &&
 cancelled
 EOF
@@ -216,15 +216,15 @@ EOF
 "
 
 test_expect_success 'jstat 10: update procdescs' "
-    flux kvs get $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).0.procdesc > output.10.1 &&
+    flux kvs get --json $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).0.procdesc > output.10.1 &&
     flux jstat update 1 pdesc '{\"pdesc\": {\"procsize\":1, \"hostnames\":[\"0\"], \"executables\":[\"fake\"], \"pdarray\":[{\"pid\":8482,\"eindx\":0,\"hindx\":0}]}}' &&
-    flux kvs get $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).0.procdesc > output.10.2 &&
+    flux kvs get --json $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).0.procdesc > output.10.2 &&
     test_expect_code 1 diff output.10.1 output.10.2 
 "
 
 test_expect_success 'jstat 11: update rdesc' "
     flux jstat update 1 rdesc '{\"rdesc\": {\"nnodes\": 128, \"ntasks\": 128, \"walltime\":3600}}' &&
-    flux kvs get $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).ntasks > output.11.1 &&
+    flux kvs get --json $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).ntasks > output.11.1 &&
     cat > expected.11.1 <<-EOF &&
 128
 EOF
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ EOF
 
 test_expect_success 'jstat 12: update rdl' "
     flux jstat update 1 rdl '{\"rdl\": \"fake_rdl_string\"}' &&
-    flux kvs get $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).rdl > output.12.1 &&
+    flux kvs get --json $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).rdl > output.12.1 &&
     cat > expected.12.1 <<-EOF &&
 fake_rdl_string
 EOF
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ EOF
 
 test_expect_success 'jstat 13: update rdl_alloc' "
     flux jstat update 1 rdl_alloc '{\"rdl_alloc\": [{\"contained\": {\"cmbdrank\": 0, \"cmbdncores\": 102}}]}' &&
-    flux kvs get $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).rank.0.cores > output.13.1 &&
+    flux kvs get --json $(flux wreck kvs-path 1).rank.0.cores > output.13.1 &&
     cat > expected.13.1 <<-EOF &&
 102
 EOF
diff --git a/t/t2002-pmi.t b/t/t2002-pmi.t
index 6c25e58a8a35..c945e7ce423f 100755
--- a/t/t2002-pmi.t
+++ b/t/t2002-pmi.t
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ test_expect_success 'pmi: wreck preputs PMI_process_mapping into kvs' '
 	#!/bin/sh
         if test \${FLUX_TASK_RANK} -eq 0; then
           KVS_PATH=\$(flux wreck kvs-path \${FLUX_JOB_ID})
-          flux kvs get \${KVS_PATH}.pmi.PMI_process_mapping
+          flux kvs get --json \${KVS_PATH}.pmi.PMI_process_mapping
         fi
 	EOF
 	chmod +x print-pmi-map.sh &&
diff --git a/t/t2005-hwloc-basic.t b/t/t2005-hwloc-basic.t
index d8c4ea04cea4..cc79aa606fe5 100755
--- a/t/t2005-hwloc-basic.t
+++ b/t/t2005-hwloc-basic.t
@@ -115,16 +115,16 @@ test_expect_success HAVE_LSTOPO 'hwloc: test failure of lstopo command' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'hwloc: no broken down resource info by default' '
-    test_must_fail flux kvs get resource.hwloc.by_rank.0.Machine_0.OSName
+    test_must_fail flux kvs get --json resource.hwloc.by_rank.0.Machine_0.OSName
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'hwloc: reload --walk-topology=yes works' '
     flux hwloc reload --walk-topology=yes &&
-    flux kvs get resource.hwloc.by_rank.0.Machine_0.OSName
+    flux kvs get --json resource.hwloc.by_rank.0.Machine_0.OSName
 '
 test_expect_success 'hwloc: reload --walk-topology=no removes broken down topo' '
     flux hwloc reload --walk-topology=no &&
-    test_must_fail flux kvs get resource.hwloc.by_rank.0.Machine_0.OSName
+    test_must_fail flux kvs get --json resource.hwloc.by_rank.0.Machine_0.OSName
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'hwloc: reload fails on invalid rank' '
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ test_expect_success 'hwloc: reload fails on invalid rank' '
 '
 
 test_expect_success 'hwloc: HostName is populated in by_rank' '
-    HW_HOST=$(flux kvs get resource.hwloc.by_rank.0.HostName) &&
+    HW_HOST=$(flux kvs get --json resource.hwloc.by_rank.0.HostName) &&
     REAL_HOST=$(hostname) &&
     test x"$HW_HOST" = x"$REAL_HOST"
 '