diff --git a/lib/useractivitystream.php b/lib/useractivitystream.php
index bd26d38ee0..82f0be0504 100644
--- a/lib/useractivitystream.php
+++ b/lib/useractivitystream.php
@@ -99,12 +99,10 @@ class UserActivityStream extends AtomUserNoticeFeed
      * Interleave the pre-sorted subs/groups/faves with the user's
      * notices, all in reverse chron order.
      */
-    function renderEntries()
+    function renderEntries($format=Feed::ATOM, $handle=null)
     {
         $end = time() + 1;
-        $i = 0;
         foreach ($this->objs as $obj) {
-            $i++;
             try {
                 $act = $obj->asActivity();
             } catch (Exception $e) {
@@ -122,7 +120,11 @@ class UserActivityStream extends AtomUserNoticeFeed
                     foreach ($notices as $noticeAct) {
                         try {
                             $nact = $noticeAct->asActivity();
-                            $nact->outputTo($this, false, false);
+                            if ($format == Feed::ATOM) {
+                                $nact->outputTo($this, false, false);
+                            } else {
+                                fwrite($handle, json_encode($nact->asArray()));
+                            }
                         } catch (Exception $e) {
                             common_log(LOG_ERR, $e->getMessage());
                             continue;
@@ -138,8 +140,16 @@ class UserActivityStream extends AtomUserNoticeFeed
             $notices = null;
             unset($notices);
 
-            // Only show the author sub-element if it's different from default user
-            $act->outputTo($this, false, ($act->actor->id != $this->user->uri));
+            try {
+                if ($format == Feed::ATOM) {
+                    // Only show the author sub-element if it's different from default user
+                    $act->outputTo($this, false, ($act->actor->id != $this->user->uri));
+                } else {
+                    fwrite($handle, json_encode($act->asArray()));
+                }
+            } catch (Exception $e) {
+                common_log(LOG_ERR, $e->getMessage());
+            }
 
             $act = null;
             unset($act);
@@ -154,7 +164,11 @@ class UserActivityStream extends AtomUserNoticeFeed
                 foreach ($notices as $noticeAct) {
                     try {
                         $nact = $noticeAct->asActivity();
-                        $nact->outputTo($this, false, false);
+                        if ($format == Feed::ATOM) {
+                            $nact->outputTo($this, false, false);
+                        } else {
+                            fwrite($handle, json_encode($nact->asArray()));
+                        }
                     } catch (Exception $e) {
                         common_log(LOG_ERR, $e->getMessage());
                         continue;
@@ -284,4 +298,12 @@ class UserActivityStream extends AtomUserNoticeFeed
 
         return $groups;
     }
+
+    function writeJSON($handle)
+    {
+        require_once INSTALLDIR.'/lib/activitystreamjsondocument.php';
+        fwrite($handle, '{"items": [');
+        $this->renderEntries(Feed::JSON, $handle);
+        fwrite($handle, ']');
+    }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/backupuser.php b/scripts/backupuser.php
index ee2951fc8f..d183dba2b9 100644
--- a/scripts/backupuser.php
+++ b/scripts/backupuser.php
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@
 
 define('INSTALLDIR', realpath(dirname(__FILE__) . '/..'));
 
-$shortoptions = 'i:n:f:';
-$longoptions = array('id=', 'nickname=', 'file=');
+$shortoptions = 'i:n:f:j';
+$longoptions = array('id=', 'nickname=', 'file=', 'json');
 
 $helptext = <<<END_OF_EXPORTACTIVITYSTREAM_HELP
 exportactivitystream.php [options]
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ Export a StatusNet user history to a file
 
   -i --id       ID of user to export
   -n --nickname nickname of the user to export
-  -f --file     file to export to (default STDOUT)
+  -j --json     Output JSON (default Atom)
 
 END_OF_EXPORTACTIVITYSTREAM_HELP;
 
@@ -37,7 +37,11 @@ require_once INSTALLDIR.'/scripts/commandline.inc';
 try {
     $user = getUser();
     $actstr = new UserActivityStream($user, true, UserActivityStream::OUTPUT_RAW);
-    print $actstr->getString();
+    if (have_option('j', 'json')) {
+        $actstr->writeJSON(STDOUT);
+    } else {
+        print $actstr->getString();
+    }
 } catch (Exception $e) {
     print $e->getMessage()."\n";
     exit(1);