diff --git a/dockervault/cli.py b/dockervault/cli.py
index ef02476..c93d4e7 100644
--- a/dockervault/cli.py
+++ b/dockervault/cli.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import argparse
+import json
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ def entry_to_dict(entry):
         "exists": data.get("exists"),
         "reason": data.get("reason"),
         "compose_file": compose_file,
-        "source": data.get("source"),
+        "source": str(data.get("source")) if data.get("source") is not None else None,
     }
 
 
@@ -84,12 +85,23 @@ def normalize_entries(entries):
 
 def build_plan(scan_root, entries, compose_count):
     normalized = normalize_entries(entries)
+
     return {
         "root": str(scan_root),
         "compose_files_found": compose_count,
         "include": [e for e in normalized if e["bucket"] == "include"],
         "review": [e for e in normalized if e["bucket"] == "review"],
         "skip": [e for e in normalized if e["bucket"] == "skip"],
+        "summary": {
+            "include_count": sum(1 for e in normalized if e["bucket"] == "include"),
+            "review_count": sum(1 for e in normalized if e["bucket"] == "review"),
+            "skip_count": sum(1 for e in normalized if e["bucket"] == "skip"),
+            "missing_critical_count": sum(
+                1
+                for e in normalized
+                if e["bucket"] == "include" and not e.get("exists", True)
+            ),
+        },
     }
 
 
@@ -141,6 +153,25 @@ def print_warnings(plan):
             print(f"  - {item['path']} (service={item['service']})")
 
 
+def build_json_output(plan, borg_command=None):
+    output = {
+        "tool": "DockerVault",
+        "version": __version__,
+        "plan": plan,
+        "status": {
+            "ok": True,
+            "has_missing_critical": any(
+                not item.get("exists", True) for item in plan["include"]
+            ),
+        },
+    }
+
+    if borg_command is not None:
+        output["borg_command"] = borg_command
+
+    return output
+
+
 def build_parser():
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
         description="DockerVault - Intelligent Docker backup discovery"
@@ -169,6 +200,12 @@ def build_parser():
         help="Generate borg command",
     )
 
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--json",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Output machine-readable JSON",
+    )
+
     parser.add_argument(
         "--dry-run",
         action="store_true",
@@ -237,10 +274,7 @@ def main():
 
     plan = build_plan(scan_root, entries, len(compose_files))
 
-    if not args.quiet:
-        print_plan(plan)
-        print_warnings(plan)
-
+    borg_shell_command = None
     if args.repo:
         try:
             from .borg import build_borg_create_command, command_to_shell
@@ -249,16 +283,33 @@ def main():
             sys.exit(2)
 
         try:
-            include_paths = [item["path"] for item in plan["include"] if item["path"] != "?"]
+            include_paths = [
+                item["path"] for item in plan["include"] if item["path"] != "?"
+            ]
             borg_command = build_borg_create_command(args.repo, include_paths)
-
-            print("\nSuggested borg create command")
-            print("============================")
-            print(command_to_shell(borg_command))
+            borg_shell_command = command_to_shell(borg_command)
         except Exception as e:
             print(f"ERROR: Failed to build borg command: {e}")
             sys.exit(2)
 
+    if args.json:
+        print(
+            json.dumps(
+                build_json_output(plan, borg_shell_command),
+                indent=2,
+                sort_keys=False,
+            )
+        )
+    else:
+        if not args.quiet:
+            print_plan(plan)
+            print_warnings(plan)
+
+        if borg_shell_command:
+            print("\nSuggested borg create command")
+            print("============================")
+            print(borg_shell_command)
+
     if args.automation:
         has_missing = any(not item.get("exists", True) for item in plan["include"])
         if has_missing: