diff --git a/client/keys/add.go b/client/keys/add.go
index 7c337bab40d5..2d14b87fb87d 100644
--- a/client/keys/add.go
+++ b/client/keys/add.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 
 	bip39 "github.com/cosmos/go-bip39"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"github.com/tendermint/tendermint/libs/cli"
 
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client"
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/client/flags"
@@ -110,6 +109,7 @@ func RunAddCmd(ctx client.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, inBuf *buf
 	noBackup, _ := cmd.Flags().GetBool(flagNoBackup)
 	showMnemonic := !noBackup
 	kb := ctx.Keyring
+	outputFormat := ctx.OutputFormat
 
 	keyringAlgos, _ := kb.SupportedAlgorithms()
 	algoStr, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString(flags.FlagKeyAlgorithm)
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ func RunAddCmd(ctx client.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, inBuf *buf
 			return err
 		}
 
-		return printCreate(cmd, info, false, "")
+		return printCreate(cmd, info, false, "", outputFormat)
 	}
 
 	// Get bip39 mnemonic
@@ -276,15 +276,14 @@ func RunAddCmd(ctx client.Context, cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, inBuf *buf
 		mnemonic = ""
 	}
 
-	return printCreate(cmd, info, showMnemonic, mnemonic)
+	return printCreate(cmd, info, showMnemonic, mnemonic, outputFormat)
 }
 
-func printCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, info keyring.Info, showMnemonic bool, mnemonic string) error {
-	output, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString(cli.OutputFlag)
-	switch output {
+func printCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, info keyring.Info, showMnemonic bool, mnemonic string, outputFormat string) error {
+	switch outputFormat {
 	case OutputFormatText:
 		cmd.PrintErrln()
-		printKeyInfo(cmd.OutOrStdout(), info, keyring.MkAccKeyOutput, output)
+		printKeyInfo(cmd.OutOrStdout(), info, keyring.MkAccKeyOutput, outputFormat)
 
 		// print mnemonic unless requested not to.
 		if showMnemonic {
@@ -311,7 +310,7 @@ func printCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, info keyring.Info, showMnemonic bool, mnemo
 		cmd.Println(string(jsonString))
 
 	default:
-		return fmt.Errorf("invalid output format %s", output)
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid output format %s", outputFormat)
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/client/keys/show.go b/client/keys/show.go
index 8c19f8797679..64ede012582f 100644
--- a/client/keys/show.go
+++ b/client/keys/show.go
@@ -112,7 +112,9 @@ func runShowCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	output, _ := cmd.Flags().GetString(cli.OutputFlag)
+	if isOutputSet {
+		clientCtx.OutputFormat, _ = cmd.Flags().GetString(cli.OutputFlag)
+	}
 
 	switch {
 	case isShowAddr, isShowPubKey:
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ func runShowCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) (err error) {
 		}
 		fmt.Fprintln(cmd.OutOrStdout(), out)
 	default:
-		printKeyInfo(cmd.OutOrStdout(), info, bechKeyOut, output)
+		printKeyInfo(cmd.OutOrStdout(), info, bechKeyOut, clientCtx.OutputFormat)
 	}
 
 	if isShowDevice {