diff --git a/src/varlinkctl/varlinkctl.c b/src/varlinkctl/varlinkctl.c
index 714396d387..26b764aca6 100644
--- a/src/varlinkctl/varlinkctl.c
+++ b/src/varlinkctl/varlinkctl.c
@@ -379,7 +379,13 @@ static int verb_call(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
         method = argv[2];
         parameter = argc > 3 && !streq(argv[3], "-") ? argv[3] : NULL;
 
-        arg_json_format_flags &= ~JSON_FORMAT_OFF;
+        /* No JSON mode explicitly configured? Then default to the same as -j */
+        if (FLAGS_SET(arg_json_format_flags, JSON_FORMAT_OFF))
+                arg_json_format_flags = JSON_FORMAT_PRETTY_AUTO|JSON_FORMAT_COLOR_AUTO;
+
+        /* For pipeable text tools it's kinda customary to finish output off in a newline character, and not
+         * leave incomplete lines hanging around. */
+        arg_json_format_flags |= JSON_FORMAT_NEWLINE;
 
         if (parameter) {
                 /* <argv[4]> is correct, as dispatch_verb() shifts arguments by one for the verb. */
diff --git a/test/units/testsuite-54.sh b/test/units/testsuite-54.sh
index 8f20ac4328..7618e92c9f 100755
--- a/test/units/testsuite-54.sh
+++ b/test/units/testsuite-54.sh
@@ -348,10 +348,10 @@ fi
 
 # Decrypt/encrypt via varlink
 
-echo -n '{"data":"Zm9vYmFyCg=="}' > /tmp/vlcredsdata
+echo '{"data":"Zm9vYmFyCg=="}' > /tmp/vlcredsdata
 
 varlinkctl call /run/systemd/io.systemd.Credentials io.systemd.Credentials.Encrypt "$(cat /tmp/vlcredsdata)" | \
-    varlinkctl call /run/systemd/io.systemd.Credentials io.systemd.Credentials.Decrypt > /tmp/vlcredsdata2
+    varlinkctl call --json=short /run/systemd/io.systemd.Credentials io.systemd.Credentials.Decrypt > /tmp/vlcredsdata2
 
 cmp /tmp/vlcredsdata /tmp/vlcredsdata2
 rm /tmp/vlcredsdata /tmp/vlcredsdata2