diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 94dabeb5b..4df02e6b2 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ Post-v3.2.0
        on mark and labels.
      * Added new option [-f|--format] to choose the output format, e.g. 'json'
        or 'text' (by default).
+   - Python:
+     * Added support for choosing the output format, e.g. 'json' or 'text'.
    - ovs-vsctl:
      * New commands 'set-zone-limit', 'del-zone-limit' and 'list-zone-limits'
        to manage the maximum number of connections in conntrack zones via
diff --git a/python/ovs/unixctl/__init__.py b/python/ovs/unixctl/__init__.py
index 8ee312943..6d9bd5715 100644
--- a/python/ovs/unixctl/__init__.py
+++ b/python/ovs/unixctl/__init__.py
@@ -20,10 +20,14 @@ commands = {}
 
 
 class _UnixctlCommand(object):
-    def __init__(self, usage, min_args, max_args, callback, aux):
+    # FIXME: Output format will be passed as 'output_fmts' to the command in
+    #        later patch.
+    def __init__(self, usage, min_args, max_args,  # FIXME: output_fmts,
+                 callback, aux):
         self.usage = usage
         self.min_args = min_args
         self.max_args = max_args
+        # FIXME: self.output_fmts = output_fmts
         self.callback = callback
         self.aux = aux
 
@@ -42,10 +46,13 @@ def _unixctl_help(conn, unused_argv, unused_aux):
     conn.reply(reply)
 
 
-def command_register(name, usage, min_args, max_args, callback, aux):
+def command_register_fmt(name, usage, min_args, max_args, output_fmts,
+                         callback, aux):
     """ Registers a command with the given 'name' to be exposed by the
     UnixctlServer. 'usage' describes the arguments to the command; it is used
-    only for presentation to the user in "help" output.
+    only for presentation to the user in "help" output.  'output_fmts' is a
+    bitmap that defines what output formats a command supports, e.g.
+    OVS_OUTPUT_FMT_TEXT | OVS_OUTPUT_FMT_JSON.
 
     'callback' is called when the command is received.  It is passed a
     UnixctlConnection object, the list of arguments as unicode strings, and
@@ -63,8 +70,30 @@ def command_register(name, usage, min_args, max_args, callback, aux):
     assert callable(callback)
 
     if name not in commands:
-        commands[name] = _UnixctlCommand(usage, min_args, max_args, callback,
-                                         aux)
+        commands[name] = _UnixctlCommand(usage, min_args, max_args,
+                                         # FIXME: output_fmts,
+                                         callback, aux)
+
+
+# FIXME: command_register() will be replaced with command_register_fmt() in a
+#        later patch of this series. It is is kept temporarily to reduce the
+#        amount of changes in this patch.
+def command_register(name, usage, min_args, max_args, callback, aux):
+    """ Registers a command with the given 'name' to be exposed by the
+    UnixctlServer. 'usage' describes the arguments to the command; it is used
+    only for presentation to the user in "help" output.
+
+    'callback' is called when the command is received.  It is passed a
+    UnixctlConnection object, the list of arguments as unicode strings, and
+    'aux'.  Normally 'callback' should reply by calling
+    UnixctlConnection.reply() or UnixctlConnection.reply_error() before it
+    returns, but if the command cannot be handled immediately, then it can
+    defer the reply until later.  A given connection can only process a single
+    request at a time, so a reply must be made eventually to avoid blocking
+    that connection."""
+
+    command_register_fmt(name, usage, min_args, max_args,
+                         ovs.util.OutputFormat.TEXT, callback, aux)
 
 
 def socket_name_from_target(target):
diff --git a/python/ovs/unixctl/server.py b/python/ovs/unixctl/server.py
index b9cb52fad..1d7f3337d 100644
--- a/python/ovs/unixctl/server.py
+++ b/python/ovs/unixctl/server.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+import argparse
 import copy
 import errno
 import os
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ class UnixctlConnection(object):
         assert isinstance(rpc, ovs.jsonrpc.Connection)
         self._rpc = rpc
         self._request_id = None
+        self._fmt = ovs.util.OutputFormat.TEXT
 
     def run(self):
         self._rpc.run()
@@ -116,6 +118,17 @@ class UnixctlConnection(object):
         elif len(params) > command.max_args:
             error = '"%s" command takes at most %d arguments' \
                     % (method, command.max_args)
+        # FIXME: Uncomment when command.output_fmts is available
+        # elif self._fmt not in command.output_fmts:
+        #     error = '"%s" command does not support output format' \
+        #             ' "%s" (supported: %d, requested: %d)' \
+        #             % (method, self._fmt.name.lower(), command.output_fmts,
+        #                self._fmt)
+        # FIXME: Remove this check once output format will be passed to the
+        #        command handler below.
+        elif self._fmt != ovs.util.OutputFormat.TEXT:
+            error = 'output format "%s" has not been implemented yet' \
+                    % self._fmt.name.lower()
         else:
             for param in params:
                 if not isinstance(param, str):
@@ -124,7 +137,8 @@ class UnixctlConnection(object):
 
             if error is None:
                 unicode_params = [str(p) for p in params]
-                command.callback(self, unicode_params, command.aux)
+                command.callback(self, unicode_params,  # FIXME: self._fmt,
+                                 command.aux)
 
         if error:
             self.reply_error(error)
@@ -136,6 +150,24 @@ def _unixctl_version(conn, unused_argv, version):
     conn.reply(version)
 
 
+def _unixctl_set_options(conn, argv, unused_aux):
+    assert isinstance(conn, UnixctlConnection)
+
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
+    parser.add_argument("--format", default="text",
+                        choices=[fmt.name.lower()
+                                 for fmt in ovs.util.OutputFormat])
+
+    try:
+        args = parser.parse_args(args=argv)
+    except argparse.ArgumentError as e:
+        conn.reply_error(str(e))
+        return
+
+    conn._fmt = ovs.util.OutputFormat[args.format.upper()]
+    conn.reply(None)
+
+
 class UnixctlServer(object):
     def __init__(self, listener):
         assert isinstance(listener, ovs.stream.PassiveStream)
@@ -210,4 +242,7 @@ class UnixctlServer(object):
         ovs.unixctl.command_register("version", "", 0, 0, _unixctl_version,
                                      version)
 
+        ovs.unixctl.command_register("set-options", "[--format text|json]", 2,
+                                     2, _unixctl_set_options, None)
+
         return 0, UnixctlServer(listener)
diff --git a/python/ovs/util.py b/python/ovs/util.py
index 3dba022f8..272ca683d 100644
--- a/python/ovs/util.py
+++ b/python/ovs/util.py
@@ -15,11 +15,19 @@
 import os
 import os.path
 import sys
+import enum
 
 PROGRAM_NAME = os.path.basename(sys.argv[0])
 EOF = -1
 
 
+@enum.unique
+# FIXME: Use @enum.verify(enum.NAMED_FLAGS) from Python 3.11 when available.
+class OutputFormat(enum.IntFlag):
+    TEXT = 1 << 0
+    JSON = 1 << 1
+
+
 def abs_file_name(dir_, file_name):
     """If 'file_name' starts with '/', returns a copy of 'file_name'.
     Otherwise, returns an absolute path to 'file_name' considering it relative
diff --git a/tests/appctl.py b/tests/appctl.py
index b85b364fa..4e8c4adc0 100644
--- a/tests/appctl.py
+++ b/tests/appctl.py
@@ -49,13 +49,30 @@ def main():
                         help="Arguments to the command.")
     parser.add_argument("-T", "--timeout", metavar="SECS",
                         help="wait at most SECS seconds for a response")
+    parser.add_argument("-f", "--format", metavar="FMT",
+                        help="Output format.", default="text",
+                        choices=[fmt.name.lower()
+                                 for fmt in ovs.util.OutputFormat])
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     signal_alarm(int(args.timeout) if args.timeout else None)
 
     ovs.vlog.Vlog.init()
     target = args.target
+    format = ovs.util.OutputFormat[args.format.upper()]
     client = connect_to_target(target)
+
+    if format != ovs.util.OutputFormat.TEXT:
+        err_no, error, _ = client.transact(
+            "set-options", ["--format", args.format])
+
+        if err_no:
+            ovs.util.ovs_fatal(err_no, "%s: transaction error" % target)
+        elif error is not None:
+            sys.stderr.write(error)
+            ovs.util.ovs_error(0, "%s: server returned an error" % target)
+            sys.exit(2)
+
     err_no, error, result = client.transact(args.command, args.argv)
     client.close()
 
diff --git a/tests/unixctl-py.at b/tests/unixctl-py.at
index 724006118..26c137047 100644
--- a/tests/unixctl-py.at
+++ b/tests/unixctl-py.at
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ The available commands are:
   exit
   help
   log                     [[arg ...]]
+  set-options             [[--format text|json]]
   version
   vlog/close
   vlog/list
