diff --git a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get.go b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get.go
index 9ddb225e209..c389bc61ba9 100644
--- a/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get.go
+++ b/pkg/kubectl/cmd/get.go
@@ -187,8 +187,11 @@ func RunGet(f cmdutil.Factory, out, errOut io.Writer, cmd *cobra.Command, args [
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if len(options.Filenames) > 0 || argsHasNames {
-		cmd.Flag("show-all").Value.Set("true")
+	output := cmdutil.GetFlagString(cmd, "output")
+	if len(options.Filenames) > 0 || argsHasNames || output == "json" || output == "yaml" {
+		if !cmd.Flag("show-all").Changed {
+			cmd.Flag("show-all").Value.Set("true")
+		}
 	}
 	export := cmdutil.GetFlagBool(cmd, "export")