diff --git a/cmd/kbld/kbld.go b/cmd/kbld/kbld.go
index f668df85..59bc2cd4 100644
--- a/cmd/kbld/kbld.go
+++ b/cmd/kbld/kbld.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"log"
 	"math/rand"
@@ -26,11 +27,17 @@ func main() {
 	confUI := ui.NewConfUI(ui.NewNoopLogger())
 	defer confUI.Flush()
 
-	command := cmd.NewDefaultKbldCmd(confUI)
+	options := cmd.NewKbldOptions(confUI)
+	command := cmd.NewKbldCmd(options)
 
 	err := command.Execute()
 	if err != nil {
-		confUI.ErrorLinef("kbld: Error: %s", uierrs.NewMultiLineError(err))
+		multiLineErr := uierrs.NewMultiLineError(err)
+		if options.UIFlags.JSON {
+			_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "kbld: Error: %s\n", multiLineErr)
+		} else {
+			confUI.ErrorLinef("kbld: Error: %s", multiLineErr)
+		}
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/resolve_test.go b/test/e2e/resolve_test.go
index ad2f80da..f905dc79 100644
--- a/test/e2e/resolve_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/resolve_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 package e2e
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
@@ -156,13 +157,16 @@ spec:
 - image: nginx@sha256:digest
 `
 
-	_, err := kbld.RunWithOpts([]string{"-f", "-", "--images-annotation=false"}, RunOpts{
-		StdinReader: strings.NewReader(input),
-		AllowError:  true,
+	var stderr bytes.Buffer
+	out, err := kbld.RunWithOpts([]string{"--json", "-f", "-", "--images-annotation=false"}, RunOpts{
+		StdinReader:  strings.NewReader(input),
+		StderrWriter: &stderr,
+		AllowError:   true,
 	})
 
-	expectedErr := "Expected valid digest reference, but found 'nginx@sha256:digest', reason: invalid checksum digest length"
-	require.Contains(t, err.Error(), expectedErr)
+	require.EqualError(t, err, "Execution error: stdout: '' stderr: '' error: 'exit status 1'")
+	require.Empty(t, out)
+	require.Equal(t, "kbld: Error: \n- Resolving image 'nginx@sha256:digest': Expected valid digest reference, but found 'nginx@sha256:digest', reason: invalid checksum digest length\n", stderr.String())
 }
 
 func TestResolveUnknownImage(t *testing.T) {