diff --git a/cmd/constant.go b/cmd/constant.go
index 7d5d590..b18a9f9 100644
--- a/cmd/constant.go
+++ b/cmd/constant.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ var writeInplace = false
 var writeScript = ""
 var outputToJSON = false
 var prettyPrint = false
+var explodeAnchors = false
 var defaultValue = ""
 var indent = 2
 var overwriteFlag = false
diff --git a/cmd/read.go b/cmd/read.go
index 8b0d997..bd4f297 100644
--- a/cmd/read.go
+++ b/cmd/read.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ yq r -- things.yaml '--key-starting-with-dashes.blah'
 	cmdRead.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&docIndex, "doc", "d", "0", "process document index number (0 based, * for all documents)")
 	cmdRead.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&printMode, "printMode", "p", "v", "print mode (v (values, default), p (paths), pv (path and value pairs)")
 	cmdRead.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&defaultValue, "defaultValue", "D", "", "default value printed when there are no results")
+	cmdRead.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&explodeAnchors, "explodeAnchors", "X", false, "explode anchors")
 	return cmdRead
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/utils.go b/cmd/utils.go
index 14e9a9f..d698252 100644
--- a/cmd/utils.go
+++ b/cmd/utils.go
@@ -102,11 +102,33 @@ func writeString(writer io.Writer, txt string) error {
 	return errorWriting
 }
 
+func explode(matchingNodes []*yqlib.NodeContext) error {
+	for _, nodeContext := range matchingNodes {
+		var targetNode = yaml.Node{Kind: yaml.MappingNode}
+		explodedNodes, errorRetrieving := lib.Get(nodeContext.Node, "**")
+		if errorRetrieving != nil {
+			return errorRetrieving
+		}
+		for _, matchingNode := range explodedNodes {
+			mergePath := lib.MergePathStackToString(matchingNode.PathStack, appendFlag)
+			updateCommand := yqlib.UpdateCommand{Command: "update", Path: mergePath, Value: matchingNode.Node, Overwrite: overwriteFlag}
+			lib.Update(&targetNode, updateCommand, true)
+		}
+		nodeContext.Node = &targetNode
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func printResults(matchingNodes []*yqlib.NodeContext, writer io.Writer) error {
 	if prettyPrint {
 		setStyle(matchingNodes, 0)
 	}
 
+	//always explode anchors when printing json
+	if explodeAnchors || outputToJSON {
+		explode(matchingNodes)
+	}
+
 	bufferedWriter := bufio.NewWriter(writer)
 	defer safelyFlush(bufferedWriter)