diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/json.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/json.rs
index 8ad6497864..0934750d89 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/json.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/formats/to/json.rs
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ impl Command for ToJson {
         input: PipelineData,
     ) -> Result<PipelineData, ShellError> {
         let raw = call.has_flag(engine_state, stack, "raw")?;
-        let use_tabs = call.has_flag(engine_state, stack, "tabs")?;
+        let use_tabs = call.get_flag(engine_state, stack, "tabs")?;
+        let indent = call.get_flag(engine_state, stack, "indent")?;
 
         let span = call.head;
         // allow ranges to expand and turn into array
@@ -55,12 +56,12 @@ impl Command for ToJson {
 
         let json_result = if raw {
             nu_json::to_string_raw(&json_value)
-        } else if use_tabs {
-            let tab_count: usize = call.get_flag(engine_state, stack, "tabs")?.unwrap_or(1);
+        } else if let Some(tab_count) = use_tabs {
             nu_json::to_string_with_tab_indentation(&json_value, tab_count)
-        } else {
-            let indent: usize = call.get_flag(engine_state, stack, "indent")?.unwrap_or(2);
+        } else if let Some(indent) = indent {
             nu_json::to_string_with_indent(&json_value, indent)
+        } else {
+            nu_json::to_string(&json_value)
         };
 
         match json_result {
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/format_conversions/json.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/format_conversions/json.rs
index 1938d6d66e..f06736fca0 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/format_conversions/json.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/format_conversions/json.rs
@@ -235,3 +235,35 @@ fn inf_in_range_fails() {
     let actual = nu!(r#"-inf..inf | to json"#);
     assert!(actual.err.contains("Cannot create range"));
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn test_indent_flag() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+    cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+    r#"
+        echo '{ "a": 1, "b": 2, "c": 3 }'
+        | from json
+        | to json --indent 3
+    "#
+    ));
+
+    let expected_output = "{   \"a\": 1,   \"b\": 2,   \"c\": 3}";
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, expected_output);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_tabs_indent_flag() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+    cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+    r#"
+        echo '{ "a": 1, "b": 2, "c": 3 }'
+        | from json
+        | to json --tabs 2
+    "#
+    ));
+
+    let expected_output = "{\t\t\"a\": 1,\t\t\"b\": 2,\t\t\"c\": 3}";
+
+    assert_eq!(actual.out, expected_output);
+}