diff --git a/cmd/compose/config.go b/cmd/compose/config.go
index e1121d3a8..a30c8fe70 100644
--- a/cmd/compose/config.go
+++ b/cmd/compose/config.go
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ func runVariables(ctx context.Context, dockerCli command.Cli, opts configOptions
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		fmt.Println(string(result))
+		fmt.Print(string(result))
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/e2e/config_test.go b/pkg/e2e/config_test.go
index 6fef7bc02..15d3e3d93 100644
--- a/pkg/e2e/config_test.go
+++ b/pkg/e2e/config_test.go
@@ -46,4 +46,25 @@ func TestLocalComposeConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-f", "./fixtures/config/compose.yaml", "--project-name", projectName, "config", "--no-interpolate")
 		res.Assert(t, icmd.Expected{Out: `- ${PORT:-8080}:80`})
 	})
+
+	t.Run("--variables --format json", func(t *testing.T) {
+		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-f", "./fixtures/config/compose.yaml", "--project-name", projectName, "config", "--variables", "--format", "json")
+		res.Assert(t, icmd.Expected{Out: `{
+    "PORT": {
+        "Name": "PORT",
+        "DefaultValue": "8080",
+        "PresenceValue": "",
+        "Required": false
+    }
+}`})
+	})
+
+	t.Run("--variables --format yaml", func(t *testing.T) {
+		res := c.RunDockerComposeCmd(t, "-f", "./fixtures/config/compose.yaml", "--project-name", projectName, "config", "--variables", "--format", "yaml")
+		res.Assert(t, icmd.Expected{Out: `PORT:
+    name: PORT
+    defaultvalue: "8080"
+    presencevalue: ""
+    required: false`})
+	})
 }