diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index d13eca096..508550577 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@
 - Commands that do not accept filters or modifications now generate an error
   when extra arguments are specified.
 - Improved zsh support (thanks to Daniel Shahaf).
+- Dependencies are exported as a JSON array by default, overridable using
+  'rc.json.depends.array=off'. Both forms are imported.
 
 ------ current release ---------------------------
 
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 4c5428053..5d207f387 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ New commands in Taskwarrior 2.4.5
 
 New configuration options in Taskwarrior 2.4.5
 
+  - The 'json.depends.array' setting controls whether dependencies are exported
+    as a JSON array, of a comma-separated string.  Default is 'on'.
+    Both variations are imported.
+
 Newly deprecated features in Taskwarrior 2.4.5
 
   - The '_ids', '_projects', '_tags', '_uuids' helper commands are deprecated,
diff --git a/doc/man/taskrc.5.in b/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
index b7b6d4700..ef6c4461f 100644
--- a/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
+++ b/doc/man/taskrc.5.in
@@ -401,6 +401,12 @@ array.
 With json.array=off, export writes raw JSON objects to STDOUT, one per line.
 Defaults to on.
 
+.TP
+.B json.depends.array=on
+Determines whether the export command encodes dependencies as an array of string
+UUIDs, or one comma-separated string.
+Defaults to on.
+
 .TP
 .B _forcecolor=no
 Taskwarrior shuts off color automatically when the output is not sent directly
diff --git a/src/Config.cpp b/src/Config.cpp
index 694b19285..4123eb3a8 100644
--- a/src/Config.cpp
+++ b/src/Config.cpp
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ std::string Config::_defaults =
   "expressions=infix                              # Prefer infix over postfix expressions\n"
   "dom=on                                         # Support DOM access\n"
   "json.array=on                                  # Enclose JSON output in [ ]\n"
+  "json.depends.array=on                          # Encode dependencies as a JSON array\n"
   "abbreviation.minimum=2                         # Shortest allowed abbreviation\n"
   "\n"
   "# Dates\n"
diff --git a/src/Task.cpp b/src/Task.cpp
index 4ffb8dc5d..9acf86266 100644
--- a/src/Task.cpp
+++ b/src/Task.cpp
@@ -694,6 +694,18 @@ void Task::parseJSON (const json::object* root_obj)
         addTag (tag->_data);
       }
 
+      // Dependencies can be exported as a single comma-separated string, or as
+      // an array of strings.
+      else if (i.first == "depends" && i.second->type() == json::j_array)
+      {
+        json::array* tags = (json::array*)i.second;
+        for (auto& t : tags->_data)
+        {
+          json::string* tag = (json::string*)t;
+          addDependency (tag->_data);
+        }
+      }
+
       // Strings are decoded.
       else if (type == "string")
         set (i.first, json::decode (unquoteText (i.second->dump ())));
@@ -887,7 +899,27 @@ std::string Task::composeJSON (bool decorate /*= false*/) const
       }
 
       out << "]";
+      ++attributes_written;
+    }
 
+    // Dependencies are an array by default.
+    else if (i.first == "depends" &&
+             context.config.getBoolean ("json.depends.array"))
+    {
+      std::vector <std::string> deps;
+      split (deps, i.second, ',');
+
+      out << "\"depends\":[";
+
+      for (auto i = deps.begin (); i != deps.end (); ++i)
+      {
+        if (i != deps.begin ())
+          out << ",";
+
+        out << "\"" << *i << "\"";
+      }
+
+      out << "]";
       ++attributes_written;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/commands/CmdShow.cpp b/src/commands/CmdShow.cpp
index 1a0868059..b7b43f52c 100644
--- a/src/commands/CmdShow.cpp
+++ b/src/commands/CmdShow.cpp
@@ -163,6 +163,7 @@ int CmdShow::execute (std::string& output)
     " journal.time.start.annotation"
     " journal.time.stop.annotation"
     " json.array"
+    " json.depends.array"
     " list.all.projects"
     " list.all.tags"
     " locking"