diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index d5d5a90d9..0e5414388 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
  + Added feature #574, default due dates (thanks to Erlan Sergaziev).
  + Added feature #575, including Danish holidays (thanks to Irfan Siddiqui).
  + Eliminated dependency on ncurses.
+ + Added _query helper command for script writers, which accepts a filter like
+   any other report, but returns only full JSON.
  + Fixed bug #515, which displayed an incorrect message after duplicating a
    non-existent task (thanks to Peter De Poorter).
  + Fixed bug #529, where the 'depends' attribute was not mentioned in the
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 576763890..010703679 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ New Features in taskwarrior 1.9.4
   - The first month in the calendar report can now be changed with an offset
     value.
   - No more dependency on ncurses.
+  - New '_query helper command for script writers, which accepts a filter like
+    any other report, but returns unformatted JSON.
   - Assorted bug fixes.
 
   Please refer to the ChangeLog file for full details.  There are too many to
diff --git a/src/Cmd.cpp b/src/Cmd.cpp
index fb2774bcf..0bcd0800d 100644
--- a/src/Cmd.cpp
+++ b/src/Cmd.cpp
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ void Cmd::load ()
     commands.push_back ("_config");
     commands.push_back ("_version");
     commands.push_back ("_urgency");
+    commands.push_back ("_query");
     commands.push_back ("export.csv");
     commands.push_back ("export.ical");
     commands.push_back ("export.yaml");
@@ -241,6 +242,7 @@ bool Cmd::isReadOnlyCommand ()
       command == "_config"                                                   ||
       command == "_version"                                                  ||
       command == "_urgency"                                                  ||
+      command == "_query"                                                    ||
       command == "export.csv"                                                ||
       command == "export.ical"                                               ||
       command == "export.yaml"                                               ||
diff --git a/src/Context.cpp b/src/Context.cpp
index e22f3d1fe..427f55697 100644
--- a/src/Context.cpp
+++ b/src/Context.cpp
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ int Context::dispatch (std::string &out)
   else if (cmd.command == "_config")          { rc = handleCompletionConfig      (out); }
   else if (cmd.command == "_version")         { rc = handleCompletionVersion     (out); }
   else if (cmd.command == "_urgency")         { rc = handleUrgency               (out); }
+  else if (cmd.command == "_query")           { rc = handleQuery                 (out); }
   else if (cmd.command == "" &&
            sequence.size ())                  { rc = handleModify                (out); }
 
diff --git a/src/Task.cpp b/src/Task.cpp
index 6b4e787fe..432db9d99 100644
--- a/src/Task.cpp
+++ b/src/Task.cpp
@@ -423,6 +423,29 @@ std::string Task::composeYAML () const
   return out.str ();
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+std::string Task::composeJSON () const
+{
+  std::stringstream out;
+  out << "{";
+
+  std::map <std::string, Att>::const_iterator i;
+  for (i = this->begin (); i != this->end (); ++i)
+  {
+    if (i != this->begin ())
+      out << ",";
+
+    out << "\""
+        << i->second.name ()
+        << "\":\""
+        << i->second.value ()
+        << "\"";
+  }
+
+  out << "}";
+  return out.str ();
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 void Task::getAnnotations (std::vector <Att>& annotations) const
 {
diff --git a/src/Task.h b/src/Task.h
index df28cee29..d2e567312 100644
--- a/src/Task.h
+++ b/src/Task.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ public:
   void parse (const std::string&);
   std::string composeCSV () const;
   std::string composeYAML () const;
+  std::string composeJSON () const;
 
   // Status values.
   enum status {pending, completed, deleted, recurring, waiting};
diff --git a/src/command.cpp b/src/command.cpp
index cad16611d..7a5007c7a 100644
--- a/src/command.cpp
+++ b/src/command.cpp
@@ -552,6 +552,46 @@ int handleUrgency (std::string& outs)
   return 0;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+int handleQuery (std::string& outs)
+{
+  int rc = 0;
+
+  if (context.hooks.trigger ("pre-query-command"))
+  {
+    // Get all the tasks.
+    std::vector <Task> tasks;
+    context.tdb.lock (context.config.getBoolean ("locking"));
+    handleRecurrence ();
+    context.tdb.load (tasks, context.filter);
+    context.tdb.commit ();
+    context.tdb.unlock ();
+
+    // Filter sequence.
+    if (context.sequence.size ())
+      context.filter.applySequence (tasks, context.sequence);
+
+    // Note: "limit:" feature not supported.
+
+    // Compose output.
+    outs = "{";
+    std::vector <Task>::iterator t;
+    for (t = tasks.begin (); t != tasks.end (); ++t)
+    {
+      if (t != tasks.begin ())
+        outs += ",\n";
+
+      outs += t->composeJSON ();
+    }
+
+    outs += "}\n";
+
+    context.hooks.trigger ("post-query-command");
+  }
+
+  return rc;
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 int handleCompletionIDs (std::string& outs)
 {
diff --git a/src/main.h b/src/main.h
index 87c8c02bb..23094931c 100644
--- a/src/main.h
+++ b/src/main.h
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ int handleCompletionIDs (std::string&);
 int handleCompletionConfig (std::string&);
 int handleCompletionVersion (std::string&);
 int handleUrgency (std::string&);
+int handleQuery (std::string&);
 int handleVersion (std::string&);
 int handleConfig (std::string&);
 int handleShow (std::string&);