diff --git a/fs/tristate.go b/fs/tristate.go
index d03926a07..dd70a6a62 100644
--- a/fs/tristate.go
+++ b/fs/tristate.go
@@ -70,3 +70,11 @@ func (t *Tristate) UnmarshalJSON(in []byte) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// MarshalJSON encodes it as a bool or nil for unset
+func (t *Tristate) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	if !t.Valid {
+		return json.Marshal(nil)
+	}
+	return json.Marshal(t.Value)
+}
diff --git a/fs/tristate_test.go b/fs/tristate_test.go
index 9189f2293..fe0822d4b 100644
--- a/fs/tristate_test.go
+++ b/fs/tristate_test.go
@@ -85,3 +85,18 @@ func TestTristateUnmarshalJSON(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, test.want, got, test.in)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestTristateMarshalJSON(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		in   Tristate
+		want string
+	}{
+		{Tristate{}, `null`},
+		{Tristate{Valid: true, Value: true}, `true`},
+		{Tristate{Valid: true, Value: false}, `false`},
+	} {
+		got, err := json.Marshal(&test.in)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, test.want, string(got), fmt.Sprintf("%#v", test.in))
+	}
+}