diff --git a/include/ws_init.inc.php b/include/ws_init.inc.php
index 444d87b29..6a318ddeb 100644
--- a/include/ws_init.inc.php
+++ b/include/ws_init.inc.php
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@ if (!is_null($responseFormat))
       include_once(PHPWG_ROOT_PATH.'include/ws_protocols/json_encoder.php');
       $encoder = new PwgJsonEncoder();
       break;
+    case 'jsonalt':
+      include_once(PHPWG_ROOT_PATH.'include/ws_protocols/jsonalt_encoder.php');
+      $encoder = new PwgJsonAlternativeEncoder();
+      break;
     case 'xmlrpc':
       include_once(PHPWG_ROOT_PATH.'include/ws_protocols/xmlrpc_encoder.php');
       $encoder = new PwgXmlRpcEncoder();
@@ -66,4 +70,4 @@ if (!is_null($responseFormat))
   $service->setEncoder($responseFormat, $encoder);
 }
 
-set_make_full_url();
\ No newline at end of file
+set_make_full_url();
diff --git a/include/ws_protocols/jsonalt_encoder.php b/include/ws_protocols/jsonalt_encoder.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a1294a378
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/ws_protocols/jsonalt_encoder.php
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+<?php
+// +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
+// | This file is part of Piwigo.                                          |
+// |                                                                       |
+// | For copyright and license information, please view the COPYING.txt    |
+// | file that was distributed with this source code.                      |
+// +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
+
+class PwgJsonAlternativeEncoder extends PwgResponseEncoder
+{
+  function encodeResponse($response)
+  {
+    if ($response instanceof PwgError)
+    {
+      return json_encode(
+        array(
+          'stat' => 'fail',
+          'err' => $response->code(),
+          'message' => $response->message(),
+          )
+      );
+    }
+    parent::flattenResponse($response);
+    return json_encode(
+        array(
+          'stat' => 'ok',
+          'result' => $response,
+      )
+    );
+  }
+
+  function getContentType()
+  {
+    return 'application/json';
+  }
+}
+
+?>
diff --git a/tools/ws.htm b/tools/ws.htm
index e6807cd0f..8e1275fe4 100644
--- a/tools/ws.htm
+++ b/tools/ws.htm
@@ -133,7 +133,8 @@
                     <label for='responseFormat'>Response format</label>
                     <div class="select">
                       <select id="responseFormat">
-                        <option value="json" selected>JSON</option>
+                        <option value="json" selected>JSON (test/plain)</option>
+                        <option value="jsonalt" selected>JSON (application/json)</option>
                         <option value="rest" selected>REST (xml)</option>
                         <option value="php">PHP serial</option>
                         <option value="xmlrpc">XML RPC</option>