diff --git a/cmd/cue/cmd/eval.go b/cmd/cue/cmd/eval.go
index 45224c4..2d154ea 100644
--- a/cmd/cue/cmd/eval.go
+++ b/cmd/cue/cmd/eval.go
@@ -108,6 +108,10 @@
 			format.UseSpaces(4),
 			format.TabIndent(false),
 		}
+		if flagSimplify.Bool(cmd) {
+			opts = append(opts, format.Simplify())
+		}
+
 		if exprs == nil {
 			v := inst.Value()
 			if flagConcrete.Bool(cmd) {
@@ -115,13 +119,22 @@
 				exitIfErr(cmd, inst, err, false)
 				continue
 			}
-			format.Node(w, v.Syntax(syn...), opts...)
+			format.Node(w, getSyntax(v, syn), opts...)
 			fmt.Fprintln(w)
 		}
 		for _, e := range exprs {
-			format.Node(w, inst.Eval(e).Syntax(syn...), opts...)
+			format.Node(w, getSyntax(inst.Eval(e), syn), opts...)
 			fmt.Fprintln(w)
 		}
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func getSyntax(v cue.Value, opts []cue.Option) ast.Node {
+	n := v.Syntax(opts...)
+	switch x := n.(type) {
+	case *ast.StructLit:
+		n = &ast.File{Decls: x.Elts}
+	}
+	return n
+}
diff --git a/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/hello/eval.out b/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/hello/eval.out
index 38aec46..0c32af3 100644
--- a/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/hello/eval.out
+++ b/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/hello/eval.out
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 // $CWD/testdata/hello
-{
-    who:     "World"
-    message: "Hello World!"
-}
+who:     "World"
+message: "Hello World!"
+
diff --git a/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/partial/eval.out b/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/partial/eval.out
index ac847f1..fd0cf4d 100644
--- a/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/partial/eval.out
+++ b/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/partial/eval.out
@@ -1,24 +1,23 @@
 // $CWD/testdata/partial
-{
-    def: 1
-    sum: 1 | 2
-    A = a
-    b: {
-        idx: A[str]
-        a: {
-            b: 4
-        }
-        str: string
-    }
+def: 1
+sum: 1 | 2
+A = a
+b: {
+    idx: A[str]
     a: {
-        b: 3
-        c: 4
+        b: 4
     }
-    c: {
-        idx: 3
-        a: {
-            b: 4
-        }
-        str: "b"
-    }
+    str: string
 }
+a: {
+    b: 3
+    c: 4
+}
+c: {
+    idx: 3
+    a: {
+        b: 4
+    }
+    str: "b"
+}
+
diff --git a/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/tasks/eval.out b/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/tasks/eval.out
index c9828a3..e883d86 100644
--- a/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/tasks/eval.out
+++ b/cmd/cue/cmd/testdata/tasks/eval.out
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 // $CWD/testdata/tasks
-{
-    message: "Hello world!"
-}
+message: "Hello world!"
+