diff --git a/cmd/workflow-controller/main.go b/cmd/workflow-controller/main.go
index 88c6c1cec1dc..9b8a3964c53a 100644
--- a/cmd/workflow-controller/main.go
+++ b/cmd/workflow-controller/main.go
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func NewRootCommand() *cobra.Command {
 			ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 			defer cancel()
 
-			wfController, err := controller.NewWorkflowController(ctx, config, kubeclientset, wfclientset, namespace, managedNamespace, executorImage, executorImagePullPolicy, containerRuntimeExecutor, configMap, executorPlugins)
+			wfController, err := controller.NewWorkflowController(ctx, config, kubeclientset, wfclientset, namespace, managedNamespace, executorImage, executorImagePullPolicy, logFormat, containerRuntimeExecutor, configMap, executorPlugins)
 			errors.CheckError(err)
 
 			leaderElectionOff := os.Getenv("LEADER_ELECTION_DISABLE")
diff --git a/workflow/controller/config.go b/workflow/controller/config.go
index 698995197fe5..51494e302488 100644
--- a/workflow/controller/config.go
+++ b/workflow/controller/config.go
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@ func (wfc *WorkflowController) executorImage() string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("quay.io/argoproj/argoexec:" + argo.ImageTag())
 }
 
+func (wfc *WorkflowController) executorLogFormat() string {
+	return wfc.cliExecutorLogFormat
+}
+
 // executorImagePullPolicy returns the imagePullPolicy to use for the workflow executor
 func (wfc *WorkflowController) executorImagePullPolicy() apiv1.PullPolicy {
 	if wfc.cliExecutorImagePullPolicy != "" {
diff --git a/workflow/controller/controller.go b/workflow/controller/controller.go
index df063d6c400b..317c4129375a 100644
--- a/workflow/controller/controller.go
+++ b/workflow/controller/controller.go
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ type WorkflowController struct {
 	cliExecutorImagePullPolicy string
 	containerRuntimeExecutor   string
 
+	// cliExecutorLogFormat is the format in which argoexec will log
+	// possible options are json/text
+	cliExecutorLogFormat string
+
 	// restConfig is used by controller to send a SIGUSR1 to the wait sidecar using remotecommand.NewSPDYExecutor().
 	restConfig       *rest.Config
 	kubeclientset    kubernetes.Interface
@@ -143,7 +147,7 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 // NewWorkflowController instantiates a new WorkflowController
-func NewWorkflowController(ctx context.Context, restConfig *rest.Config, kubeclientset kubernetes.Interface, wfclientset wfclientset.Interface, namespace, managedNamespace, executorImage, executorImagePullPolicy, containerRuntimeExecutor, configMap string, executorPlugins bool) (*WorkflowController, error) {
+func NewWorkflowController(ctx context.Context, restConfig *rest.Config, kubeclientset kubernetes.Interface, wfclientset wfclientset.Interface, namespace, managedNamespace, executorImage, executorImagePullPolicy, executorLogFormat, containerRuntimeExecutor, configMap string, executorPlugins bool) (*WorkflowController, error) {
 	dynamicInterface, err := dynamic.NewForConfig(restConfig)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -158,6 +162,7 @@ func NewWorkflowController(ctx context.Context, restConfig *rest.Config, kubecli
 		managedNamespace:           managedNamespace,
 		cliExecutorImage:           executorImage,
 		cliExecutorImagePullPolicy: executorImagePullPolicy,
+		cliExecutorLogFormat:       executorLogFormat,
 		containerRuntimeExecutor:   containerRuntimeExecutor,
 		configController:           config.NewController(namespace, configMap, kubeclientset),
 		workflowKeyLock:            syncpkg.NewKeyLock(),
@@ -924,8 +929,10 @@ func (wfc *WorkflowController) archiveWorkflowAux(ctx context.Context, obj inter
 	return nil
 }
 
-var incompleteReq, _ = labels.NewRequirement(common.LabelKeyCompleted, selection.Equals, []string{"false"})
-var workflowReq, _ = labels.NewRequirement(common.LabelKeyWorkflow, selection.Exists, nil)
+var (
+	incompleteReq, _ = labels.NewRequirement(common.LabelKeyCompleted, selection.Equals, []string{"false"})
+	workflowReq, _   = labels.NewRequirement(common.LabelKeyWorkflow, selection.Exists, nil)
+)
 
 func (wfc *WorkflowController) instanceIDReq() labels.Requirement {
 	return util.InstanceIDRequirement(wfc.Config.InstanceID)
diff --git a/workflow/controller/workflowpod.go b/workflow/controller/workflowpod.go
index f8e0bc0e4428..6899cc3113b2 100644
--- a/workflow/controller/workflowpod.go
+++ b/workflow/controller/workflowpod.go
@@ -506,13 +506,13 @@ func substitutePodParams(pod *apiv1.Pod, globalParams common.Parameters, tmpl *w
 
 func (woc *wfOperationCtx) newInitContainer(tmpl *wfv1.Template) apiv1.Container {
 	ctr := woc.newExecContainer(common.InitContainerName, tmpl)
-	ctr.Command = []string{"argoexec", "init", "--loglevel", getExecutorLogLevel()}
+	ctr.Command = []string{"argoexec", "init", "--loglevel", getExecutorLogLevel(), "--log-format", woc.controller.executorLogFormat()}
 	return *ctr
 }
 
 func (woc *wfOperationCtx) newWaitContainer(tmpl *wfv1.Template) *apiv1.Container {
 	ctr := woc.newExecContainer(common.WaitContainerName, tmpl)
-	ctr.Command = []string{"argoexec", "wait", "--loglevel", getExecutorLogLevel()}
+	ctr.Command = []string{"argoexec", "wait", "--loglevel", getExecutorLogLevel(), "--log-format", woc.controller.executorLogFormat()}
 	return ctr
 }