diff --git a/src/compiler/crystal/command.cr b/src/compiler/crystal/command.cr
index a6453e0da416..462653c77f0b 100644
--- a/src/compiler/crystal/command.cr
+++ b/src/compiler/crystal/command.cr
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ class Crystal::Command
 
   private def create_compiler(command, no_codegen = false, run = false,
                               hierarchy = false, cursor_command = false,
-                              single_file = false)
+                              single_file = false, dependencies = false)
     compiler = new_compiler
     compiler.progress_tracker = @progress_tracker
     link_flags = [] of String
@@ -410,8 +410,14 @@ class Crystal::Command
         end
       end
 
-      opts.on("-f text|json", "--format text|json", "Output format text (default) or json") do |f|
-        output_format = f
+      if dependencies
+        opts.on("-f tree|flat", "--format tree|flat", "Output format tree (default) or flat") do |f|
+          output_format = f
+        end
+      else
+        opts.on("-f text|json", "--format text|json", "Output format text (default) or json") do |f|
+          output_format = f
+        end
       end
 
       opts.on("--error-trace", "Show full error trace") do
@@ -547,9 +553,16 @@ class Crystal::Command
       end
     end
 
-    output_format ||= "text"
-    unless output_format.in?("text", "json")
-      error "You have input an invalid format, only text and JSON are supported"
+    if dependencies
+      output_format ||= "tree"
+      unless output_format.in?("tree", "flat")
+        error "You have input an invalid format, only tree and flat are supported"
+      end
+    else
+      output_format ||= "text"
+      unless output_format.in?("text", "json")
+        error "You have input an invalid format, only text and JSON are supported"
+      end
     end
 
     error "maximum number of threads cannot be lower than 1" if compiler.n_threads < 1
diff --git a/src/compiler/crystal/tools/dependencies.cr b/src/compiler/crystal/tools/dependencies.cr
index 3058f44fc19e..b7ee5fffd02d 100644
--- a/src/compiler/crystal/tools/dependencies.cr
+++ b/src/compiler/crystal/tools/dependencies.cr
@@ -4,24 +4,10 @@ require "../syntax/ast"
 
 class Crystal::Command
   private def dependencies
-    dependency_printer = nil
-    option_parser = parse_with_crystal_opts do |opts|
-      opts.on("-f FORMAT", "--format FORMAT", "Format the output. Available options: flat, tree (default)") do |format|
-        case format
-        when "flat"
-          dependency_printer = DependencyPrinter.new(STDOUT, flat: true)
-        when "tree"
-          dependency_printer = DependencyPrinter.new(STDOUT, flat: false)
-        else
-          error "Invalid format: #{format}"
-        end
-      end
-    end
-
-    config = create_compiler "tool dependencies", no_codegen: true
+    config = create_compiler "tool dependencies", no_codegen: true, dependencies: true
     config.compiler.no_codegen = true
 
-    config.compiler.dependency_printer = dependency_printer || DependencyPrinter.new(STDOUT)
+    config.compiler.dependency_printer = DependencyPrinter.new(STDOUT, flat: config.output_format == "flat")
     config.compile
   end
 end