diff --git a/registrar/cli.py b/registrar/cli.py
index 1a9857368c8fc6b3ca5fe9bfdf6032c4c63a23a6..98698477092da4b3a9eb0911df8229b7bf0e175e 100644
--- a/registrar/cli.py
+++ b/registrar/cli.py
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ def setup_logging(debug=False):
             "formatters": {
                 "json": {
                     "()": structlog.stdlib.ProcessorFormatter,
-                    "processor": structlog.processors.JSONRenderer(),
-                    # For nicer cli output:
-                    # "processor": structlog.dev.ConsoleRenderer(),
+                    "processor": structlog.dev.ConsoleRenderer()
+                    if debug
+                    else structlog.processors.JSONRenderer(),
                 },
             },
             "handlers": {