diff --git a/packages/webpack-cli/lib/groups/StatsGroup.js b/packages/webpack-cli/lib/groups/StatsGroup.js
index 4686bb8e8f9..36fc0e30ccd 100644
--- a/packages/webpack-cli/lib/groups/StatsGroup.js
+++ b/packages/webpack-cli/lib/groups/StatsGroup.js
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ class StatsGroup extends GroupHelper {
                 this.opts.options.stats = this.args.stats;
             }
         }
+        if (this.args.json) {
+            this.opts.outputOptions.json = true;
+        }
     }
 
     run() {
diff --git a/test/json/json.test.js b/test/json/json.test.js
index e8ce94745c1..d4c8c84d710 100644
--- a/test/json/json.test.js
+++ b/test/json/json.test.js
@@ -1,23 +1,15 @@
 'use strict';
-const { join } = require('path');
 const { run } = require('../utils/test-utils');
-const webpack = require('webpack');
 
 describe('json flag', () => {
-    it.skip('should match the snapshot of --json command', async () => {
-        const { stdout } = run(__dirname, [__dirname, '--json']);
-        const jsonstdout = JSON.parse(stdout);
-        const compiler = await webpack({
-            entry: './index.js',
-            output: {
-                filename: 'main.js',
-                path: join(__dirname, 'bin'),
-            },
-        });
-        compiler.run((err, stats) => {
-            expect(err).toBeFalsy();
-            const webpackStats = stats.toJson({ json: true });
-            expect(jsonstdout).toEqual(webpackStats);
-        });
+    it('should return valid json', () => {
+        const { stdout } = run(__dirname, ['--json']);
+
+        // helper function to check if JSON is valid
+        const parseJson = () => {
+            return JSON.parse(stdout);
+        };
+        // check the JSON is valid.
+        expect(parseJson).not.toThrow();
     });
 });