diff --git a/src/ostree/ot-builtin-show.c b/src/ostree/ot-builtin-show.c
index 2eec7f35..73ef492c 100644
--- a/src/ostree/ot-builtin-show.c
+++ b/src/ostree/ot-builtin-show.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ static char* opt_print_variant_type;
 static char* opt_print_metadata_key;
 static char* opt_print_detached_metadata_key;
 static gboolean opt_raw;
+static gboolean opt_no_byteswap;
 static char *opt_gpg_homedir;
 static char *opt_gpg_verify_remote;
 
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ static GOptionEntry options[] = {
   { "print-metadata-key", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING, &opt_print_metadata_key, "Print string value of metadata key", "KEY" },
   { "print-detached-metadata-key", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING, &opt_print_detached_metadata_key, "Print string value of detached metadata key", "KEY" },
   { "raw", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &opt_raw, "Show raw variant data" },
+  { "no-byteswap", 'B', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &opt_no_byteswap, "Do not automatically convert variant data from big endian" },
   { "gpg-homedir", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME, &opt_gpg_homedir, "GPG Homedir to use when looking for keyrings", "HOMEDIR"},
   { "gpg-verify-remote", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING, &opt_gpg_verify_remote, "Use REMOTE name for GPG configuration", "REMOTE"},
   { NULL }
@@ -132,7 +134,13 @@ do_print_metadata_key (OstreeRepo     *repo,
       return FALSE;
     }
 
-  ot_dump_variant (value);
+  if (opt_no_byteswap)
+    {
+      g_autofree char *formatted = g_variant_print (value, TRUE);
+      g_print ("%s\n", formatted);
+    }
+  else
+    ot_dump_variant (value);
   return TRUE;
 }
 
@@ -150,6 +158,8 @@ print_object (OstreeRepo          *repo,
     return FALSE;
   if (opt_raw)
     flags |= OSTREE_DUMP_RAW;
+  if (opt_no_byteswap)
+    flags |= OSTREE_DUMP_UNSWAPPED;
   ot_dump_object (objtype, checksum, variant, flags);
 
   if (objtype == OSTREE_OBJECT_TYPE_COMMIT)
diff --git a/src/ostree/ot-dump.c b/src/ostree/ot-dump.c
index 7f7f8b6b..071530f8 100644
--- a/src/ostree/ot-dump.c
+++ b/src/ostree/ot-dump.c
@@ -157,7 +157,12 @@ ot_dump_object (OstreeObjectType   objtype,
 {
   g_print ("%s %s\n", ostree_object_type_to_string (objtype), checksum);
 
-  if (flags & OSTREE_DUMP_RAW)
+  if (flags & OSTREE_DUMP_UNSWAPPED)
+    {
+      g_autofree char *formatted = g_variant_print (variant, TRUE);
+      g_print ("%s\n", formatted);
+    }
+  else if (flags & OSTREE_DUMP_RAW)
     {
       ot_dump_variant (variant);
       return;
diff --git a/src/ostree/ot-dump.h b/src/ostree/ot-dump.h
index 010449c3..0839b57c 100644
--- a/src/ostree/ot-dump.h
+++ b/src/ostree/ot-dump.h
@@ -26,8 +26,9 @@
 #include "ostree-core.h"
 
 typedef enum {
-  OSTREE_DUMP_NONE = 0,
-  OSTREE_DUMP_RAW = 1,
+  OSTREE_DUMP_NONE = (1 << 0),
+  OSTREE_DUMP_RAW = (1 << 1),
+  OSTREE_DUMP_UNSWAPPED = (1 << 2),
 } OstreeDumpFlags;
 
 void   ot_dump_variant    (GVariant *variant);
diff --git a/tests/basic-test.sh b/tests/basic-test.sh
index e1af66cc..06092c12 100644
--- a/tests/basic-test.sh
+++ b/tests/basic-test.sh
@@ -761,6 +761,8 @@ $OSTREE show --print-metadata-key=KITTENS test2 > test2-meta
 assert_file_has_content test2-meta "CUTE"
 $OSTREE show --print-metadata-key=SOMENUM test2 > test2-meta
 assert_file_has_content test2-meta "uint64 3026418949592973312"
+$OSTREE show -B --print-metadata-key=SOMENUM test2 > test2-meta
+assert_file_has_content test2-meta "uint64 42"
 $OSTREE show --print-detached-metadata-key=SIGNATURE test2 > test2-meta
 assert_file_has_content test2-meta "HANCOCK"
 echo "ok metadata commit with strings"