diff --git a/x/stake/commands/export.go b/x/stake/commands/export.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f3d1516d53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/x/stake/commands/export.go
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package commands
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+
+	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/wire" // XXX fix
+	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/x/stake"
+)
+
+// get the command to export state
+func GetCmdExport(load func() (stake.Keeper, sdk.Context), cdc *wire.Codec) *cobra.Command {
+	cmd := &cobra.Command{
+		Use:   "export",
+		Short: "Export stake module state as JSON to stdout",
+		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+			keeper, ctx := load()
+			genesis := keeper.WriteGenesis(ctx)
+			output, err := wire.MarshalJSONIndent(cdc, genesis)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			fmt.Println(string(output))
+			return nil
+		},
+	}
+	return cmd
+}