diff --git a/lib/gis/parser_standard_options.c b/lib/gis/parser_standard_options.c
index e80d5524884..5c3da23c7bf 100644
--- a/lib/gis/parser_standard_options.c
+++ b/lib/gis/parser_standard_options.c
@@ -947,12 +947,12 @@ struct Option *G_define_standard_option(int opt)
         Opt->key = "format";
         Opt->type = TYPE_STRING;
         Opt->key_desc = "name";
-        Opt->required = NO;
+        Opt->required = YES;
         Opt->label = _("Output format");
         Opt->answer = "plain";
         Opt->options = "plain,json";
-        Opt->description = _("plain;Plain text output;"
-                             "json;JSON (JavaScript Object Notation);");
+        Opt->descriptions = _("plain;Plain text output;"
+                              "json;JSON (JavaScript Object Notation);");
         break;
     }
 
diff --git a/vector/v.db.select/main.c b/vector/v.db.select/main.c
index cf10332fdf6..24d419a71d5 100644
--- a/vector/v.db.select/main.c
+++ b/vector/v.db.select/main.c
@@ -119,18 +119,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         _("GROUP BY conditions of SQL statement without 'group by' keyword");
     options.group->guisection = _("Selection");
 
-    options.format = G_define_option();
-    options.format->key = "format";
-    options.format->type = TYPE_STRING;
-    options.format->required = YES;
-    options.format->label = _("Output format");
+    options.format = G_define_standard_option(G_OPT_F_FORMAT);
     options.format->options = "plain,csv,json,vertical";
     options.format->descriptions =
         "plain;Configurable plain text output;"
         "csv;CSV (Comma Separated Values);"
         "json;JSON (JavaScript Object Notation);"
         "vertical;Plain text vertical output (instead of horizontal)";
-    options.format->answer = "plain";
     options.format->guisection = _("Format");
 
     options.fsep = G_define_standard_option(G_OPT_F_SEP);