diff --git a/programs/Makefile b/programs/Makefile
index b189224f3..c96029631 100644
--- a/programs/Makefile
+++ b/programs/Makefile
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ ifeq ($(HAVE_ZLIB), 1)
 TEMP := $(shell rm have_zlib$(EXT))
 endif
 ifeq ($(HAVE_ZLIB), 1)
-ZLIBCPP = -DZSTD_GZDECOMPRESS
+ZLIBCPP = -DZSTD_GZCOMPRESS -DZSTD_GZDECOMPRESS
 ZLIBLD = -lz
 endif
 
diff --git a/programs/fileio.h b/programs/fileio.h
index daff0312e..2b6275573 100644
--- a/programs/fileio.h
+++ b/programs/fileio.h
@@ -31,9 +31,16 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 
+/*-*************************************
+*  Types
+***************************************/
+typedef enum { FIO_zstdCompression, FIO_gzipCompression } FIO_compresionType_t;
+
+
 /*-*************************************
 *  Parameters
 ***************************************/
+void FIO_setCompresionType(FIO_compresionType_t compresionType);
 void FIO_overwriteMode(void);
 void FIO_setNotificationLevel(unsigned level);
 void FIO_setSparseWrite(unsigned sparse);  /**< 0: no sparse; 1: disable on stdout; 2: always enabled */
diff --git a/programs/zstdcli.c b/programs/zstdcli.c
index a7dbda313..651255b02 100644
--- a/programs/zstdcli.c
+++ b/programs/zstdcli.c
@@ -123,6 +123,9 @@ static int usage_advanced(const char* programName)
     DISPLAY( " -T#    : use # threads for compression (default:1) \n");
     DISPLAY( " -B#    : select size of independent sections (default:0==automatic) \n");
 #endif
+#ifdef ZSTD_GZCOMPRESS
+    DISPLAY( "--format=gzip : output .gz files \n");
+#endif
 #endif
 #ifndef ZSTD_NODECOMPRESS
     DISPLAY( "--test  : test compressed file integrity \n");
@@ -359,6 +362,7 @@ int main(int argCount, const char* argv[])
                     if (!strcmp(argument, "--keep")) { FIO_setRemoveSrcFile(0); continue; }
                     if (!strcmp(argument, "--rm")) { FIO_setRemoveSrcFile(1); continue; }
                     if (!strcmp(argument, "--priority=rt")) { setRealTimePrio = 1; continue; }
+                    if (!strcmp(argument, "--format=gzip")) { FIO_setCompresionType(FIO_gzipCompression); continue; }
 
                     /* long commands with arguments */
 #ifndef  ZSTD_NODICT