diff --git a/debian/scripts/misc/kconfig/annotations.py b/debian/scripts/misc/kconfig/annotations.py
index 6e903f22faa6..af9dbdfa2eb2 100644
--- a/debian/scripts/misc/kconfig/annotations.py
+++ b/debian/scripts/misc/kconfig/annotations.py
@@ -65,6 +65,10 @@ class Annotation(Config):
     Parse body of annotations file
     """
 
+    def __init__(self, fname, do_include=True, do_json=False):
+        self.do_json = do_json
+        super().__init__(fname, do_include=True)
+
     def _parse_body(self, data: str, parent=True):
         for line in data.splitlines():
             # Replace tabs with spaces, squeeze multiple into singles and
@@ -227,12 +231,10 @@ class Annotation(Config):
                 self._json_parse(data, is_included=True)
 
     def _parse(self, data: str):
-        # Try to parse the legacy format first, otherwise use the new JSON
-        # format.
-        try:
-            self._legacy_parse(data)
-        except SyntaxError:
+        if self.do_json:
             self._json_parse(data, is_included=False)
+        else:
+            self._legacy_parse(data)
 
     def _remove_entry(self, config: str):
         if self.config[config]:
diff --git a/debian/scripts/misc/kconfig/run.py b/debian/scripts/misc/kconfig/run.py
index 2689cb98d21b..63b0c9435a5c 100644
--- a/debian/scripts/misc/kconfig/run.py
+++ b/debian/scripts/misc/kconfig/run.py
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ def make_parser():
         action="store_true",
         help="Do not process included annotations (stop at the main file)",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--json",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Try to parse annotations file in pure JSON format",
+    )
 
     ga = parser.add_argument_group(title="Action").add_mutually_exclusive_group(required=False)
     ga.add_argument(
@@ -156,7 +161,7 @@ def print_result(config, data):
 def do_query(args):
     if args.arch is None and args.flavour is not None:
         arg_fail(_ARGPARSER, "error: --flavour requires --arch")
-    a = Annotation(args.file, do_include=(not args.no_include))
+    a = Annotation(args.file, do_include=(not args.no_include), do_json=args.json)
     res = a.search_config(config=args.config, arch=args.arch, flavour=args.flavour)
     # If no arguments are specified dump the whole annotations structure
     if args.config is None and args.arch is None and args.flavour is None: