diff --git a/Atomic/discovery.py b/Atomic/discovery.py
index 1267b73..3bba386 100644
--- a/Atomic/discovery.py
+++ b/Atomic/discovery.py
@@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ class RegistryInspect():
         inspect_data['Name'] = self.assemble_fqdn(include_tag=False)
         return inspect_data
 
-    def get_manifest(self):
+    def get_manifest(self, return_json=True):
         assert(self.fqdn is not None)
-        return util.skopeo_inspect("docker://{}".format(self.fqdn), return_json=True, args=['--raw'])
+        return util.skopeo_inspect("docker://{}".format(self.fqdn), return_json=return_json, args=['--raw'])
 
     @property
     def remote_id(self):
diff --git a/Atomic/sign.py b/Atomic/sign.py
index 95b9bc7..26f264e 100644
--- a/Atomic/sign.py
+++ b/Atomic/sign.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class Sign(Atomic):
         for sign_image in images:
             registry, repo, image, tag, _ = util.Decompose(sign_image).all
             ri = discovery.RegistryInspect(registry, repo, image, tag, debug=self.args.debug, orig_input=sign_image)
-            manifest = ri.get_manifest()
+            manifest = ri.get_manifest(return_json=False)
 
 
             try: