diff --git a/docs/api.md b/docs/api.md
index f85034c..12bf81e 100644
--- a/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/api.md
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ Example:
 
 ### GET /\_publicKey
 
-The [public key](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-key_cryptography) unpkg uses to encrypt authentication tokens, in plain text. You can also find the key [on GitHub](https://github.com/unpkg/unpkg/blob/master/public.key).
+The [public key](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-key_cryptography) unpkg uses to encrypt authentication tokens, as JSON. You can also find the key as plain text [on GitHub](https://github.com/unpkg/unpkg/blob/master/public.key).
 
 This can be useful to verify a token was issued by unpkg.
 
@@ -64,6 +64,15 @@ Required scope: none
 
 Query parameters: none
 
+Example:
+
+```log
+> curl "https://unpkg.com/_publicKey"
+{
+  "publicKey": "..."
+}
+```
+
 # Blacklist
 
 To protect unpkg users and prevent abuse, unpkg manages a blacklist of npm packages that are known to contain harmful code.
diff --git a/server/actions/showPublicKey.js b/server/actions/showPublicKey.js
index 8fb46d1..445eb71 100644
--- a/server/actions/showPublicKey.js
+++ b/server/actions/showPublicKey.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 const AuthAPI = require('../AuthAPI')
 
 function showPublicKey(req, res) {
-  res.type('text').send(AuthAPI.getPublicKey())
+  res.send({ publicKey: AuthAPI.getPublicKey() })
 }
 
 module.exports = showPublicKey