diff --git a/doc/preserves-tool.md b/doc/preserves-tool.md
index 08c84b0..ff7b1bc 100644
--- a/doc/preserves-tool.md
+++ b/doc/preserves-tool.md
@@ -56,11 +56,6 @@ This is the main tool. It can
         -V, --version          Print version information
 
     OPTIONS:
-            --annotations <on/off>
-
-                [default: on] [possible values: disabled, no, n, off, 0, false,
-                enabled, yes, y, on, 1, true]
-
         -i, --input-format <INPUT_FORMAT>
                 [default: auto-detect] [possible values: auto-detect, text, binary]
 
@@ -74,12 +69,20 @@ This is the main tool. It can
         -o, --output-format <OUTPUT_FORMAT>
                 [default: text] [possible values: text, binary, unquoted]
 
+            --read-annotations <on/off>
+                [default: on] [possible values: disabled, no, n, off, 0, false,
+                enabled, yes, y, on, 1, true]
+
             --select <SELECT>
                 [default: *]
 
             --select-output <SELECT_OUTPUT>
                 [default: sequence] [possible values: sequence, set]
 
+            --write-annotations <on/off>
+                [default: on] [possible values: disabled, no, n, off, 0, false,
+                enabled, yes, y, on, 1, true]
+
 ### `preserves-tool quote`
 
 This subcommand reads chunks from standard input and outputs each one
diff --git a/implementations/rust/preserves-tools/src/bin/preserves-tool.rs b/implementations/rust/preserves-tools/src/bin/preserves-tool.rs
index 9c9cf3f..ed2fc8b 100644
--- a/implementations/rust/preserves-tools/src/bin/preserves-tool.rs
+++ b/implementations/rust/preserves-tools/src/bin/preserves-tool.rs
@@ -108,7 +108,10 @@ struct Convert {
     collect: bool,
 
     #[clap(long, arg_enum, value_name = "on/off", default_value = "on")]
-    annotations: Boolish,
+    read_annotations: Boolish,
+
+    #[clap(long, arg_enum, value_name = "on/off", default_value = "on")]
+    write_annotations: Boolish,
 }
 
 #[derive(ArgEnum, Clone, Debug)]
@@ -362,7 +365,8 @@ fn print_unquoted(v: &IOValue) {
 }
 
 fn convert(c: Convert) -> io::Result<()> {
-    let mut vs = ValueStream::new(c.input_format, c.annotations.into(), io::stdin());
+    let mut vs = ValueStream::new(c.input_format, c.read_annotations.into(), io::stdin());
+    let write_ann: bool = c.write_annotations.into();
     let mut w: Box<dyn FnMut(&IOValue) -> io::Result<()>> = match c.output_format {
         OutputFormat::Text => {
             let mut t = TextWriter::new(io::stdout()).set_escape_spaces(c.escape_spaces);
@@ -370,14 +374,22 @@ fn convert(c: Convert) -> io::Result<()> {
                 t.indentation = 2;
             }
             Box::new(move |v| {
-                t.write(&mut IOValueDomainCodec, v)?;
+                if write_ann {
+                    t.write(&mut IOValueDomainCodec, v)?;
+                } else {
+                    t.write(&mut IOValueDomainCodec, &v.strip_annotations::<IOValue>())?;
+                }
                 println!();
                 Ok(())
             })
         }
         OutputFormat::Binary => {
             let mut p = PackedWriter::new(io::stdout());
-            Box::new(move |v| p.write(&mut IOValueDomainCodec, v))
+            Box::new(move |v| if write_ann {
+                p.write(&mut IOValueDomainCodec, v)
+            } else {
+                p.write(&mut IOValueDomainCodec, &v.strip_annotations::<IOValue>())
+            })
         }
         OutputFormat::Unquoted =>
             Box::new(|v| Ok(print_unquoted(v))),
diff --git a/implementations/rust/preserves/src/value/repr.rs b/implementations/rust/preserves/src/value/repr.rs
index 07cdfb7..3db15e5 100644
--- a/implementations/rust/preserves/src/value/repr.rs
+++ b/implementations/rust/preserves/src/value/repr.rs
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ pub trait NestedValue: Sized + Debug + Clone + Eq + Hash + Ord {
         self.value().fmt(f)
     }
 
+    fn strip_annotations<M: NestedValue<Embedded = Self::Embedded>>(&self) -> M {
+        M::wrap(Annotations::empty(), self.value().strip_annotations())
+    }
+
     fn copy_via<M: NestedValue, F, Err>(&self, f: &mut F) -> Result<M, Err>
     where
         F: FnMut(&Self::Embedded) -> Result<Value<M>, Err>
@@ -917,6 +921,27 @@ impl<N: NestedValue> Value<N> {
         self.as_embedded().ok_or_else(|| self.expected(ExpectedKind::Embedded))
     }
 
+    pub fn strip_annotations<M: NestedValue<Embedded = N::Embedded>>(&self) -> Value<M> {
+        match self {
+            Value::Boolean(b) => Value::Boolean(*b),
+            Value::Float(f) => Value::Float(f.clone()),
+            Value::Double(d) => Value::Double(d.clone()),
+            Value::SignedInteger(n) => Value::SignedInteger(n.clone()),
+            Value::String(s) => Value::String(s.clone()),
+            Value::ByteString(v) => Value::ByteString(v.clone()),
+            Value::Symbol(v) => Value::Symbol(v.clone()),
+            Value::Record(r) => Value::Record(Record(r.fields_vec().iter().map(
+                |a| a.strip_annotations()).collect())),
+            Value::Sequence(v) => Value::Sequence(v.iter().map(
+                |a| a.strip_annotations()).collect()),
+            Value::Set(v) => Value::Set(v.iter().map(
+                |a| a.strip_annotations()).collect()),
+            Value::Dictionary(v) => Value::Dictionary(v.iter().map(
+                |(a,b)| (a.strip_annotations(), b.strip_annotations())).collect()),
+            Value::Embedded(d) => Value::Embedded(d.clone()),
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn copy_via<M: NestedValue, F, Err>(&self, f: &mut F) -> Result<Value<M>, Err>
     where
         F: FnMut(&N::Embedded) -> Result<Value<M>, Err>