diff --git a/sway/ipc-json.c b/sway/ipc-json.c
index 54824a361..44828a0df 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-json.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-json.c
@@ -11,6 +11,40 @@
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_output.h>
 #include "wlr-layer-shell-unstable-v1-protocol.h"
 
+static const char *ipc_json_layout_description(enum sway_container_layout l) {
+	const char *layout;
+
+	switch (l) {
+	case L_VERT:
+		layout = "splitv";
+		break;
+
+	case L_HORIZ:
+		layout = "splith";
+		break;
+
+	case L_TABBED:
+		layout = "tabbed";
+		break;
+
+	case L_STACKED:
+		layout = "stacked";
+		break;
+
+	case L_FLOATING:
+		layout = "floating";
+		break;
+
+	case L_NONE: // fallthrough
+	case L_LAYOUTS: // fallthrough; this should never happen, I'm just trying to silence compiler warnings
+	default:
+		layout = "null";
+		break;
+	}
+
+	return layout;
+}
+
 json_object *ipc_json_get_version() {
 	int major = 0, minor = 0, patch = 0;
 	json_object *version = json_object_new_object();
@@ -116,6 +150,9 @@ static void ipc_json_describe_output(struct sway_container *container, json_obje
 		json_object_array_add(modes_array, mode_object);
 	}
 	json_object_object_add(object, "modes", modes_array);
+
+
+	json_object_object_add(object, "layout", json_object_new_string("output"));
 }
 
 static void ipc_json_describe_workspace(struct sway_container *workspace,
@@ -127,12 +164,23 @@ static void ipc_json_describe_workspace(struct sway_container *workspace,
 			json_object_new_string(workspace->parent->name) : NULL);
 	json_object_object_add(object, "type", json_object_new_string("workspace"));
 	json_object_object_add(object, "urgent", json_object_new_boolean(false));
+
+	const char *layout = ipc_json_layout_description(workspace->workspace_layout);
+	json_object_object_add(object, "layout", (strcmp(layout, "null") == 0) ?
+		NULL : json_object_new_string(layout));
 }
 
 static void ipc_json_describe_view(struct sway_container *c, json_object *object) {
 	json_object_object_add(object, "name",
 			c->name ? json_object_new_string(c->name) : NULL);
 	json_object_object_add(object, "type", json_object_new_string("con"));
+
+	if (c->parent) {
+		const char *layout = (c->parent->type == C_CONTAINER) ?
+			ipc_json_layout_description(c->parent->layout) : "none";
+		json_object_object_add(object, "layout",
+			(strcmp(layout, "null") == 0) ? NULL : json_object_new_string(layout));
+	}
 }
 
 json_object *ipc_json_describe_container(struct sway_container *c) {