diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e6bffed..f0c3d20 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 docs/public
 docs/content/signaldctl
 
+# man page files generated for the debian package
+*.1
+debian/manpages
+
 # Binaries for programs and plugins
 *.exe
 *.exe~
diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 2589492..e209f79 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ build:x86:deb:
     - apt-get install -y git-buildpackage dh-golang golang-any golang-github-spf13-cobra-dev golang-github-spf13-viper-dev
     - apt-get install -y ./*.deb && rm -vf *.deb
   script:
+    - echo "generating man pages"
+    - go run ./cmd/signaldctl doc -o man
+    - ls *.1 > debian/manpages
     - gbp dch --ignore-branch --debian-tag="%(version)s" --git-author --new-version="$(git describe --abbrev=0)+git$(date +%Y-%m-%d)r$(git rev-parse --short=8 HEAD).$(git rev-list $(git describe --abbrev=0)..HEAD --count)"
     - dpkg-buildpackage -us -uc -b
     - mv ../*.deb .
@@ -68,6 +71,7 @@ build:x86:deb:
   artifacts:
     paths:
       - "*.deb"
+      - "*.1"
     expire_in: 1 month
 
 publish deb:
@@ -96,7 +100,7 @@ pages:
     - apt-get update && apt-get install -y hugo
   script:
     - mkdir -p docs/content/signaldctl
-    - SIGNALDCTL_PUBLIC_DOC_MODE=on ./signaldctl doc
+    - SIGNALDCTL_PUBLIC_DOC_MODE=on ./signaldctl doc -o md ./docs/content/signaldctl
     - cd docs
     - hugo
     - mv public ../
diff --git a/cmd/signaldctl/cmd/doc.go b/cmd/signaldctl/cmd/doc.go
index 0276bd0..d3c6e7f 100644
--- a/cmd/signaldctl/cmd/doc.go
+++ b/cmd/signaldctl/cmd/doc.go
@@ -32,8 +32,20 @@ var DocCmd = &cobra.Command{
 	Aliases:     []string{"docs"},
 	Hidden:      true,
 	Annotations: map[string]string{common.AnnotationNoSocketConnection: "true"},
-	Run: func(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string) {
-		err := doc.GenMarkdownTreeCustom(RootCmd, "./docs/content/signaldctl", filePrepender, linkHandler)
+	Run: func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+		var err error
+		outpath := "./"
+		if len(args) > 0 {
+			outpath = args[0]
+		}
+		switch common.OutputFormat {
+		case common.OutputFormatMan:
+			err = doc.GenManTree(RootCmd, &doc.GenManHeader{Title: "signaldctl"}, outpath)
+		case common.OutputFormatMarkdown:
+			err = doc.GenMarkdownTreeCustom(RootCmd, outpath, filePrepender, linkHandler)
+		case common.OutputFormatYAML:
+			err = doc.GenYamlTree(RootCmd, outpath)
+		}
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/signaldctl/common/signald.go b/cmd/signaldctl/common/signald.go
index 2e9569f..1b2ffa3 100644
--- a/cmd/signaldctl/common/signald.go
+++ b/cmd/signaldctl/common/signald.go
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	OutputFormatDefault = "default"
-	OutputFormatCSV     = "csv"
-	OutputFormatTable   = "table"
-	OutputFormatJSON    = "json"
-	OutputFormatYAML    = "yaml"
-	OutputFormatQR      = "qr"
+	OutputFormatDefault  = "default"
+	OutputFormatCSV      = "csv"
+	OutputFormatTable    = "table"
+	OutputFormatJSON     = "json"
+	OutputFormatYAML     = "yaml"
+	OutputFormatQR       = "qr"
+	OutputFormatMarkdown = "md"
+	OutputFormatMan      = "man"
 
 	AnnotationNoSocketConnection = "no-socket"
 )
diff --git a/docs/README.md b/docs/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aee0b0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# [docs are here](https://signald.gitlab.io/signald-go/signaldctl/)
\ No newline at end of file