diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 77d0938944..a7524723d3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ git-annex (8.20210311) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
   * export: When a submodule is in the tree to be exported, skip it.
   * import: When the previously exported tree contained a submodule,
     preserve it in the imported tree so it does not get deleted.
+  * export --json: Fill in the file field.
 
  -- Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>  Fri, 12 Mar 2021 12:06:37 -0400
 
diff --git a/Command/Add.hs b/Command/Add.hs
index 7ded87490c..246a2242f7 100644
--- a/Command/Add.hs
+++ b/Command/Add.hs
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ seek o = startConcurrency commandStages $ do
 {- Pass file off to git-add. -}
 startSmall :: AddOptions -> SeekInput -> RawFilePath -> CommandStart
 startSmall o si file =
-	starting "add" (ActionItemWorkTreeFile file) si $
+	starting "add" (ActionItemTreeFile file) si $
 		next $ addSmall (checkGitIgnoreOption o) file
 
 addSmall :: CheckGitIgnore -> RawFilePath -> Annex Bool
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ addSmall ci file = do
 
 startSmallOverridden :: AddOptions -> SeekInput -> RawFilePath -> CommandStart
 startSmallOverridden o si file = 
-	starting "add" (ActionItemWorkTreeFile file) si $ next $ do
+	starting "add" (ActionItemTreeFile file) si $ next $ do
 		showNote "adding content to git repository"
 		addFile Small (checkGitIgnoreOption o) file
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ start o si file addunlockedmatcher = do
 		Just s 
 			| not (isRegularFile s) && not (isSymbolicLink s) -> stop
 			| otherwise -> 
-				starting "add" (ActionItemWorkTreeFile file) si $
+				starting "add" (ActionItemTreeFile file) si $
 					if isSymbolicLink s
 						then next $ addFile Small (checkGitIgnoreOption o) file
 						else perform o file addunlockedmatcher
@@ -157,13 +157,13 @@ start o si file addunlockedmatcher = do
 			Just s | isSymbolicLink s -> fixuplink key
 			_ -> add
 	fixuplink key = 
-		starting "add" (ActionItemWorkTreeFile file) si $
+		starting "add" (ActionItemTreeFile file) si $
 			addingExistingLink file key $ do
 				liftIO $ removeFile (fromRawFilePath file)
 				addLink (checkGitIgnoreOption o) file key Nothing
 				next $ cleanup key =<< inAnnex key
 	fixuppointer key =
-		starting "add" (ActionItemWorkTreeFile file) si $
+		starting "add" (ActionItemTreeFile file) si $
 			addingExistingLink file key $ do
 				Database.Keys.addAssociatedFile key =<< inRepo (toTopFilePath file)
 				next $ addFile Large (checkGitIgnoreOption o) file
diff --git a/Command/Export.hs b/Command/Export.hs
index dd0cb5d91f..6187d8dc51 100644
--- a/Command/Export.hs
+++ b/Command/Export.hs
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ startExport r db cvar allfilledvar ti = do
 	loc = mkExportLocation f
 	f = getTopFilePath (Git.LsTree.file ti)
 	af = AssociatedFile (Just f)
-	ai = ActionItemOther (Just (fromRawFilePath f))
+	ai = ActionItemTreeFile f
 	si = SeekInput []
 	notrecordedpresent ek = (||)
 		<$> liftIO (notElem loc <$> getExportedLocation db ek)
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ startUnexport r db f shas = do
   where
 	loc = mkExportLocation f'
 	f' = getTopFilePath f
-	ai = ActionItemOther (Just (fromRawFilePath f'))
+	ai = ActionItemTreeFile f'
 	si = SeekInput []
 
 startUnexport' :: Remote -> ExportHandle -> TopFilePath -> Key -> CommandStart
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ startUnexport' r db f ek =
   where
 	loc = mkExportLocation f'
 	f' = getTopFilePath f
-	ai = ActionItemOther (Just (fromRawFilePath f'))
+	ai = ActionItemTreeFile f'
 	si = SeekInput []
 
 -- Unlike a usual drop from a repository, this does not check that
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ startRecoverIncomplete r db sha oldf
 	| otherwise = do
 		ek <- exportKey sha
 		let loc = exportTempName ek
-		let ai = ActionItemOther (Just (fromRawFilePath (fromExportLocation loc)))
+		let ai = ActionItemTreeFile (fromExportLocation loc)
 		let si = SeekInput []
 		starting ("unexport " ++ name r) ai si $ do
 			liftIO $ removeExportedLocation db ek oldloc
diff --git a/Command/Import.hs b/Command/Import.hs
index d10310a9bf..d133d0f306 100644
--- a/Command/Import.hs
+++ b/Command/Import.hs
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ startLocal o addunlockedmatcher largematcher mode (srcfile, destfile) =
 		, stop
 		)
   where
- 	ai = ActionItemWorkTreeFile destfile
+ 	ai = ActionItemTreeFile destfile
 	si = SeekInput []
 
 	deletedup k = do
diff --git a/Command/ReKey.hs b/Command/ReKey.hs
index ec94d98856..368fb42ef2 100644
--- a/Command/ReKey.hs
+++ b/Command/ReKey.hs
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ start si (file, newkey) = ifAnnexed file go stop
 		| otherwise = starting "rekey" ai si $
 			perform file oldkey newkey
 
-	ai = ActionItemWorkTreeFile file
+	ai = ActionItemTreeFile file
 
 perform :: RawFilePath -> Key -> Key -> CommandPerform
 perform file oldkey newkey = do
diff --git a/Command/Whereis.hs b/Command/Whereis.hs
index e8d103bdb8..c329dde73d 100644
--- a/Command/Whereis.hs
+++ b/Command/Whereis.hs
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ perform o remotemap key ai = do
 			mapM_ (showRemoteUrls remotemap) urls
 		Just formatter -> liftIO $ do
 			let vs = Command.Find.formatVars key
-				(AssociatedFile (actionItemWorkTreeFile ai))
+				(AssociatedFile (actionItemFile ai))
 			let showformatted muuid murl = putStr $
 				Utility.Format.format formatter $
 					M.fromList $ vs ++ catMaybes
diff --git a/Messages.hs b/Messages.hs
index 7ad270bf99..ce6e7a2334 100644
--- a/Messages.hs
+++ b/Messages.hs
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ showStartKey :: String -> Key -> ActionItem -> SeekInput -> Annex ()
 showStartKey command key ai si = outputMessage json $
 	encodeBS' command <> " " <> actionItemDesc ai <> " "
   where
-	json = JSON.start command (actionItemWorkTreeFile ai) (Just key) si
+	json = JSON.start command (actionItemFile ai) (Just key) si
 
 showStartOther :: String -> Maybe String -> SeekInput -> Annex ()
 showStartOther command mdesc si = outputMessage json $ encodeBS' $
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ showStartMessage (StartMessage command ai si) = case ai of
 	ActionItemKey k -> showStartKey command k ai si
 	ActionItemBranchFilePath _ k -> showStartKey command k ai si
 	ActionItemFailedTransfer t _ -> showStartKey command (transferKey t) ai si
-	ActionItemWorkTreeFile file -> showStart command file si
+	ActionItemTreeFile file -> showStart command file si
 	ActionItemOther msg -> showStartOther command msg si
 	OnlyActionOn _ ai' -> showStartMessage (StartMessage command ai' si)
 showStartMessage (StartUsualMessages command ai si) = do
diff --git a/Types/ActionItem.hs b/Types/ActionItem.hs
index fcb8c64345..b5d52f5401 100644
--- a/Types/ActionItem.hs
+++ b/Types/ActionItem.hs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ data ActionItem
 	| ActionItemKey Key
 	| ActionItemBranchFilePath BranchFilePath Key
 	| ActionItemFailedTransfer Transfer TransferInfo
-	| ActionItemWorkTreeFile RawFilePath
+	| ActionItemTreeFile RawFilePath
 	| ActionItemOther (Maybe String)
 	-- Use to avoid more than one thread concurrently processing the
 	-- same Key.
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ actionItemDesc (ActionItemKey k) = serializeKey' k
 actionItemDesc (ActionItemBranchFilePath bfp _) = descBranchFilePath bfp
 actionItemDesc (ActionItemFailedTransfer t i) = actionItemDesc $
 	ActionItemAssociatedFile (associatedFile i) (transferKey t)
-actionItemDesc (ActionItemWorkTreeFile f) = f
+actionItemDesc (ActionItemTreeFile f) = f
 actionItemDesc (ActionItemOther s) = encodeBS' (fromMaybe "" s)
 actionItemDesc (OnlyActionOn _ ai) = actionItemDesc ai
 
@@ -73,15 +73,15 @@ actionItemKey (ActionItemAssociatedFile _ k) = Just k
 actionItemKey (ActionItemKey k) = Just k
 actionItemKey (ActionItemBranchFilePath _ k) = Just k
 actionItemKey (ActionItemFailedTransfer t _) = Just (transferKey t)
-actionItemKey (ActionItemWorkTreeFile _) = Nothing
+actionItemKey (ActionItemTreeFile _) = Nothing
 actionItemKey (ActionItemOther _) = Nothing
 actionItemKey (OnlyActionOn _ ai) = actionItemKey ai
 
-actionItemWorkTreeFile :: ActionItem -> Maybe RawFilePath
-actionItemWorkTreeFile (ActionItemAssociatedFile (AssociatedFile af) _) = af
-actionItemWorkTreeFile (ActionItemWorkTreeFile f) = Just f
-actionItemWorkTreeFile (OnlyActionOn _ ai) = actionItemWorkTreeFile ai
-actionItemWorkTreeFile _ = Nothing
+actionItemFile :: ActionItem -> Maybe RawFilePath
+actionItemFile (ActionItemAssociatedFile (AssociatedFile af) _) = af
+actionItemFile (ActionItemTreeFile f) = Just f
+actionItemFile (OnlyActionOn _ ai) = actionItemFile ai
+actionItemFile _ = Nothing
 
 actionItemTransferDirection :: ActionItem -> Maybe Direction
 actionItemTransferDirection (ActionItemFailedTransfer t _) = Just $
diff --git a/doc/bugs/JSON_results_for___96__export__96___have_file__58__null_property.mdwn b/doc/bugs/JSON_results_for___96__export__96___have_file__58__null_property.mdwn
index 612e037f88..a80653d04b 100644
--- a/doc/bugs/JSON_results_for___96__export__96___have_file__58__null_property.mdwn
+++ b/doc/bugs/JSON_results_for___96__export__96___have_file__58__null_property.mdwn
@@ -22,3 +22,5 @@ This behavior was observed using the 4shared service, but I believe git-annex kn
 Thx!
 
 [[!tag projects/datalad]]
+
+> [[fixed|done]] --[[Joey]]
diff --git a/doc/bugs/JSON_results_for___96__export__96___have_file__58__null_property/comment_1_bf743f047b8063b8ecbd8c87d12fa475._comment b/doc/bugs/JSON_results_for___96__export__96___have_file__58__null_property/comment_1_bf743f047b8063b8ecbd8c87d12fa475._comment
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..29681baafe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/bugs/JSON_results_for___96__export__96___have_file__58__null_property/comment_1_bf743f047b8063b8ecbd8c87d12fa475._comment
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[[!comment format=mdwn
+ username="joey"
+ subject="""comment 1"""
+ date="2021-03-12T18:09:48Z"
+ content="""
+I've fixed this.
+
+However, there is still a case where the file field is null, which is when
+an already exported file is renamed. Since nothing is transferred in that
+case, and 2 files are involved which doesn't fit the one file in the json,
+I left it as-is.
+"""]]