diff --git a/cmd/otelq/README.md b/cmd/otelq/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..31fd6c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/otelq/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Otelq
+
+Like `jq` or `yq`, but for OpenTelemetry data.
diff --git a/cmd/otelq/main.go b/cmd/otelq/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f4332ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/otelq/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"log"
+	"os"
+
+	tracev1 "go.opentelemetry.io/proto/otlp/trace/v1"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/encoding/protojson"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
+)
+
+var (
+	file = flag.String("file", "", "OpenTelemetry proto file. if set, will not use stdin.")
+)
+
+func main() {
+	flag.Parse()
+
+	if *file != "" {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "reading file %s\n", *file)
+		h := must(os.Open(*file))
+		bs := must(io.ReadAll(h))
+
+		var td tracev1.TracesData
+		if err := proto.Unmarshal(bs, &td); err != nil {
+			log.Fatalln(err)
+		}
+
+		jsonbs, err := protojson.Marshal(&td)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalln(err)
+		}
+
+		fmt.Fprint(os.Stdout, string(jsonbs))
+	} else {
+		fmt.Println("using stdin")
+	}
+}
+
+func must[T any](v T, err error) T {
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalln(err)
+	}
+	return v
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 7aec69b..a86ed94 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ module go.wperron.io/toolkit
 go 1.20
 
 require (
+	github.com/golang/protobuf v1.5.2
 	github.com/grafana/tempo v1.5.0
 	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.8.4
 	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/sdk v1.14.0
@@ -14,7 +15,6 @@ require (
 	github.com/cenkalti/backoff/v4 v4.2.0 // indirect
 	github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 // indirect
 	github.com/gogo/protobuf v1.3.2 // indirect
-	github.com/golang/protobuf v1.5.2 // indirect
 	github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway/v2 v2.7.0 // indirect
 	github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 // indirect
 	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/exporters/otlp/internal/retry v1.14.0 // indirect