diff --git a/src/documents/management/commands/document_exporter.py b/src/documents/management/commands/document_exporter.py
index 0e99e7b7d..07b4643f2 100644
--- a/src/documents/management/commands/document_exporter.py
+++ b/src/documents/management/commands/document_exporter.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import hashlib
 import json
 import os
 import shutil
+import tempfile
 import time
 
 import tqdm
@@ -12,6 +13,7 @@ from django.core import serializers
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand
 from django.core.management.base import CommandError
 from django.db import transaction
+from django.utils import timezone
 from documents.models import Comment
 from documents.models import Correspondent
 from documents.models import Document
@@ -76,6 +78,7 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             "do not belong to the current export, such as files from "
             "deleted documents.",
         )
+
         parser.add_argument(
             "--no-progress-bar",
             default=False,
@@ -83,6 +86,14 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
             help="If set, the progress bar will not be shown",
         )
 
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "-z",
+            "--zip",
+            default=False,
+            action="store_true",
+            help="Export the documents to a zip file in the given directory",
+        )
+
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         BaseCommand.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
         self.target = None
@@ -98,6 +109,19 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         self.compare_checksums = options["compare_checksums"]
         self.use_filename_format = options["use_filename_format"]
         self.delete = options["delete"]
+        zip_export: bool = options["zip"]
+
+        # If zipping, save the original target for later and
+        # get a temporary directory for the target
+        temp_dir = None
+        original_target = None
+        if zip_export:
+            original_target = self.target
+            temp_dir = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(
+                dir=settings.SCRATCH_DIR,
+                prefix="paperless-export",
+            )
+            self.target = temp_dir.name
 
         if not os.path.exists(self.target):
             raise CommandError("That path doesn't exist")
@@ -105,8 +129,26 @@ class Command(BaseCommand):
         if not os.access(self.target, os.W_OK):
             raise CommandError("That path doesn't appear to be writable")
 
-        with FileLock(settings.MEDIA_LOCK):
-            self.dump(options["no_progress_bar"])
+        try:
+            with FileLock(settings.MEDIA_LOCK):
+                self.dump(options["no_progress_bar"])
+
+                # We've written everything to the temporary directory in this case,
+                # now make an archive in the original target, with all files stored
+                if zip_export:
+                    shutil.make_archive(
+                        os.path.join(
+                            original_target,
+                            f"export-{timezone.localdate().isoformat()}",
+                        ),
+                        format="zip",
+                        root_dir=temp_dir.name,
+                    )
+
+        finally:
+            # Always cleanup the temporary directory, if one was created
+            if zip_export and temp_dir is not None:
+                temp_dir.cleanup()
 
     def dump(self, progress_bar_disable=False):
         # 1. Take a snapshot of what files exist in the current export folder
diff --git a/src/documents/tests/test_management_exporter.py b/src/documents/tests/test_management_exporter.py
index fa7567f05..fd9c9366d 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/test_management_exporter.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/test_management_exporter.py
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@ import shutil
 import tempfile
 from pathlib import Path
 from unittest import mock
+from zipfile import ZipFile
 
 from django.core.management import call_command
 from django.test import override_settings
 from django.test import TestCase
+from django.utils import timezone
 from documents.management.commands import document_exporter
 from documents.models import Comment
 from documents.models import Correspondent
@@ -365,3 +367,56 @@ class TestExportImport(DirectoriesMixin, TestCase):
             mime_type="application/pdf",
         )
         self.assertRaises(FileNotFoundError, call_command, "document_exporter", target)
+
+    @override_settings(PASSPHRASE="test")
+    def test_export_zipped(self):
+        shutil.rmtree(os.path.join(self.dirs.media_dir, "documents"))
+        shutil.copytree(
+            os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "samples", "documents"),
+            os.path.join(self.dirs.media_dir, "documents"),
+        )
+
+        args = ["document_exporter", self.target, "--zip"]
+
+        call_command(*args)
+
+        expected_file = os.path.join(
+            self.target,
+            f"export-{timezone.localdate().isoformat()}.zip",
+        )
+
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(expected_file))
+
+        with ZipFile(expected_file) as zip:
+            self.assertEqual(len(zip.namelist()), 11)
+            self.assertIn("manifest.json", zip.namelist())
+            self.assertIn("version.json", zip.namelist())
+
+    @override_settings(PASSPHRASE="test")
+    def test_export_zipped_format(self):
+        shutil.rmtree(os.path.join(self.dirs.media_dir, "documents"))
+        shutil.copytree(
+            os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "samples", "documents"),
+            os.path.join(self.dirs.media_dir, "documents"),
+        )
+
+        args = ["document_exporter", self.target, "--zip", "--use-filename-format"]
+
+        with override_settings(
+            FILENAME_FORMAT="{created_year}/{correspondent}/{title}",
+        ):
+            call_command(*args)
+
+        expected_file = os.path.join(
+            self.target,
+            f"export-{timezone.localdate().isoformat()}.zip",
+        )
+
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(expected_file))
+
+        with ZipFile(expected_file) as zip:
+            print(zip.namelist())
+            # Extras are from the directories, which also appear in the listing
+            self.assertEqual(len(zip.namelist()), 14)
+            self.assertIn("manifest.json", zip.namelist())
+            self.assertIn("version.json", zip.namelist())