diff --git a/johnnydep/__init__.py b/johnnydep/__init__.py
index 9712078..b041af1 100644
--- a/johnnydep/__init__.py
+++ b/johnnydep/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 """Display dependency tree of Python distribution"""
 
-__version__ = "1.17.3"
+__version__ = "1.17.4"
 
 from johnnydep.lib import *
diff --git a/johnnydep/cli.py b/johnnydep/cli.py
index 6869713..0a393d6 100644
--- a/johnnydep/cli.py
+++ b/johnnydep/cli.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def main(argv=None, stdout=None):
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--no-deps",
-        help="Don't recurse the dependency tree. Has no effect for output format 'human'",
+        help="Don't recurse the dependency tree",
         dest="recurse",
         action="store_false",
     )
@@ -87,6 +87,11 @@ def main(argv=None, stdout=None):
         extra_index_url=args.extra_index_url,
         ignore_errors=args.ignore_errors,
     )
-    print(dist.serialise(fields=args.fields, format=args.output_format, recurse=args.recurse), file=stdout)
+    rendered = dist.serialise(
+        fields=args.fields,
+        format=args.output_format,
+        recurse=args.recurse,
+    )
+    print(rendered, file=stdout)
     if (args.recurse and has_error(dist)) or (not args.recurse and dist.error is not None):
         sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/johnnydep/dot.py b/johnnydep/dot.py
index ea0b890..509cd9e 100644
--- a/johnnydep/dot.py
+++ b/johnnydep/dot.py
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 from anytree import LevelOrderIter
 
 import johnnydep
+from johnnydep.compat import dict
 from johnnydep.util import CircularMarker
 
 
 template = """\
 %(comment)s
-strict digraph %(title)s {
+digraph %(title)s {
     %(edges)s
 }
 """
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ def jd2dot(dist, comment=None):
             label = ' [label="{}"]'.format(spec) if spec else ""
             edge = '"{}" -> "{}"'.format(parent_node_name, node_name)
             edges.append(edge + label + ";")
+    edges = list(dict.fromkeys(edges))  # order-preserving de-dupe
     edges = "\n    ".join(edges)
     if not edges:
         # project with no dependencies - it's just a single node
diff --git a/johnnydep/lib.py b/johnnydep/lib.py
index ff8f45b..08367b4 100644
--- a/johnnydep/lib.py
+++ b/johnnydep/lib.py
@@ -281,6 +281,8 @@ def serialise(self, fields=("name", "summary"), recurse=True, format=None):
         if format == "pinned":
             # user-specified fields are ignored/invalid in this case
             fields = ("pinned",)
+        if format == "dot":
+            return jd2dot(self)
         data = [dict([(f, getattr(self, f, None)) for f in fields])]
         if format == "human":
             table = gen_table(self, extra_cols=fields)
@@ -302,8 +304,6 @@ def serialise(self, fields=("name", "summary"), recurse=True, format=None):
             result = "\n".join([toml.dumps(d) for d in data])
         elif format == "pinned":
             result = "\n".join([d["pinned"] for d in data])
-        elif format == "dot":
-            result = jd2dot(self)
         else:
             raise JohnnyError("Unsupported format")
         return result
diff --git a/johnnydep/util.py b/johnnydep/util.py
index 4a3f2a7..9739666 100644
--- a/johnnydep/util.py
+++ b/johnnydep/util.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
 import json
+import structlog
 from argparse import ArgumentTypeError
 from subprocess import check_output
 from subprocess import CalledProcessError
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ def __init__(self, summary, parent):
         self.name = CircularMarker.glyph
         self.summary = summary
         self.parent = parent
+        self.log = structlog.get_logger()
 
     def __getattr__(self, name):
         if name.startswith("_"):
diff --git a/tests/test_dot.py b/tests/test_dot.py
index 74712f7..73f03de 100644
--- a/tests/test_dot.py
+++ b/tests/test_dot.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def test_dot_export(make_dist):
     expected = dedent(
         """
         # generated by https://github.com/wimglenn/johnnydep v1.0
-        strict digraph parent {
+        digraph parent {
             "parent[x]" -> "child" [label=">0.1"];
             "parent[x]" -> "Extra";
         }
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ def test_nodupes(make_dist):
     expected = dedent(
         """
         // diamond
-        strict digraph root {
+        digraph root {
             "root" -> "dep1";
             "root" -> "dep2";
             "dep1" -> "leaf";
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def test_circular_graph(make_dist):
     expected = dedent(
         """
         # cyclic, oh no!
-        strict digraph dist1 {
+        digraph dist1 {
             "dist1" -> "dist2";
             "dist2" -> "dist3";
             "dist3" -> "dist1";
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def test_graph_with_no_edges(make_dist):
     actual = jd2dot(dist, comment="")
     expected = dedent(
         """
-        strict digraph lonely {
+        digraph lonely {
             "lonely";
         }
         """
diff --git a/tests/test_util.py b/tests/test_util.py
index 802fd9f..010e7b8 100644
--- a/tests/test_util.py
+++ b/tests/test_util.py
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@
 
 import pytest
 
+from johnnydep import JohnnyDist
+from johnnydep.cli import FIELDS
 from johnnydep.compat import text_type
+from johnnydep.util import CircularMarker
 from johnnydep.util import python_interpreter
 
 
@@ -46,3 +49,9 @@ def test_good_python_env():
         "sys_platform",
         "wheel_version",
     ]
+
+
+def test_placeholder_serializes():
+    # this just checks that the placeholder can render to text without issue
+    dist = CircularMarker(summary=".", parent=None)
+    JohnnyDist.serialise(dist, fields=FIELDS, format="human")