diff --git a/epicyon.py b/epicyon.py
index 78bcc8b20..9a9381f32 100644
--- a/epicyon.py
+++ b/epicyon.py
@@ -837,6 +837,10 @@ def _command_options() -> None:
                         help='Category of item being shared')
     parser.add_argument('--location', dest='location', type=str, default=None,
                         help='Location/City of item being shared')
+    parser.add_argument('--software', dest='instance_software',
+                        type=str, default=None,
+                        help='Returns the type of instance software for the' +
+                        'given domain. eg mastodon, epicyon, pixelfed')
     parser.add_argument('--mapFormat', dest='mapFormat', type=str,
                         default='kml',
                         help='Format for hashtag maps GPX/KML')
@@ -1320,6 +1324,68 @@ def _command_options() -> None:
         session.close()
         sys.exit()
 
+    if argb.instance_software:
+        debug = False
+        http_prefix = 'https'
+        if '127.0.0.1' in argb.instance_software or \
+           'localhost' in argb.instance_software:
+            http_prefix = 'http'
+        proxy_type = None
+        if '.onion' in argb.instance_software:
+            proxy_type = 'tor'
+            http_prefix = 'http'
+        elif '.i2p' in argb.instance_software:
+            proxy_type = 'i2p'
+            http_prefix = 'http'
+        if '://' not in argb.instance_software:
+            argb.instance_software = \
+                http_prefix + '://' + argb.instance_software
+        instance_domain_name = argb.instance_software.split('://')[1]
+        if '/' in instance_domain_name:
+            instance_domain_name = instance_domain_name.split('/')[0]
+        session = create_session(proxy_type)
+        profile_str = 'https://www.w3.org/ns/activitystreams'
+        as_header = {
+            'Accept': 'application/ld+json; profile="' + profile_str + '"'
+        }
+        if not argb.domain:
+            argb.domain = get_config_param(base_dir, 'domain')
+        domain = ''
+        if argb.domain:
+            domain = argb.domain
+        signing_priv_key_pem = get_instance_actor_key(base_dir, domain)
+        mitm_servers: list[str] = []
+
+        nodeinfo1_url = \
+            http_prefix + '://' + instance_domain_name + \
+            '/.well-known/nodeinfo'
+        nodeinfo1_json = get_json(signing_priv_key_pem, session, nodeinfo1_url,
+                                  as_header, None, debug, mitm_servers,
+                                  __version__, http_prefix, domain)
+        nodeinfo_url = None
+        if get_json_valid(nodeinfo1_json):
+            if nodeinfo1_json.get('links'):
+                if isinstance(nodeinfo1_json['links'], list):
+                    if len(nodeinfo1_json['links']) > 0:
+                        if nodeinfo1_json['links'][0].get('href'):
+                            href = nodeinfo1_json['links'][0]['href']
+                            if isinstance(href, str):
+                                nodeinfo_url = href
+        if nodeinfo_url:
+            nodeinfo_json = \
+                get_json(signing_priv_key_pem, session, nodeinfo_url,
+                         as_header, None, debug, mitm_servers,
+                         __version__, http_prefix, domain)
+            if get_json_valid(nodeinfo_json):
+                if nodeinfo_json.get('software'):
+                    if isinstance(nodeinfo_json['software'], dict):
+                        if nodeinfo_json['software'].get('name'):
+                            if isinstance(nodeinfo_json['software']['name'],
+                                          str):
+                                print(nodeinfo_json['software']['name'])
+        session.close()
+        sys.exit()
+
     if argb.conversation:
         post_id = argb.conversation
         if '://' not in post_id:
diff --git a/session.py b/session.py
index ffdccf2d9..e149f5c9e 100644
--- a/session.py
+++ b/session.py
@@ -146,8 +146,9 @@ def _get_json_request(session, url: str, session_headers: {},
             if url_domain:
                 if url_domain not in mitm_servers:
                     mitm_servers.append(url_domain)
-            print('DEBUG: _get_json_request MITM ' +
-                  str(result.headers))
+            if debug:
+                print('DEBUG: _get_json_request MITM ' +
+                      str(result.headers))
         else:
             if url_domain in mitm_servers:
                 mitm_servers.remove(url_domain)