diff --git a/input/cmd.c b/input/cmd.c
index e9449915f9..5a073d9fec 100644
--- a/input/cmd.c
+++ b/input/cmd.c
@@ -615,6 +615,11 @@ static int parse_cycle_dir(struct mp_log *log, const struct m_option *opt,
     return 1;
 }
 
+static char *print_cycle_dir(const m_option_t *opt, const void *val)
+{
+    return talloc_asprintf(NULL, "%f", *(double *)val);
+}
+
 static void copy_opt(const m_option_t *opt, void *dst, const void *src)
 {
     if (dst && src)
@@ -624,6 +629,7 @@ static void copy_opt(const m_option_t *opt, void *dst, const void *src)
 const struct m_option_type m_option_type_cycle_dir = {
     .name = "up|down",
     .parse = parse_cycle_dir,
+    .print = print_cycle_dir,
     .copy = copy_opt,
     .size = sizeof(double),
 };