diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Anon.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Anon.hs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..09b791e4d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Anon.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+{-|
+
+Instances for anonymizing sensitive data in various types.
+
+Note that there is no clear way to anonymize numbers.
+
+-}
+
+module Hledger.Cli.Anon
+    ( Anon(..)
+    , anonAccount
+    )
+where
+
+import Control.Arrow (first)
+import Data.Hashable (hash)
+import Data.Word (Word32)
+import Numeric (showHex)
+import qualified Data.Text as T
+
+import Hledger.Data
+
+class Anon a where
+    -- | Consistent converter to structure with sensitive data anonymized
+    anon :: a -> a
+
+instance Anon Journal where
+    -- Apply the anonymisation transformation on a journal after finalisation
+    anon j = j { jtxns = map anon . jtxns $ j
+               , jparseparentaccounts = map anonAccount $ jparseparentaccounts j
+               , jparsealiases = []  -- already applied
+               , jdeclaredaccounts = map (first anon) $ jdeclaredaccounts j
+               }
+
+instance Anon Posting where
+    anon p = p { paccount = anonAccount . paccount $ p
+               , pcomment = T.empty
+               , ptransaction = fmap anon . ptransaction $ p  -- Note that this will be overriden
+               , poriginal = anon <$> poriginal p
+               }
+
+instance Anon Transaction where
+    anon txn = txnTieKnot $ txn { tpostings = map anon . tpostings $ txn
+                                , tdescription = anon . tdescription $ txn
+                                , tcomment = T.empty
+                                }
+
+-- | Anonymize account name preserving hierarchy
+anonAccount :: AccountName -> AccountName
+anonAccount = T.intercalate (T.pack ":") . map anon . T.splitOn (T.pack ":")
+
+instance Anon T.Text where anon = T.pack . flip showHex "" . (fromIntegral :: Int -> Word32) . hash
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Utils.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Utils.hs
index 2f74e2efb..15d5bceb4 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Utils.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Utils.hs
@@ -31,14 +31,11 @@ where
 import Control.Exception as C
 import Control.Monad
 
-import Data.Hashable (hash)
 import Data.List
 import Data.Maybe
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import qualified Data.Text.IO as T
 import Data.Time (Day, addDays)
-import Data.Word
-import Numeric
 import Safe (readMay)
 import System.Console.CmdArgs
 import System.Directory (getModificationTime, getDirectoryContents, copyFile)
@@ -54,6 +51,7 @@ import System.Time (ClockTime(TOD))
 import Data.Time.Clock.POSIX (utcTimeToPOSIXSeconds)
 
 import Hledger.Cli.CliOptions
+import Hledger.Cli.Anon
 import Hledger.Data
 import Hledger.Read
 import Hledger.Reports
@@ -98,27 +96,9 @@ pivotByOpts opts =
 -- | Apply the anonymisation transformation on a journal, if option is present
 anonymiseByOpts :: CliOpts -> Journal -> Journal
 anonymiseByOpts opts =
-  case maybestringopt "anon" . rawopts_ $ opts of
-    Just _  -> anonymise
-    Nothing -> id
-
--- | Apply the anonymisation transformation on a journal
-anonymise :: Journal -> Journal
-anonymise j
-  = let
-      pAnons p = p { paccount = T.intercalate (T.pack ":") . map anon . T.splitOn (T.pack ":") . paccount $ p
-                   , pcomment = T.empty
-                   , ptransaction = fmap tAnons . ptransaction $ p
-                   , poriginal = pAnons <$> poriginal p
-                   }
-      tAnons txn = txn { tpostings = map pAnons . tpostings $ txn
-                       , tdescription = anon . tdescription $ txn
-                       , tcomment = T.empty
-                       }
-    in
-      j { jtxns = map tAnons . jtxns $ j }
-  where
-    anon = T.pack . flip showHex "" . (fromIntegral :: Int -> Word32) . hash
+  if anon_ . inputopts_ $ opts
+      then anon
+      else id
 
 -- | Generate periodic transactions from all periodic transaction rules in the journal.
 -- These transactions are added to the in-memory Journal (but not the on-disk file).
diff --git a/hledger/hledger.cabal b/hledger/hledger.cabal
index 74a0844c3..2e63579e9 100644
--- a/hledger/hledger.cabal
+++ b/hledger/hledger.cabal
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ cabal-version: 1.12
 --
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 --
--- hash: cfbd7109f5527399580a07f847fc8f5d01951caffc3667948b6348f82183be52
+-- hash: 8f2e354491d77c4334484836a2b1f0f95f6810abf49fffeaebeb19d37132a15a
 
 name:           hledger
 version:        1.15.99
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ library
       Hledger.Cli.CliOptions
       Hledger.Cli.DocFiles
       Hledger.Cli.Utils
+      Hledger.Cli.Anon
       Hledger.Cli.Version
       Hledger.Cli.Commands
       Hledger.Cli.Commands.Accounts
diff --git a/hledger/package.yaml b/hledger/package.yaml
index 43040272a..927f12d1d 100644
--- a/hledger/package.yaml
+++ b/hledger/package.yaml
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ library:
   - Hledger.Cli.CliOptions
   - Hledger.Cli.DocFiles
   - Hledger.Cli.Utils
+  - Hledger.Cli.Anon
   - Hledger.Cli.Version
   - Hledger.Cli.Commands
   - Hledger.Cli.Commands.Accounts
diff --git a/tests/journal/anon.test b/tests/journal/anon.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9c2ac5c9d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/journal/anon.test
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+
+# Input for the following tests:
+
+account assets
+account expenses
+alias tips=expenses:tips
+
+2019-01-01 (receipt)  ; signed
+    (assets)   2
+
+2019-02-01 borrow
+    (liabilities)   1
+    (tips)  3
+
+# Basic tests on accounts
+
+$ hledger -f- print --anon
+> !/assets|liabilities|expenses|tips/
+
+$ hledger -f- reg --anon
+> !/assets|liabilities|expenses|tips/
+
+$ hledger -f- bal --anon
+> !/assets|liabilities|expenses|tips/
+
+$ hledger -f- accounts --anon
+> !/assets|liabilities|expenses|tips/
+
+# Basic tests on descriptions and comments
+
+$ hledger -f- print --anon
+> !/borrow|signed/
+
+$ hledger -f- reg --anon
+> !/borrow/