diff --git a/x/distribution/client/cli/tx.go b/x/distribution/client/cli/tx.go
index ee82498e8273..0a51b2e8e40a 100644
--- a/x/distribution/client/cli/tx.go
+++ b/x/distribution/client/cli/tx.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package cli
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
@@ -88,6 +89,10 @@ func GetCmdWithdrawRewards(cdc *codec.Codec) *cobra.Command {
 				msg = types.NewMsgWithdrawDelegatorRewardsAll(delAddr)
 			}
 
+			if cliCtx.GenerateOnly {
+				return utils.PrintUnsignedStdTx(os.Stdout, txBldr, cliCtx, []sdk.Msg{msg}, false)
+			}
+
 			// build and sign the transaction, then broadcast to Tendermint
 			return utils.CompleteAndBroadcastTxCli(txBldr, cliCtx, []sdk.Msg{msg})
 		},