diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7d190249df..e43332724f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ which means you can modify it, redistribute it or use it however you like.
                                video (currently youtube only)
     --list-subs                lists all available subtitles for the video
                                (currently youtube only)
-    --sub-format FORMAT        subtitle format [srt/sbv] (default=srt)
+    --sub-format FORMAT        subtitle format [srt/sbv/vtt] (default=srt)
                                (currently youtube only)
     --sub-lang LANG            language of the subtitles to download (optional)
                                use IETF language tags like 'en'
diff --git a/test/test_youtube_subtitles.py b/test/test_youtube_subtitles.py
index dad15de374..5814e13d48 100644
--- a/test/test_youtube_subtitles.py
+++ b/test/test_youtube_subtitles.py
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ class TestYoutubeSubtitles(unittest.TestCase):
         info_dict = IE.extract('QRS8MkLhQmM')
         subtitles = info_dict[0]['subtitles']
         self.assertEqual(len(subtitles), 13)
-    def test_youtube_subtitles_format(self):
+    def test_youtube_subtitles_sbv_format(self):
         DL = FakeYDL()
         DL.params['writesubtitles'] = True
         DL.params['subtitlesformat'] = 'sbv'
@@ -92,6 +92,14 @@ class TestYoutubeSubtitles(unittest.TestCase):
         info_dict = IE.extract('QRS8MkLhQmM')
         sub = info_dict[0]['subtitles'][0]
         self.assertEqual(md5(sub[2]), '13aeaa0c245a8bed9a451cb643e3ad8b')
+    def test_youtube_subtitles_vtt_format(self):
+        DL = FakeYDL()
+        DL.params['writesubtitles'] = True
+        DL.params['subtitlesformat'] = 'vtt'
+        IE = YoutubeIE(DL)
+        info_dict = IE.extract('QRS8MkLhQmM')
+        sub = info_dict[0]['subtitles'][0]
+        self.assertEqual(md5(sub[2]), '356cdc577fde0c6783b9b822e7206ff7')
     def test_youtube_list_subtitles(self):
         DL = FakeYDL()
         DL.params['listsubtitles'] = True
diff --git a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
index e9a24a95aa..4abcbbeaca 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/YoutubeDL.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class YoutubeDL(object):
     writeautomaticsub: Write the automatic subtitles to a file
     allsubtitles:      Downloads all the subtitles of the video
     listsubtitles:     Lists all available subtitles for the video
-    subtitlesformat:   Subtitle format [sbv/srt] (default=srt)
+    subtitlesformat:   Subtitle format [srt/sbt/vtt] (default=srt)
     subtitleslang:     Language of the subtitles to download
     keepvideo:         Keep the video file after post-processing
     daterange:         A DateRange object, download only if the upload_date is in the range.
diff --git a/youtube_dl/__init__.py b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
index 42abb8358f..6a8fc5e960 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/__init__.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
             help='lists all available subtitles for the video (currently youtube only)', default=False)
     video_format.add_option('--sub-format',
             action='store', dest='subtitlesformat', metavar='FORMAT',
-            help='subtitle format [srt/sbv] (default=srt) (currently youtube only)', default='srt')
+            help='subtitle format [srt/sbv/vtt] (default=srt) (currently youtube only)', default='srt')
     video_format.add_option('--sub-lang', '--srt-lang',
             action='store', dest='subtitleslang', metavar='LANG',
             help='language of the subtitles to download (optional) use IETF language tags like \'en\'')