diff --git a/pyiceberg/cli/output.py b/pyiceberg/cli/output.py
index 4a508d5343..ac1d0ae58b 100644
--- a/pyiceberg/cli/output.py
+++ b/pyiceberg/cli/output.py
@@ -271,10 +271,4 @@ def version(self, version: str) -> None:
         self._out({"version": version})
 
     def describe_refs(self, refs: list[tuple[str, SnapshotRefType, dict[str, str]]]) -> None:
-        self._out(
-            [
-                {"name": name, "type": type, detail_key: detail_val}
-                for name, type, detail in refs
-                for detail_key, detail_val in detail.items()
-            ]
-        )
+        self._out([{"name": name, "type": type, **detail} for name, type, detail in refs])
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_output.py b/tests/cli/test_output.py
index a67d5ea255..a75b5c6e6e 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_output.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_output.py
@@ -14,3 +14,65 @@
 #  KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
 #  specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #  under the License.
+import json
+
+import pytest
+
+from pyiceberg.cli.output import JsonOutput
+from pyiceberg.table.refs import SnapshotRefType
+
+
+def test_json_describe_refs_single_ref(capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture) -> None:
+    JsonOutput().describe_refs(
+        [
+            (
+                "main",
+                SnapshotRefType.BRANCH,
+                {
+                    "min_snapshots_to_keep": "1",
+                    "max_snapshot_age_ms": "432000000",
+                    "max_ref_age_ms": "forever",
+                },
+            )
+        ]
+    )
+
+    assert json.loads(capsys.readouterr().out) == [
+        {
+            "name": "main",
+            "type": "branch",
+            "min_snapshots_to_keep": "1",
+            "max_snapshot_age_ms": "432000000",
+            "max_ref_age_ms": "forever",
+        }
+    ]
+
+
+def test_json_describe_refs_multiple_refs(capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture) -> None:
+    JsonOutput().describe_refs(
+        [
+            (
+                "main",
+                SnapshotRefType.BRANCH,
+                {
+                    "min_snapshots_to_keep": "1",
+                    "max_snapshot_age_ms": "432000000",
+                    "max_ref_age_ms": "forever",
+                },
+            ),
+            ("v1.0", SnapshotRefType.TAG, {"max_ref_age_ms": "forever"}),
+            ("no-retention", SnapshotRefType.BRANCH, {}),
+        ]
+    )
+
+    assert json.loads(capsys.readouterr().out) == [
+        {
+            "name": "main",
+            "type": "branch",
+            "min_snapshots_to_keep": "1",
+            "max_snapshot_age_ms": "432000000",
+            "max_ref_age_ms": "forever",
+        },
+        {"name": "v1.0", "type": "tag", "max_ref_age_ms": "forever"},
+        {"name": "no-retention", "type": "branch"},
+    ]