diff --git a/api/compose/api.go b/api/compose/api.go
index f73ead38c..f3e32bf4b 100644
--- a/api/compose/api.go
+++ b/api/compose/api.go
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ type DownOptions struct {
 type ConvertOptions struct {
 	// Format define the output format used to dump converted application model (json|yaml)
 	Format string
+	// Output defines the path to save the application model
+	Output string
 }
 
 // KillOptions group options of the Kill API
diff --git a/cli/cmd/compose/convert.go b/cli/cmd/compose/convert.go
index 16800d762..e72bea816 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/compose/convert.go
+++ b/cli/cmd/compose/convert.go
@@ -30,8 +30,11 @@ import (
 type convertOptions struct {
 	*projectOptions
 	Format string
+	Output string
 }
 
+var addFlagsFuncs []func(cmd *cobra.Command, opts *convertOptions)
+
 func convertCommand(p *projectOptions) *cobra.Command {
 	opts := convertOptions{
 		projectOptions: p,
@@ -47,6 +50,10 @@ func convertCommand(p *projectOptions) *cobra.Command {
 	flags := convertCmd.Flags()
 	flags.StringVar(&opts.Format, "format", "yaml", "Format the output. Values: [yaml | json]")
 
+	// add flags for hidden backends
+	for _, f := range addFlagsFuncs {
+		f(convertCmd, &opts)
+	}
 	return convertCmd
 }
 
@@ -64,11 +71,14 @@ func runConvert(ctx context.Context, opts convertOptions, services []string) err
 
 	json, err = c.ComposeService().Convert(ctx, project, compose.ConvertOptions{
 		Format: opts.Format,
+		Output: opts.Output,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-
+	if opts.Output != "" {
+		fmt.Print("model saved to ")
+	}
 	fmt.Println(string(json))
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/cli/cmd/compose/convert_kube.go b/cli/cmd/compose/convert_kube.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..776800321
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/cmd/compose/convert_kube.go
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+// +build kube
+
+/*
+   Copyright 2020 Docker Compose CLI authors
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package compose
+
+import (
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+)
+
+func init() {
+	addFlagsFuncs = append(addFlagsFuncs, func(cmd *cobra.Command, opts *convertOptions) {
+		flags := cmd.Flags()
+		flags.StringVar(&opts.Output, "output", "", "Save to directory")
+	})
+
+}
diff --git a/kube/compose.go b/kube/compose.go
index 8ea6e8455..1dd5ffd0e 100644
--- a/kube/compose.go
+++ b/kube/compose.go
@@ -164,10 +164,17 @@ func (s *composeService) Ps(ctx context.Context, projectName string, options com
 
 // Convert translate compose model into backend's native format
 func (s *composeService) Convert(ctx context.Context, project *types.Project, options compose.ConvertOptions) ([]byte, error) {
+
 	chart, err := helm.GetChartInMemory(project)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
+	if options.Output != "" {
+		fullpath, err := helm.SaveChart(chart, options.Output)
+		return []byte(fullpath), err
+	}
+
 	buff := []byte{}
 	for _, f := range chart.Raw {
 		header := "\n" + f.Name + "\n" + strings.Repeat("-", len(f.Name)) + "\n"
diff --git a/kube/helm/chart.go b/kube/helm/chart.go
index 912de9880..52a4362dc 100644
--- a/kube/helm/chart.go
+++ b/kube/helm/chart.go
@@ -22,16 +22,17 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"html/template"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/compose-spec/compose-go/types"
 	"github.com/docker/compose-cli/kube/resources"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 
 	chart "helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chart"
 	loader "helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chart/loader"
-	util "helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chartutil"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
@@ -130,22 +131,38 @@ func GetChartInMemory(project *types.Project) (*chart.Chart, error) {
 	return ConvertToChart(project.Name, objects)
 }
 
-// SaveChart converts compose project to helm and saves the chart
-func SaveChart(project *types.Project, dest string) error {
-	chart, err := GetChartInMemory(project)
+// SaveChart saves the chart to directory
+func SaveChart(c *chart.Chart, dest string) (string, error) {
+	dir, err := filepath.Abs(dest)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return "", err
 	}
-	return util.SaveDir(chart, dest)
-}
+	for _, file := range c.Raw {
+		filename := filepath.Join(dir, file.Name)
+		filedir := filepath.Dir(filename)
 
-// GenerateChart generates helm chart from Compose project
-func GenerateChart(project *types.Project, dirname string) error {
-	if strings.Contains(dirname, ".") {
-		splits := strings.SplitN(dirname, ".", 2)
-		dirname = splits[0]
+		stat, err := os.Stat(filedir)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+				if err2 := os.MkdirAll(filedir, 0755); err2 != nil {
+					return "", err2
+				}
+			} else {
+				return "", err
+			}
+		} else if !stat.IsDir() {
+			return "", errors.Errorf("%s: not a directory", dest)
+		}
+
+		f, err := os.Create(filename)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+		_, err = f.Write(file.Data)
+		if err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
 	}
-
-	dirname = filepath.Dir(dirname)
-	return SaveChart(project, dirname)
+	return dir, nil
 }