diff --git a/python/cucim/src/cucim/clara/cli.py b/python/cucim/src/cucim/clara/cli.py
index c4faceebc..c6011798b 100644
--- a/python/cucim/src/cucim/clara/cli.py
+++ b/python/cucim/src/cucim/clara/cli.py
@@ -49,12 +49,17 @@ def main():
 @click.option('--tile-size', type=int, default=256)
 @click.option('--overlap', type=int, default=0)
 @click.option('--num-workers', type=int, default=os.cpu_count())
+@click.option('--compression', type=str, default='jpeg')
 @click.option('--output-filename', type=str, default='image.tif')
 def convert(src_file, dest_folder, tile_size, overlap, num_workers,
-            output_filename):
+            compression, output_filename):
     """Convert file format"""
     from .converter import tiff
     logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
 
+    compression = compression.lower()
+    if compression in ['raw', 'none']:
+        compression = None
+
     tiff.svs2tif(src_file, Path(dest_folder), tile_size, overlap, num_workers,
-                 output_filename)
+                 compression, output_filename)
diff --git a/python/cucim/src/cucim/clara/converter/tiff.py b/python/cucim/src/cucim/clara/converter/tiff.py
index d053d341e..feb6012a5 100644
--- a/python/cucim/src/cucim/clara/converter/tiff.py
+++ b/python/cucim/src/cucim/clara/converter/tiff.py
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ def filter_tile(
 
 
 def svs2tif(input_file, output_folder, tile_size, overlap,
-            num_workers=os.cpu_count(), output_filename="image.tif"):
+            num_workers=os.cpu_count(), compression="jpeg",
+            output_filename="image.tif"):
     output_folder = str(output_folder)
 
     logger.info("Parameters")
@@ -65,8 +66,18 @@ def svs2tif(input_file, output_folder, tile_size, overlap,
     logger.info("        tile size: %d", tile_size)
     logger.info("          overlap: %d", overlap)
     logger.info("      num_workers: %d", num_workers)
+    logger.info("      compression: %s", compression)
     logger.info("  output filename: %s", output_filename)
 
+    if compression is not None:
+        # handles only jpeg or None (no compression)
+        if compression.lower() == "jpeg":
+            compression = ("jpeg", 95)
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"Unsupported compression: {compression}."
+                + " Should be 'jpeg' or None.")
+
     with OpenSlide(input_file) as slide:
         properties = slide.properties
         slide_dimensions = slide.dimensions
@@ -174,7 +185,7 @@ def svs2tif(input_file, output_folder, tile_size, overlap,
                             y_resolution // 2 ** level,
                             resolution_unit,
                         ),
-                        compression=("jpeg", 95),  # requires imagecodecs
+                        compression=compression,  # requires imagecodecs
                         subfiletype=subfiletype,
                     )
                 logger.info("Done.")
diff --git a/python/cucim/tests/unit/clara/converter/test_converter.py b/python/cucim/tests/unit/clara/converter/test_converter.py
index bc0592474..fa5bc30c3 100644
--- a/python/cucim/tests/unit/clara/converter/test_converter.py
+++ b/python/cucim/tests/unit/clara/converter/test_converter.py
@@ -29,8 +29,15 @@ def test_image_converter_stripe_4096x4096_256_jpeg(
     num_workers = os.cpu_count()
     file_name = "test_image_converter_stripe_4096x4096_256_jpeg-output.tif"
     output_path = tmp_path / file_name
-    tiff.svs2tif(testimg_tiff_stripe_4096x4096_256_jpeg, Path(tmp_path),
-                 tile_size, overlap, num_workers, file_name)
+    tiff.svs2tif(
+        testimg_tiff_stripe_4096x4096_256_jpeg,
+        output_folder=Path(tmp_path),
+        tile_size=tile_size,
+        overlap=overlap,
+        num_workers=num_workers,
+        output_filename=file_name,
+    )
+
     assert os.path.exists(output_path)
 
     with tifffile.TiffFile(output_path) as tif: