diff --git a/python/obitools3/commands/export.pyx b/python/obitools3/commands/export.pyx
index 8fe7df1..2f5e354 100755
--- a/python/obitools3/commands/export.pyx
+++ b/python/obitools3/commands/export.pyx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from obitools3.uri.decode import open_uri
 from obitools3.apps.config import logger
 from obitools3.dms import DMS
 from obitools3.dms.obiseq import Nuc_Seq
+from obitools3.dms.capi.obiview cimport QUALITY_COLUMN
 
 from obitools3.apps.optiongroups import addMinimalInputOption, \
                                         addExportOutputOption, \
@@ -34,7 +35,16 @@ def run(config):
     if input is None:
         raise Exception("Could not read input")
     iview = input[1]
-            
+    
+    if 'outputformat' not in config['obi']:
+        if iview.type == b"NUC_SEQS_VIEW":
+            if QUALITY_COLUMN in iview:
+                config['obi']['outputformat'] = b'fastq'
+            else:
+                config['obi']['outputformat'] = b'fasta'
+        else:
+            config['obi']['outputformat'] = b'tabular'
+    
     # Open the output
     output = open_uri(config['obi']['outputURI'],
                       input=False)