diff --git a/cmd/config.go b/cmd/config.go
index b88ab687b..79b3a38df 100644
--- a/cmd/config.go
+++ b/cmd/config.go
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ func setPhotoPath(req *core.ProfileRequests, proppath, filepath string) error {
 func init() {
 	configGetCommand.Flags().Bool("with-private-keys", false, "include private keys in export")
 	configGetCommand.Flags().BoolP("concise", "c", false, "print output without indentation, only applies to json format")
-	configGetCommand.Flags().StringP("format", "f", "json", "data format to export. either json or yaml")
+	configGetCommand.Flags().StringP("format", "f", "yaml", "data format to export. either json or yaml")
 	configGetCommand.Flags().StringP("output", "o", "", "path to export to")
 	configCmd.AddCommand(configGetCommand)
 
diff --git a/cmd/export.go b/cmd/export.go
index bf0d368f7..88effc5e0 100644
--- a/cmd/export.go
+++ b/cmd/export.go
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
 	"github.com/qri-io/dataset"
 	"github.com/qri-io/dataset/dsfs"
 	"github.com/qri-io/dataset/dsutil"
@@ -46,6 +48,7 @@ To export everything about a dataset, use the --dataset flag.`,
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		requireNotRPC(cmd.Name())
 		path := cmd.Flag("output").Value.String()
+		format := cmd.Flag("format").Value.String()
 
 		if blank, err := cmd.Flags().GetBool("blank"); err == nil && blank {
 			if path == "" {
@@ -157,18 +160,38 @@ To export everything about a dataset, use the --dataset flag.`,
 			}
 
 			metaPath := filepath.Join(path, dsfs.PackageFileMeta.Filename())
-			mdBytes, err := json.MarshalIndent(md, "", "  ")
+			mdBytes := []byte{}
+
+			switch format {
+			case "json":
+				mdBytes, err = json.MarshalIndent(md, "", "  ")
+				ExitIfErr(err)
+			default:
+				mdBytes, err = yaml.Marshal(md)
+				ExitIfErr(err)
+				metaPath = FilenameToYAML(metaPath)
+			}
 			err = ioutil.WriteFile(metaPath, mdBytes, os.ModePerm)
 			ExitIfErr(err)
 			printSuccess("exported metadata file to: %s", metaPath)
 		}
 
 		if exportCmdStructure {
-			stpath := filepath.Join(path, dsfs.PackageFileStructure.Filename())
-			stbytes, err := json.MarshalIndent(ds.Structure, "", "  ")
-			err = ioutil.WriteFile(stpath, stbytes, os.ModePerm)
+			stPath := filepath.Join(path, dsfs.PackageFileStructure.Filename())
+			stBytes := []byte{}
+
+			switch format {
+			case "json":
+				stBytes, err = json.MarshalIndent(ds.Structure, "", "  ")
+				ExitIfErr(err)
+			default:
+				stBytes, err = yaml.Marshal(ds.Structure)
+				ExitIfErr(err)
+				stPath = FilenameToYAML(stPath)
+			}
+			err = ioutil.WriteFile(stPath, stBytes, os.ModePerm)
 			ExitIfErr(err)
-			printSuccess("exported structure file to: %s", stpath)
+			printSuccess("exported structure file to: %s", stPath)
 		}
 
 		if exportCmdData {
@@ -189,9 +212,18 @@ To export everything about a dataset, use the --dataset flag.`,
 
 		if exportCmdDataset {
 			dsPath := filepath.Join(path, dsfs.PackageFileDataset.String())
-			dsbytes, err := json.MarshalIndent(ds, "", "  ")
-			ExitIfErr(err)
-			err = ioutil.WriteFile(dsPath, dsbytes, os.ModePerm)
+			dsBytes := []byte{}
+
+			switch format {
+			case "json":
+				dsBytes, err = json.MarshalIndent(ds, "", "  ")
+				ExitIfErr(err)
+			default:
+				dsBytes, err = yaml.Marshal(ds)
+				ExitIfErr(err)
+				dsPath = FilenameToYAML(dsPath)
+			}
+			err = ioutil.WriteFile(dsPath, dsBytes, os.ModePerm)
 			ExitIfErr(err)
 
 			printSuccess("exported dataset.json to: %s", dsPath)
@@ -206,6 +238,7 @@ func init() {
 	RootCmd.AddCommand(exportCmd)
 	exportCmd.Flags().BoolP("blank", "", false, "export a blank dataset YAML file, overrides all other flags except output")
 	exportCmd.Flags().StringP("output", "o", "", "path to write to, default is current directory")
+	exportCmd.Flags().StringP("format", "f", "yaml", "format for all exported files, except for data. yaml is the default format. options: yaml, json")
 	exportCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&exportCmdZipped, "zip", "z", false, "compress export as zip archive")
 	exportCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&exportCmdAll, "all", "a", false, "export full dataset package")
 	exportCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&exportCmdAll, "namespaced", "n", false, "export to a peer name namespaced directory")
@@ -217,7 +250,7 @@ func init() {
 	// exportCmd.Flags().BoolVarP(&exportCmdVis, "vis-conf", "c", false, "export viz config file")
 
 	// TODO - get format conversion up & running
-	// exportCmd.Flags().StringP("format", "f", "csv", "set output format [csv,json,cbor]")
+	// exportCmd.Flags().StringP("data-format", "", "csv", "set output format [csv,json,cbor]")
 }
 
 const blankYamlDataset = `# This file defines a qri dataset. Change this file, save it, then from a terminal run:
@@ -270,3 +303,18 @@ structure:
 # or a URL that leads to the raw data
 # dataPath:
 `
+
+// FilenameToYAML takes a filename, removes any format ending (if there is one), and replaces it with yaml
+// should probably be generalized to
+// FilenameFormatChange(filename string, newEnding string) string
+func FilenameToYAML(filename string) string {
+	if len(filename) == 0 {
+		return ""
+	}
+	index := strings.LastIndex(filename, ".")
+	if index == -1 {
+		index = len(filename)
+		filename += "."
+	}
+	return filename[:index+1] + "yaml"
+}
diff --git a/cmd/export_test.go b/cmd/export_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f605cd64a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/export_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestFilenameToYAML(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		filename, expected string
+	}{
+		{"", ""},
+		{"filename", "filename.yaml"},
+		{"filename.json", "filename.yaml"},
+		{"filename.", "filename.yaml"},
+		{"file.name.json", "file.name.yaml"},
+	}
+
+	for i, c := range cases {
+		got := FilenameToYAML(c.filename)
+		if got != c.expected {
+			t.Errorf("case %d (expected != got): '%s' != '%s'", i, c.expected, got)
+			continue
+		}
+	}
+}