diff --git a/core/server/api/v2/utils/serializers/input/pages.js b/core/server/api/v2/utils/serializers/input/pages.js
index 65bc610308..02f2e475a2 100644
--- a/core/server/api/v2/utils/serializers/input/pages.js
+++ b/core/server/api/v2/utils/serializers/input/pages.js
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@ function setDefaultOrder(frame) {
     }
 }
 
+function defaultFormat(frame) {
+    if (frame.options.formats) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    frame.options.formats = 'mobiledoc';
+}
+
 /**
  * CASE:
  *
@@ -62,6 +70,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
         if (!localUtils.isContentAPI(frame)) {
             forceStatusFilter(frame);
+            defaultFormat(frame);
         }
 
         debug(frame.options);
@@ -79,6 +88,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
         if (!localUtils.isContentAPI(frame)) {
             forceStatusFilter(frame);
+            defaultFormat(frame);
         }
 
         debug(frame.options);
@@ -122,6 +132,8 @@ module.exports = {
                 }
             });
         }
+
+        defaultFormat(frame);
     },
 
     edit(apiConfig, frame) {
@@ -138,5 +150,7 @@ module.exports = {
             id: frame.options.id,
             page: true
         };
+
+        defaultFormat(frame);
     }
 };
diff --git a/core/server/api/v2/utils/serializers/input/posts.js b/core/server/api/v2/utils/serializers/input/posts.js
index 9ded79f0f1..58de3fc7e5 100644
--- a/core/server/api/v2/utils/serializers/input/posts.js
+++ b/core/server/api/v2/utils/serializers/input/posts.js
@@ -34,6 +34,14 @@ function setDefaultOrder(frame) {
     }
 }
 
+function defaultFormat(frame) {
+    if (frame.options.formats) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    frame.options.formats = 'mobiledoc';
+}
+
 /**
  * CASE:
  *
@@ -84,6 +92,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
         if (!localUtils.isContentAPI(frame)) {
             forceStatusFilter(frame);
+            defaultFormat(frame);
         }
 
         debug(frame.options);
@@ -114,6 +123,7 @@ module.exports = {
 
         if (!localUtils.isContentAPI(frame)) {
             forceStatusFilter(frame);
+            defaultFormat(frame);
         }
 
         debug(frame.options);
@@ -157,6 +167,8 @@ module.exports = {
                 }
             });
         }
+
+        defaultFormat(frame);
     },
 
     edit(apiConfig, frame) {
@@ -171,5 +183,7 @@ module.exports = {
             id: frame.options.id,
             page: false
         };
+
+        defaultFormat(frame);
     }
 };
diff --git a/core/test/acceptance/old/admin/posts_spec.js b/core/test/acceptance/old/admin/posts_spec.js
index 835407eae3..4ae9b6222c 100644
--- a/core/test/acceptance/old/admin/posts_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/acceptance/old/admin/posts_spec.js
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ describe('Posts API', function () {
                 should.exist(jsonResponse.posts);
                 localUtils.API.checkResponse(jsonResponse, 'posts');
                 jsonResponse.posts.should.have.length(3);
-                localUtils.API.checkResponse(jsonResponse.posts[0], 'post', ['mobiledoc', 'plaintext'], ['html', 'primary_tag', 'primary_author']);
+                localUtils.API.checkResponse(jsonResponse.posts[0], 'post', ['mobiledoc', 'plaintext'], ['primary_tag', 'primary_author']);
                 localUtils.API.checkResponse(jsonResponse.meta.pagination, 'pagination');
                 _.isBoolean(jsonResponse.posts[0].featured).should.eql(true);
 
diff --git a/core/test/acceptance/old/admin/utils.js b/core/test/acceptance/old/admin/utils.js
index 2730de87a3..de6202ec98 100644
--- a/core/test/acceptance/old/admin/utils.js
+++ b/core/test/acceptance/old/admin/utils.js
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ const expectedProperties = {
 
     post: _(schema.posts)
         .keys()
-        // by default we only return html
-        .without('mobiledoc', 'plaintext')
+        // by default we only return mobildoc
+        .without('html', 'plaintext')
         .without('visibility')
         .without('locale')
         .without('page')
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ const expectedProperties = {
 
     page: _(schema.posts)
         .keys()
-        // by default we only return html
-        .without('mobiledoc', 'plaintext')
+        // by default we only return mobildoc
+        .without('html', 'plaintext')
         .without('visibility')
         .without('locale')
         .without('page')
diff --git a/core/test/regression/api/v2/admin/utils.js b/core/test/regression/api/v2/admin/utils.js
index 8c8a0600db..302a4ed1ec 100644
--- a/core/test/regression/api/v2/admin/utils.js
+++ b/core/test/regression/api/v2/admin/utils.js
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ const expectedProperties = {
 
     post: _(schema.posts)
         .keys()
-        // by default we only return html
-        .without('mobiledoc', 'plaintext')
+        // by default we only return mobiledoc
+        .without('html', 'plaintext')
         .without('visibility')
         .without('locale')
         .without('page')