diff --git a/packages/client/src/utils/buttonActions.js b/packages/client/src/utils/buttonActions.js
index 17121f3ee6..594bee6953 100644
--- a/packages/client/src/utils/buttonActions.js
+++ b/packages/client/src/utils/buttonActions.js
@@ -241,23 +241,6 @@ const s3UploadHandler = async action => {
   }
 }
 
-const convertToCsv = (headers, rows) => {
-  let csv = headers.map(key => `"${key}"`).join(",")
-
-  for (let row of rows) {
-    csv = `${csv}\n${headers
-      .map(header => {
-        let val = row[header]
-        val =
-          typeof val === "object"
-            ? `"${JSON.stringify(val).replace(/"/g, "'")}"`
-            : `"${val}"`
-        return val.trim()
-      })
-      .join(",")}`
-  }
-  return csv
-}
 
 const exportDataHandler = async action => {
   let selection = rowSelectionStore.actions.getSelection(
@@ -268,16 +251,9 @@ const exportDataHandler = async action => {
       const data = await API.exportRows({
         tableId: selection.tableId,
         rows: selection.selectedRows,
+        format: action.parameters.type,
       })
-
-      let dataToExport
-      const headers = Object.keys(data[0])
-      if (action.parameters.type === "csv") {
-        dataToExport = convertToCsv(headers, data)
-      } else {
-        dataToExport = JSON.stringify(data)
-      }
-      download(dataToExport, `export.${action.parameters.type}`)
+      download(data, `${selection.tableId}.${action.parameters.type}`)
     } catch (error) {
       notificationStore.actions.error("There was an error exporting the data")
     }
diff --git a/packages/frontend-core/src/api/rows.js b/packages/frontend-core/src/api/rows.js
index 1b6efe624f..6a0d278cf7 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-core/src/api/rows.js
+++ b/packages/frontend-core/src/api/rows.js
@@ -66,12 +66,15 @@ export const buildRowEndpoints = API => ({
    * @param tableId the table ID to export the rows from
    * @param rows the array of rows to export
    */
-  exportRows: async ({ tableId, rows }) => {
+  exportRows: async ({ tableId, rows, format }) => {
     return await API.post({
-      url: `/api/${tableId}/rows/exportRows`,
+      url: `/api/${tableId}/rows/exportRows?format=${format}`,
       body: {
         rows,
       },
+      parseResponse: async response => {
+        return await response.text()
+      },
     })
   },
 })
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/external.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/external.js
index aebcfce724..2f816e11a9 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/external.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/external.js
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ const {
 } = require("../../../integrations/utils")
 const ExternalRequest = require("./ExternalRequest")
 const { getAppDB } = require("@budibase/backend-core/context")
+const exporters = require("../view/exporters")
+const { apiFileReturn } = require("../../../utilities/fileSystem")
 
 async function handleRequest(operation, tableId, opts = {}) {
   // make sure the filters are cleaned up, no empty strings for equals, fuzzy or string
@@ -155,6 +157,7 @@ exports.validate = async () => {
 exports.exportRows = async ctx => {
   const { datasourceId, tableName } = breakExternalTableId(ctx.params.tableId)
   const db = getAppDB()
+  let format = ctx.query.format
   const datasource = await db.get(datasourceId)
   if (!datasource || !datasource.entities) {
     ctx.throw(400, "Datasource has not been configured for plus API.")
@@ -164,13 +167,22 @@ exports.exportRows = async ctx => {
   ctx.request.body = {
     query: {
       oneOf: {
-        [table.primaryDisplay]: ctx.request.body.map(
+        [table.primaryDisplay]: ctx.request.body.rows.map(
           id => breakRowIdField(id)[0]
         ),
       },
     },
   }
-  return exports.search(ctx)
+
+  let result = await exports.search(ctx)
+
+  let headers = Object.keys(result.rows[0])
+  const exporter = exporters[format]
+  const filename = `export.${format}`
+  
+  // send down the file
+  ctx.attachment(filename)
+  return apiFileReturn(exporter(headers, result.rows))
 }
 
 exports.fetchEnrichedRow = async ctx => {
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/internal.js b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/internal.js
index 068a485a8a..4b57e09029 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/internal.js
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/row/internal.js
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ const {
 const { cloneDeep } = require("lodash/fp")
 const { getAppDB } = require("@budibase/backend-core/context")
 const { finaliseRow, updateRelatedFormula } = require("./staticFormula")
+const exporters = require("../view/exporters")
+const { apiFileReturn } = require("../../../utilities/fileSystem")
 
 const CALCULATION_TYPES = {
   SUM: "sum",
@@ -366,6 +368,7 @@ exports.exportRows = async ctx => {
   const db = getAppDB()
   const table = await db.get(ctx.params.tableId)
   const rowIds = ctx.request.body.rows
+  let format = ctx.query.format
   let response = (
     await db.allDocs({
       include_docs: true,
@@ -374,8 +377,14 @@ exports.exportRows = async ctx => {
   ).rows.map(row => row.doc)
 
   let rows = await outputProcessing(table, response)
-
-  return rows
+  
+  let headers = Object.keys(rows[0])
+  const exporter = exporters[format]
+  const filename = `export.${format}`
+  
+  // send down the file
+  ctx.attachment(filename)
+  return apiFileReturn(exporter(headers, rows))
 }
 
 exports.fetchEnrichedRow = async ctx => {