diff --git a/pylot/core/read/data.py b/pylot/core/read/data.py
index 07b8a10f..de4f24b6 100644
--- a/pylot/core/read/data.py
+++ b/pylot/core/read/data.py
@@ -63,10 +63,15 @@ class Data(object):
 
     def exportEvent(self, fnout=None, evtformat='QUAKEML'):
 
+        from pylot.core.util.defaults import OUTPUTFORMATS
+
+        if evtformat.strip() not in OUTPUTFORMATS.values():
+            evtformat = OUTPUTFORMATS.values()[0]
+
         if fnout is None:
-            fnout = self.evtdata.getEventID()
+            ID = self.evtdata.getEventID()
         # handle forbidden filenames especially on windows systems
-        fnout = fnConstructor(fnout)
+        fnout = fnConstructor(ID)
 
         evtformat = evtformat.upper().strip()
 
diff --git a/pylot/core/util/defaults.py b/pylot/core/util/defaults.py
index b9642d4a..b9815b45 100644
--- a/pylot/core/util/defaults.py
+++ b/pylot/core/util/defaults.py
@@ -12,3 +12,5 @@ FILTERDEFAULTS = {'P': {'filtertype': None,
                   'S': {'filtertype': 'bandpass',
                         'order': '4',
                         'freq': [.5, 5]}}
+
+OUTPUTFORMATS = {'QuakeML':'QUAKEML', 'VelEst':'VELEST'}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pylot/core/util/widgets.py b/pylot/core/util/widgets.py
index e937f2cf..b6a5ec5b 100644
--- a/pylot/core/util/widgets.py
+++ b/pylot/core/util/widgets.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ from PySide.QtCore import (Qt,
                            SLOT)
 from PySide.QtWebKit import QWebView
 from pylot.core.read import FilterOptions
+from pylot.core.util.defaults import OUTPUTFORMATS
 
 
 class MPLWidget(FigureCanvasQTAgg):
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ class OutputsTab(QWidget):
 
         eventOutputLabel = QLabel("event ouput format")
         eventOutputComboBox = QComboBox()
-        eventoutputformats = ["QuakeML", "VelEst"]
+        eventoutputformats = OUTPUTFORMATS.keys()
         eventOutputComboBox.addItems(eventoutputformats)
 
         layout = QGridLayout()