diff --git a/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/__init__.py b/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/__init__.py
index 6397472..5518850 100644
--- a/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/__init__.py
+++ b/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from .slides import SlidesExporter
 from .templateexporter import TemplateExporter
 from .latex import LatexExporter
 from .markdown import MarkdownExporter
+from .notebook import NotebookExporter
 from .pdf import PDFExporter
 from .python import PythonExporter
 from .rst import RSTExporter
diff --git a/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/notebook.py b/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/notebook.py
index a2e434b..65250a3 100644
--- a/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/notebook.py
+++ b/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/notebook.py
@@ -5,11 +5,18 @@
 
 from .exporter import Exporter
 from IPython.nbformat import current as nbformat
+from IPython.utils.traitlets import Enum
 
 class NotebookExporter(Exporter):
-    """
-    Exports an IPython notebook.
-    """
+    """Exports to an IPython notebook."""
+
+    nbformat_version = Enum(list(range(2, nbformat.current_nbformat + 1)),
+        default_value=nbformat.current_nbformat,
+        config=True,
+        help="""The nbformat version to write.
+        Use this to downgrade notebooks.
+        """
+    )
     def _file_extension_default(self):
         return 'ipynb'
 
@@ -17,5 +24,9 @@ class NotebookExporter(Exporter):
 
     def from_notebook_node(self, nb, resources=None, **kw):
         nb_copy, resources = super(NotebookExporter, self).from_notebook_node(nb, resources, **kw)
-        output = nbformat.writes_json(nb_copy)
+        if self.nbformat_version != nbformat.current_nbformat:
+            resources['output_suffix'] = '.v%i' % self.nbformat_version
+        else:
+            resources['output_suffix'] = '.nbconvert'
+        output = nbformat.writes(nb_copy, version=self.nbformat_version)
         return output, resources
diff --git a/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/tests/test_notebook.py b/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/tests/test_notebook.py
index a5d3a04..ac51218 100644
--- a/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/tests/test_notebook.py
+++ b/IPython/nbconvert/exporters/tests/test_notebook.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 # Copyright (c) IPython Development Team.
 # Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
 
+import json
+
 from .base import ExportersTestsBase
 from ..notebook import NotebookExporter
 
@@ -17,6 +19,18 @@ class TestNotebookExporter(ExportersTestsBase):
         """
         with open(self._get_notebook()) as f:
             file_contents = f.read()
-        (output, resources) = NotebookExporter().from_filename(self._get_notebook())
+        (output, resources) = self.exporter_class().from_filename(self._get_notebook())
         assert len(output) > 0
-        assert output == file_contents
+        self.assertEqual(output, file_contents)
+
+    def test_downgrade_3(self):
+        exporter = self.exporter_class(nbformat_version=3)
+        (output, resources) = exporter.from_filename(self._get_notebook())
+        nb = json.loads(output)
+        self.assertEqual(nb['nbformat'], 3)
+
+    def test_downgrade_2(self):
+        exporter = self.exporter_class(nbformat_version=2)
+        (output, resources) = exporter.from_filename(self._get_notebook())
+        nb = json.loads(output)
+        self.assertEqual(nb['nbformat'], 2)
diff --git a/IPython/nbconvert/nbconvertapp.py b/IPython/nbconvert/nbconvertapp.py
index c105728..96d6350 100755
--- a/IPython/nbconvert/nbconvertapp.py
+++ b/IPython/nbconvert/nbconvertapp.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ nbconvert_aliases.update({
     'post': 'NbConvertApp.postprocessor_class',
     'output': 'NbConvertApp.output_base',
     'reveal-prefix': 'RevealHelpPreprocessor.url_prefix',
+    'nbformat': 'NotebookExporter.nbformat_version',
 })
 
 nbconvert_flags = {}
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ class NbConvertApp(BaseIPythonApplication):
         WARNING: THE COMMANDLINE INTERFACE MAY CHANGE IN FUTURE RELEASES.""")
 
     output_base = Unicode('', config=True, help='''overwrite base name use for output files.
-            can only  be use when converting one notebook at a time.
+            can only be used when converting one notebook at a time.
             ''')
 
     examples = Unicode(u"""
@@ -298,6 +299,8 @@ class NbConvertApp(BaseIPythonApplication):
                       exc_info=True)
                 self.exit(1)
             else:
+                if 'output_suffix' in resources and not self.output_base:
+                    notebook_name += resources['output_suffix']
                 write_results = self.writer.write(output, resources, notebook_name=notebook_name)
 
                 #Post-process if post processor has been defined.