diff --git a/IPython/nbformat/current.py b/IPython/nbformat/current.py
index c3ef31a..6e0b74b 100644
--- a/IPython/nbformat/current.py
+++ b/IPython/nbformat/current.py
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ def writes_py(nb, **kwargs):
 # High level API
 
 
-def reads(s, format, **kwargs):
+def reads(s, format='DEPRECATED', version=current_nbformat, **kwargs):
     """Read a notebook from a string and return the NotebookNode object.
 
     This function properly handles notebooks of any version. The notebook
@@ -111,24 +111,22 @@ def reads(s, format, **kwargs):
     ----------
     s : unicode
         The raw unicode string to read the notebook from.
-    format : (u'json', u'ipynb', u'py')
-        The format that the string is in.
 
     Returns
     -------
     nb : NotebookNode
         The notebook that was read.
     """
-    format = unicode_type(format)
-    if format == u'json' or format == u'ipynb':
-        return reads_json(s, **kwargs)
-    elif format == u'py':
-        return reads_py(s, **kwargs)
-    else:
-        raise NBFormatError('Unsupported format: %s' % format)
+    nb = versions[version].reads_json(s, **kwargs)
+    nb = convert(nb, version)
+    try:
+        validate(nb)
+    except ValidationError as e:
+        get_logger().error("Notebook JSON is invalid: %s", e)
+    return nb
 
 
-def writes(nb, format, **kwargs):
+def writes(nb, format='DEPRECATED', version=current_nbformat, **kwargs):
     """Write a notebook to a string in a given format in the current nbformat version.
 
     This function always writes the notebook in the current nbformat version.
@@ -137,24 +135,24 @@ def writes(nb, format, **kwargs):
     ----------
     nb : NotebookNode
         The notebook to write.
-    format : (u'json', u'ipynb', u'py')
-        The format to write the notebook in.
+    version : int
+        The nbformat version to write.
+        Used for downgrading notebooks.
 
     Returns
     -------
     s : unicode
         The notebook string.
     """
-    format = unicode_type(format)
-    if format == u'json' or format == u'ipynb':
-        return writes_json(nb, **kwargs)
-    elif format == u'py':
-        return writes_py(nb, **kwargs)
-    else:
-        raise NBFormatError('Unsupported format: %s' % format)
+    try:
+        validate(nb)
+    except ValidationError as e:
+        get_logger().error("Notebook JSON is invalid: %s", e)
+    nb = convert(nb, version)
+    return versions[version].writes_json(nb, **kwargs)
 
 
-def read(fp, format, **kwargs):
+def read(fp, format='DEPRECATED', **kwargs):
     """Read a notebook from a file and return the NotebookNode object.
 
     This function properly handles notebooks of any version. The notebook
@@ -164,18 +162,16 @@ def read(fp, format, **kwargs):
     ----------
     fp : file
         Any file-like object with a read method.
-    format : (u'json', u'ipynb', u'py')
-        The format that the string is in.
 
     Returns
     -------
     nb : NotebookNode
         The notebook that was read.
     """
-    return reads(fp.read(), format, **kwargs)
+    return reads(fp.read(), **kwargs)
 
 
-def write(nb, fp, format, **kwargs):
+def write(nb, fp, format='DEPRECATED', **kwargs):
     """Write a notebook to a file in a given format in the current nbformat version.
 
     This function always writes the notebook in the current nbformat version.
@@ -194,7 +190,7 @@ def write(nb, fp, format, **kwargs):
     s : unicode
         The notebook string.
     """
-    return fp.write(writes(nb, format, **kwargs))
+    return fp.write(writes(nb, **kwargs))
 
 def _convert_to_metadata():
     """Convert to a notebook having notebook metadata."""
diff --git a/IPython/nbformat/tests/test_current.py b/IPython/nbformat/tests/test_current.py
index 8fc99ba..818447a 100644
--- a/IPython/nbformat/tests/test_current.py
+++ b/IPython/nbformat/tests/test_current.py
@@ -1,25 +1,19 @@
 """
 Contains tests class for current.py
 """
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-#  Copyright (C) 2013  The IPython Development Team
-#
-#  Distributed under the terms of the BSD License.  The full license is in
-#  the file COPYING, distributed as part of this software.
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Imports
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Copyright (c) IPython Development Team.
+# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
+
+import io
+import json
+import tempfile
 
 from .base import TestsBase
 
 from ..reader import get_version
-from ..current import read, current_nbformat
+from ..current import read, current_nbformat, validate, writes
 
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-# Classes and functions
-#-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 class TestCurrent(TestsBase):
 
@@ -29,8 +23,19 @@ class TestCurrent(TestsBase):
 
         # Open a version 2 notebook.
         with self.fopen(u'test2.ipynb', u'r') as f:
-            nb = read(f, u'json')
+            nb = read(f)
 
         # Check that the notebook was upgraded to the latest version automatically.
         (major, minor) = get_version(nb)
         self.assertEqual(major, current_nbformat)
+
+    def test_write_downgrade_2(self):
+        """dowgrade a v3 notebook to v2"""
+        # Open a version 3 notebook.
+        with self.fopen(u'test3.ipynb', 'r') as f:
+            nb = read(f, u'json')
+
+        jsons = writes(nb, version=2)
+        nb2 = json.loads(jsons)
+        (major, minor) = get_version(nb2)
+        self.assertEqual(major, 2)