diff --git a/app/soapbox/actions/settings.js b/app/soapbox/actions/settings.js
index 03b538bcc..9bace7d7e 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/actions/settings.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/actions/settings.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export const defaultSettings = ImmutableMap({
   boostModal: false,
   deleteModal: true,
   defaultPrivacy: 'public',
+  defaultContentType: 'text/plain',
   themeMode: 'light',
   locale: navigator.language.split(/[-_]/)[0] || 'en',
   explanationBox: true,
diff --git a/app/soapbox/features/preferences/index.js b/app/soapbox/features/preferences/index.js
index f42577674..b5360808d 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/features/preferences/index.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/features/preferences/index.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { defineMessages, injectIntl, FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
 import ImmutablePureComponent from 'react-immutable-pure-component';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import ImmutablePropTypes from 'react-immutable-proptypes';
-import { changeSetting } from 'soapbox/actions/settings';
+import { getSettings, changeSetting } from 'soapbox/actions/settings';
 import Column from '../ui/components/column';
 import {
   SimpleForm,
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ const messages = defineMessages({
 });
 
 const mapStateToProps = state => ({
-  settings: state.get('settings'),
+  settings: getSettings(state),
 });
 
 export default @connect(mapStateToProps)
@@ -109,6 +109,11 @@ class Preferences extends ImmutablePureComponent {
     dispatch(changeSetting(['defaultPrivacy'], e.target.value));
   }
 
+  onDefaultContentTypeChange = e => {
+    const { dispatch } = this.props;
+    dispatch(changeSetting(['defaultContentType'], e.target.value));
+  }
+
   render() {
     const { settings, intl } = this.props;
 
@@ -165,6 +170,24 @@ class Preferences extends ImmutablePureComponent {
             </RadioGroup>
           </FieldsGroup>
 
+          <FieldsGroup>
+            <RadioGroup
+              label={<FormattedMessage id='preferences.fields.content_type_label' defaultMessage='Post format' />}
+              onChange={this.onDefaultContentTypeChange}
+            >
+              <RadioItem
+                label={<FormattedMessage id='preferences.options.content_type_plaintext' defaultMessage='Plain text' />}
+                checked={settings.get('defaultContentType') === 'text/plain'}
+                value='text/plain'
+              />
+              <RadioItem
+                label={<FormattedMessage id='preferences.options.content_type_markdown' defaultMessage='Markdown' />}
+                checked={settings.get('defaultContentType') === 'text/markdown'}
+                value='text/markdown'
+              />
+            </RadioGroup>
+          </FieldsGroup>
+
           <FieldsGroup>
             <SettingsCheckbox
               label={<FormattedMessage id='preferences.fields.unfollow_modal_label' defaultMessage='Show confirmation dialog before unfollowing someone' />}
diff --git a/app/soapbox/reducers/__tests__/compose-test.js b/app/soapbox/reducers/__tests__/compose-test.js
index d8122bab2..a3b1781e4 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/reducers/__tests__/compose-test.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/reducers/__tests__/compose-test.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ describe('compose reducer', () => {
       default_privacy: 'public',
       default_sensitive: false,
       tagHistory: [],
-      content_type: 'text/markdown',
+      content_type: 'text/plain',
     });
     expect(state.get('idempotencyKey').length === 36);
   });
diff --git a/app/soapbox/reducers/compose.js b/app/soapbox/reducers/compose.js
index c72ea6d87..055535d41 100644
--- a/app/soapbox/reducers/compose.js
+++ b/app/soapbox/reducers/compose.js
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const initialState = ImmutableMap({
   sensitive: false,
   spoiler: false,
   spoiler_text: '',
-  content_type: 'text/markdown',
+  content_type: 'text/plain',
   privacy: 'public',
   text: '',
   focusDate: null,
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ const initialState = ImmutableMap({
   suggestions: ImmutableList(),
   default_privacy: 'public',
   default_sensitive: false,
+  default_content_type: 'text/plain',
   resetFileKey: Math.floor((Math.random() * 0x10000)),
   idempotencyKey: uuid(),
   tagHistory: ImmutableList(),
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ function clearAll(state) {
     map.set('text', '');
     map.set('spoiler', false);
     map.set('spoiler_text', '');
-    map.set('content_type', 'text/markdown');
+    map.set('content_type', state.get('default_content_type'));
     map.set('is_submitting', false);
     map.set('is_changing_upload', false);
     map.set('in_reply_to', null);
@@ -193,7 +194,7 @@ const expandMentions = status => {
 };
 
 export default function compose(state = initialState, action) {
-  let me, defaultPrivacy;
+  let me, defaultPrivacy, defaultContentType;
   switch(action.type) {
   case COMPOSE_MOUNT:
     return state.set('mounted', state.get('mounted') + 1);
@@ -246,7 +247,7 @@ export default function compose(state = initialState, action) {
       map.set('focusDate', new Date());
       map.set('caretPosition', null);
       map.set('idempotencyKey', uuid());
-      map.set('content_type', 'text/markdown');
+      map.set('content_type', state.get('default_content_type'));
 
       if (action.status.get('spoiler_text', '').length > 0) {
         map.set('spoiler', true);
@@ -331,7 +332,7 @@ export default function compose(state = initialState, action) {
       map.set('focusDate', new Date());
       map.set('caretPosition', null);
       map.set('idempotencyKey', uuid());
-      map.set('content_type', 'text/markdown');
+      map.set('content_type', action.status.get('content_type'));
 
       if (action.status.get('spoiler_text').length > 0) {
         map.set('spoiler', true);
@@ -364,21 +365,31 @@ export default function compose(state = initialState, action) {
   case ME_FETCH_SUCCESS:
     me = fromJS(action.me);
     defaultPrivacy = me.getIn(['pleroma', 'settings_store', FE_NAME, 'defaultPrivacy'], 'public');
+    defaultContentType = me.getIn(['pleroma', 'settings_store', FE_NAME, 'defaultContentType'], 'text/plain');
     return state.merge({
       default_privacy: defaultPrivacy,
       privacy: defaultPrivacy,
+      default_content_type: defaultContentType,
+      content_type: defaultContentType,
       tagHistory: ImmutableList(tagHistory.get(action.me.id)),
     });
   case ME_PATCH_SUCCESS:
     me = fromJS(action.me);
     defaultPrivacy = me.getIn(['pleroma', 'settings_store', FE_NAME, 'defaultPrivacy']);
-    if (!defaultPrivacy) return state;
-    return state.set('default_privacy', defaultPrivacy);
+    defaultContentType = me.getIn(['pleroma', 'settings_store', FE_NAME, 'defaultContentType']);
+    if (defaultPrivacy) state = state.set('default_privacy', defaultPrivacy);
+    if (defaultContentType) state = state.set('default_content_type', defaultContentType);
+    return state;
   case SETTING_CHANGE:
     const pathString = action.path.join(',');
-    if (pathString === 'defaultPrivacy')
+    switch (pathString) {
+    case 'defaultPrivacy':
       return state.set('default_privacy', action.value).set('privacy', action.value);
-    return state;
+    case 'defaultContentType':
+      return state.set('default_content_type', action.value).set('content_type', action.value);
+    default:
+      return state;
+    }
   default:
     return state;
   }