diff --git a/cmd/db_to_db.go b/cmd/db_to_db.go
index eb70ea8..56d3bbd 100644
--- a/cmd/db_to_db.go
+++ b/cmd/db_to_db.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func LocalDatabaseSync(
 			}
 
 			psql_write := pipes.Psql(
-				pipes.PG_Dump_Table(source_db_creds, schema, table),
+				pipes.PG_Dump_Table(source_db_creds, schema, table, "--format plain"),
 				dest_db_creds,
 			)
 			psql_write.Wait()
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func CgovDatabaseSync(
 			}
 
 			psql_write := pipes.Psql(
-				pipes.PG_Dump_Table(source_db_creds, schema, table),
+				pipes.PG_Dump_Table(source_db_creds, schema, table, "--format plain"),
 				dest_db_creds,
 			)
 			psql_write.Wait()
diff --git a/cmd/db_to_s3.go b/cmd/db_to_s3.go
index ab1ce18..210f068 100644
--- a/cmd/db_to_s3.go
+++ b/cmd/db_to_s3.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func tables_to_local_bucket(
 		// 2. When there are no names in the list (backup all).
 		if slices.Contains(table_names, table) || BACKUP_ALL {
 			mc_pipe := pipes.McWrite(
-				pipes.PG_Dump_Table(source_creds, schema, table),
+				pipes.PG_Dump_Table(source_creds, schema, table, "--format c"),
 				up_creds,
 				fmt.Sprintf("%s%s/%s-%s.dump", s3path.Bucket, s3path.Key, schema, table),
 			)
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func tables_to_cgov_bucket(
 	for table, schema := range table_to_schema {
 		if slices.Contains(table_names, table) || BACKUP_ALL {
 			s3_pipe := pipes.S3Write(
-				pipes.PG_Dump_Table(source_creds, schema, table),
+				pipes.PG_Dump_Table(source_creds, schema, table, "--format c"),
 				s3_creds,
 				fmt.Sprintf("%s%s/%s-%s.dump", s3path.Bucket, s3path.Key, schema, table),
 			)
diff --git a/internal/pipes/pg_dump.go b/internal/pipes/pg_dump.go
index f27ef8f..d80e93c 100644
--- a/internal/pipes/pg_dump.go
+++ b/internal/pipes/pg_dump.go
@@ -12,14 +12,15 @@ import (
 
 func PG_Dump_Table(creds vcap.Credentials,
 	schema string,
-	table string) *script.Pipe {
+	table string,
+	format string) *script.Pipe {
 	// Compose the command as a slice
 	cmd := []string{
 		util.PGDUMP_path,
 		"--no-password",
 		"--no-privileges",
 		"--no-owner",
-		"--format c",
+		format, // need plain for db_to_db
 		"--table",
 		fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", schema, table),
 		"--dbname",