diff --git a/uvplot/uvtable.py b/uvplot/uvtable.py
index 0176db8..3a1f069 100644
--- a/uvplot/uvtable.py
+++ b/uvplot/uvtable.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def __init__(self, uvtable=None, filename="", wle=1, **kwargs):
         if filename != "":
             self.filename = filename
 
-            uvdata = self.read_uvtable(self.filename, kwargs.get('format', 'uvtable'))
+            uvdata = self.read_uvtable(self.filename, kwargs.get('format', 'ascii'))
 
             u = uvdata[:, 0]
             v = uvdata[:, 1]
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ def __init__(self, uvtable=None, filename="", wle=1, **kwargs):
     @staticmethod
     def read_uvtable(filename, format):
         """ Read uvtable from file, given a specific format. """
-        if format == 'uvtable':
+        if format == 'ascii':
             uvdata = np.loadtxt(filename)
 
         else: