diff --git a/rest/src/db/dbUtils.js b/rest/src/db/dbUtils.js
index f3bb4664..b1e1b87c 100644
--- a/rest/src/db/dbUtils.js
+++ b/rest/src/db/dbUtils.js
@@ -82,21 +82,27 @@ const dbUtils = {
 	},
 
 	/**
-	 * Convert binary to Unresolved address
-	 * @param {MongoDb.Binary} binary Address|NamespaceId from MongoDb.
-	 * @returns {string} AddressBase32|NamespaceId
-	 */
-	bufferToUnresolvedAddress: binary => {
+     * Formats binary to a base32 address or hex address
+     * @param {MongoDb.Binary} binary Address|NamespaceId from MongoDb.
+     * @param {boolean} formatAddressUsingBase32 if base32 format should be used when formatting an address. Hex otherwise.
+     * @returns {string} the address in base32 format or hex format depending on formatAddressUsingBase32
+     */
+	bufferToUnresolvedAddress: (binary, formatAddressUsingBase32) => {
 		if (!binary)
 			return undefined;
 
-		if ((binary instanceof MongoDb.Binary))
-			return address.addressToString(binary.buffer);
+		const getBuffer = () => {
+			if ((binary instanceof MongoDb.Binary))
+				return binary.buffer;
 
-		if ((binary instanceof Uint8Array))
-			return address.addressToString(binary);
+			if ((binary instanceof Uint8Array))
+				return binary;
 
-		throw new Error(`Cannot convert binary address, unknown ${binary.constructor.name} type`);
+			throw new Error(
+				`Cannot convert binary address, unknown ${binary.constructor.name} type`
+			);
+		};
+		return formatAddressUsingBase32 ? address.addressToString(getBuffer()) : catapult.utils.convert.uint8ToHex(getBuffer());
 	},
 
 	/**
diff --git a/rest/test/db/dbFormattingRules_spec.js b/rest/test/db/dbFormattingRules_spec.js
index 4f2ba76e..9cd4830e 100644
--- a/rest/test/db/dbFormattingRules_spec.js
+++ b/rest/test/db/dbFormattingRules_spec.js
@@ -240,14 +240,14 @@ describe('db formatting rules', () => {
 		});
 	});
 
-	it('can format encodedAddress type', () => {
+	it('can format encodedAddress type using hex', () => {
 		// Arrange
 		const object = test.factory.createBinary(Buffer.from('98E0D138EAF2AC342C015FF0B631EC3622E8AFFA04BFCC56', 'hex'));
 
 		// Act:
-		const result = formattingRules[ModelType.encodedAddress](object);
+		const result = formattingRules[ModelType.encodedAddress](object, false);
 
 		// Assert:
-		expect(result).to.equal('TDQNCOHK6KWDILABL7YLMMPMGYRORL72AS74YVQ');
+		expect(result).to.equal('98E0D138EAF2AC342C015FF0B631EC3622E8AFFA04BFCC56');
 	});
 });
diff --git a/rest/test/db/dbUtils_spec.js b/rest/test/db/dbUtils_spec.js
index a2361c3d..7bbfebdd 100644
--- a/rest/test/db/dbUtils_spec.js
+++ b/rest/test/db/dbUtils_spec.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ const { convertToLong } = require('../../src/db/dbUtils');
 const { expect } = require('chai');
 const MongoDb = require('mongodb');
 
-const { ObjectId, Binary } = MongoDb;
+const { ObjectId } = MongoDb;
 
 describe('db utils', () => {
 	describe('convertToLong', () => {
@@ -169,18 +169,18 @@ describe('db utils', () => {
 	});
 
 	describe('bufferToUnresolvedAddress', () => {
-		it('can convert from Binary to Address', () => {
+		it('can convert from Buffer to encoded address', () => {
 			// Arrange
-			const object = new Binary(Buffer.from('98E0D138EAF2AC342C015FF0B631EC3622E8AFFA04BFCC56', 'hex'));
+			const object = Buffer.from('98E0D138EAF2AC342C015FF0B631EC3622E8AFFA04BFCC56', 'hex');
 
 			// Act:
-			const result = dbUtils.bufferToUnresolvedAddress(object);
+			const result = dbUtils.bufferToUnresolvedAddress(object, true);
 
 			// Assert:
 			expect(result).to.equal('TDQNCOHK6KWDILABL7YLMMPMGYRORL72AS74YVQ');
 		});
 
-		it('can convert from Buffer to Address', () => {
+		it('can convert from Buffer to decoded address', () => {
 			// Arrange
 			const object = Buffer.from('98E0D138EAF2AC342C015FF0B631EC3622E8AFFA04BFCC56', 'hex');
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ describe('db utils', () => {
 			const result = dbUtils.bufferToUnresolvedAddress(object);
 
 			// Assert:
-			expect(result).to.equal('TDQNCOHK6KWDILABL7YLMMPMGYRORL72AS74YVQ');
+			expect(result).to.equal('98E0D138EAF2AC342C015FF0B631EC3622E8AFFA04BFCC56');
 		});
 
 		it('can convert from undefined to undefined address', () => {
diff --git a/rest/test/server/messageFormattingRules_spec.js b/rest/test/server/messageFormattingRules_spec.js
index 919c5c14..cba09307 100644
--- a/rest/test/server/messageFormattingRules_spec.js
+++ b/rest/test/server/messageFormattingRules_spec.js
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ describe('message formatting rules', () => {
 		expect(result).to.deep.equal(true);
 	});
 
-	it('can format encodedAddress type', () => {
+	it('can format decodedAddress type', () => {
 		// Arrange:
 		const object = test.factory.createBinary(Buffer.from('98E0D138EAF2AC342C015FF0B631EC3622E8AFFA04BFCC56', 'hex'));
 
@@ -161,6 +161,6 @@ describe('message formatting rules', () => {
 		const result = formattingRules[ModelType.encodedAddress](object);
 
 		// Assert:
-		expect(result).to.deep.equal('TDQNCOHK6KWDILABL7YLMMPMGYRORL72AS74YVQ');
+		expect(result).to.deep.equal('98E0D138EAF2AC342C015FF0B631EC3622E8AFFA04BFCC56');
 	});
 });