diff --git a/src/applications/search/controller/PhabricatorApplicationSearchController.php b/src/applications/search/controller/PhabricatorApplicationSearchController.php
--- a/src/applications/search/controller/PhabricatorApplicationSearchController.php
+++ b/src/applications/search/controller/PhabricatorApplicationSearchController.php
@@ -964,8 +964,14 @@
 
   private function readExportFormatPreference() {
     $viewer = $this->getViewer();
-    $export_key = PhabricatorPolicyFavoritesSetting::SETTINGKEY;
-    return $viewer->getUserSetting($export_key);
+    $export_key = PhabricatorExportFormatSetting::SETTINGKEY;
+    $value = $viewer->getUserSetting($export_key);
+
+    if (is_string($value)) {
+      return $value;
+    }
+
+    return '';
   }
 
   private function writeExportFormatPreference($value) {
@@ -976,7 +982,7 @@
       return;
     }
 
-    $export_key = PhabricatorPolicyFavoritesSetting::SETTINGKEY;
+    $export_key = PhabricatorExportFormatSetting::SETTINGKEY;
     $preferences = PhabricatorUserPreferences::loadUserPreferences($viewer);
 
     $editor = id(new PhabricatorUserPreferencesEditor())