diff --git a/ui-modules/blueprint-composer/app/views/main/main.controller.js b/ui-modules/blueprint-composer/app/views/main/main.controller.js
index 257b2a830..969e0d5a8 100644
--- a/ui-modules/blueprint-composer/app/views/main/main.controller.js
+++ b/ui-modules/blueprint-composer/app/views/main/main.controller.js
@@ -170,6 +170,9 @@ export function MainController($scope, $element, $log, $state, $stateParams, brB
 
     if (yaml) {
         $scope.initialYamlFormat = $stateParams.format;
+        if(Array.isArray(edit.type.specList) && edit.type.specList.length > 0 && edit.type.specList[0].format === $stateParams.format) {
+            yaml = edit.type.specList[0].contents;
+        }
 
         if (vm.isYamlMode()) {
             // don't set blueprint; yaml mode will take from "initial yaml" 
diff --git a/ui-modules/catalog/app/views/bundle/type/type.state.js b/ui-modules/catalog/app/views/bundle/type/type.state.js
index b8df5732a..bca4fba6a 100644
--- a/ui-modules/catalog/app/views/bundle/type/type.state.js
+++ b/ui-modules/catalog/app/views/bundle/type/type.state.js
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ export function typeController($scope, $state, $stateParams, $q, $uibModal, brBr
         $scope.bundle = responses[0];
         $scope.type = responses[1];
         this.specItem = $scope.type.specList[0];
+        $scope.typeFormat = this.specItem.format ? 'format=' + this.specItem.format + '&' : '';
         $scope.versions = responses[2].map(typeVersion => {
             return {
                 bundleSymbolicName: typeVersion.containingBundle.split(':')[0],
diff --git a/ui-modules/catalog/app/views/bundle/type/type.template.html b/ui-modules/catalog/app/views/bundle/type/type.template.html
index c399b1cc3..161ba6b53 100644
--- a/ui-modules/catalog/app/views/bundle/type/type.template.html
+++ b/ui-modules/catalog/app/views/bundle/type/type.template.html
@@ -77,10 +77,10 @@ <h4 class="media-heading">
                     <button uib-dropdown-toggle type="button" class="btn btn-primary"><i class="fa fa-fw fa-edit"></i> Edit <span class="caret"></span></button>
                     <ul class="dropdown-menu dropdown-menu-right" uib-dropdown-menu role="menu" aria-labelledby="edit-dropdown">
                         <li role="menuitem" ng-if="type.supertypes.includes('org.apache.brooklyn.api.entity.Entity') && composerUrl">
-                            <a ng-href="{{ composerUrl }}#!/graphical?bundleSymbolicName={{type.containingBundle.split(':')[0]}}&bundleVersion={{type.containingBundle.split(':')[1]}}&typeSymbolicName={{type.symbolicName}}&typeVersion={{type.version}}">Using graphical designer</a>
+                            <a ng-href="{{ composerUrl }}#!/graphical?{{typeFormat}}bundleSymbolicName={{type.containingBundle.split(':')[0]}}&bundleVersion={{type.containingBundle.split(':')[1]}}&typeSymbolicName={{type.symbolicName}}&typeVersion={{type.version}}">Using graphical designer</a>
                         </li>
                         <li role="menuitem" ng-if="type.supertypes.includes('org.apache.brooklyn.api.entity.Entity') && composerUrl">
-                            <a ng-href="{{ composerUrl }}#!/yaml?bundleSymbolicName={{type.containingBundle.split(':')[0]}}&bundleVersion={{type.containingBundle.split(':')[1]}}&typeSymbolicName={{type.symbolicName}}&typeVersion={{type.version}}">Using YAML editor</a>
+                            <a ng-href="{{ composerUrl }}#!/yaml?{{typeFormat}}bundleSymbolicName={{type.containingBundle.split(':')[0]}}&bundleVersion={{type.containingBundle.split(':')[1]}}&typeSymbolicName={{type.symbolicName}}&typeVersion={{type.version}}">Using YAML editor</a>
                         </li>
                         <li role="menuitem" ng-if="type.supertypes.includes('org.apache.brooklyn.api.location.Location')">
                             <a ng-href="brooklyn-ui-location-manager/#!/location?symbolicName={{type.symbolicName}}&version={{type.version}}">Using location manager</a>