diff --git a/flink-python/pyflink/table/statement_set.py b/flink-python/pyflink/table/statement_set.py
index 9a154aa4b5e8f..419e63a3ed89c 100644
--- a/flink-python/pyflink/table/statement_set.py
+++ b/flink-python/pyflink/table/statement_set.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 ################################################################################
 from typing import Union
 
+from pyflink.java_gateway import get_gateway
 from pyflink.table import ExplainDetail
 from pyflink.table.table_descriptor import TableDescriptor
 from pyflink.table.table_result import TableResult
@@ -138,8 +139,9 @@ def explain(self, *extra_details: ExplainDetail) -> str:
 
         .. versionadded:: 1.11.0
         """
+        TEXT = get_gateway().jvm.org.apache.flink.table.api.ExplainFormat.TEXT
         j_extra_details = to_j_explain_detail_arr(extra_details)
-        return self._j_statement_set.explain(j_extra_details)
+        return self._j_statement_set.explain(TEXT, j_extra_details)
 
     def execute(self) -> TableResult:
         """
diff --git a/flink-python/pyflink/table/table.py b/flink-python/pyflink/table/table.py
index a0d02b90dd2c0..34cf15357f2f1 100644
--- a/flink-python/pyflink/table/table.py
+++ b/flink-python/pyflink/table/table.py
@@ -1073,8 +1073,9 @@ def explain(self, *extra_details: ExplainDetail) -> str:
 
         .. versionadded:: 1.11.0
         """
+        TEXT = get_gateway().jvm.org.apache.flink.table.api.ExplainFormat.TEXT
         j_extra_details = to_j_explain_detail_arr(extra_details)
-        return self._j_table.explain(j_extra_details)
+        return self._j_table.explain(TEXT, j_extra_details)
 
 
 class GroupedTable(object):