diff --git a/l3kernel/l3candidates.dtx b/l3kernel/l3candidates.dtx
index 07f1a366e5..30442838ea 100644
--- a/l3kernel/l3candidates.dtx
+++ b/l3kernel/l3candidates.dtx
@@ -503,6 +503,13 @@
 %   releases of \XeTeX{}.
 % \end{function}
 %
+% \begin{function}[added = 2022-07-21, EXP, pTF]{\sys_if_format_context:},
+%   \begin{syntax}
+%     \cs{sys_if_format_context:TF} \Arg{true code} \Arg{false code}
+%   \end{syntax}
+%   Conditionals which give the current \TeX{} format.
+% \end{function}
+%
 % \section{Additions to \pkg{l3tl}}
 %
 % \begin{function}[EXP, added = 2017-07-15]
@@ -1391,6 +1398,13 @@
 %    \end{macrocode}
 % \end{variable}
 %
+% \begin{macro}[pTF, EXP]{\sys_if_format_context:}
+%    \begin{macrocode}
+\@@_const:nn { sys_if_format_context }
+  { \cs_if_exist_p:N \contextversion }
+%    \end{macrocode}
+% \end{macro}
+%
 % \subsection{Additions to \pkg{l3file}}
 %
 %    \begin{macrocode}
diff --git a/l3kernel/l3file.dtx b/l3kernel/l3file.dtx
index a55a32ed37..d2336dbd50 100644
--- a/l3kernel/l3file.dtx
+++ b/l3kernel/l3file.dtx
@@ -981,7 +981,7 @@
 \int_step_inline:nnn
   { 0 }
   {
-    \cs_if_exist:NTF \normalend
+    \sys_if_format_context:TF
       { \tex_count:D 38 ~ }
       {
         \tex_count:D 16 ~ %
@@ -1061,7 +1061,7 @@
 %    \begin{macrocode}
 \exp_args:NNf \cs_new_protected:Npn \@@_new:N
   { \exp_args:NNc \exp_after:wN \exp_stop_f: { newread } }
-\cs_if_exist:NT \normalend
+\sys_if_format_context:T
   {
     \cs_new_eq:NN \@@_new_aux:N \@@_new:N
     \cs_set_protected:Npn \@@_new:N #1
@@ -1441,7 +1441,7 @@
 \int_step_inline:nnn
   { 0 }
   {
-    \cs_if_exist:NTF \normalend
+    \sys_if_format_context:TF
       { \tex_count:D 39 ~ }
       {
         \tex_count:D 17 ~
@@ -1505,7 +1505,7 @@
 %    \begin{macrocode}
 \exp_args:NNf \cs_new_protected:Npn \@@_new:N
   { \exp_args:NNc \exp_after:wN \exp_stop_f: { newwrite } }
-\cs_if_exist:NT \normalend
+\sys_if_format_context:T
   {
     \cs_new_eq:NN \@@_new_aux:N \@@_new:N
     \cs_set_protected:Npn \@@_new:N #1