diff --git a/apps/apps.h b/apps/apps.h
index a134b8da9..cd7094831 100644
--- a/apps/apps.h
+++ b/apps/apps.h
@@ -163,8 +163,9 @@ int app_load_modules(const CONF *config);
 void unbuffer(FILE *fp);
 
 /* Often used in calls to bio_open_default. */
-# define RB(xformat)  ((xformat) == FORMAT_ASN1 ? "rb" : "r")
-# define WB(xformat)  ((xformat) == FORMAT_ASN1 ? "wb" : "w")
+# define RB(xformat)  (((xformat) & B_FORMAT_TEXT) ? "rb" : "r")
+# define WB(xformat)  (((xformat) & B_FORMAT_TEXT) ? "wb" : "w")
+# define AB(xformat)  (((xformat) & B_FORMAT_TEXT) ? "ab" : "a")
 
 /*
  * Common verification options.
@@ -535,19 +536,20 @@ void print_cert_checks(BIO *bio, X509 *x,
 void store_setup_crl_download(X509_STORE *st);
 
 /* See OPT_FMT_xxx, above. */
+# define B_FORMAT_TEXT   0x8000
 # define FORMAT_UNDEF    0
 # define FORMAT_ASN1     1
-# define FORMAT_TEXT     2
-# define FORMAT_PEM      3
+# define FORMAT_TEXT    (2 | B_FORMAT_TEXT)
+# define FORMAT_PEM     (3 | B_FORMAT_TEXT)
 # define FORMAT_PKCS12   5
-# define FORMAT_SMIME    6
+# define FORMAT_SMIME   (6 | B_FORMAT_TEXT)
 # define FORMAT_ENGINE   7
-# define FORMAT_PEMRSA   9      /* PEM RSAPubicKey format */
-# define FORMAT_ASN1RSA  10     /* DER RSAPubicKey format */
-# define FORMAT_MSBLOB   11     /* MS Key blob format */
-# define FORMAT_PVK      12     /* MS PVK file format */
-# define FORMAT_HTTP     13     /* Download using HTTP */
-# define FORMAT_NSS      14     /* NSS keylog format */
+# define FORMAT_PEMRSA  (9 | B_FORMAT_TEXT)     /* PEM RSAPubicKey format */
+# define FORMAT_ASN1RSA  10                     /* DER RSAPubicKey format */
+# define FORMAT_MSBLOB   11                     /* MS Key blob format */
+# define FORMAT_PVK      12                     /* MS PVK file format */
+# define FORMAT_HTTP     13                     /* Download using HTTP */
+# define FORMAT_NSS      14                     /* NSS keylog format */
 
 # define EXT_COPY_NONE   0
 # define EXT_COPY_ADD    1
diff --git a/apps/asn1pars.c b/apps/asn1pars.c
index 24b55681f..8881ad4e3 100644
--- a/apps/asn1pars.c
+++ b/apps/asn1pars.c
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ int asn1parse_main(int argc, char **argv)
         BIO_free(in);
     }
 
-    if ((in = bio_open_default(infile, "r")) == NULL)
+    if ((in = bio_open_default(infile, RB(informat))) == NULL)
         goto end;
 
     if (derfile && (derout = bio_open_default(derfile, "wb")) == NULL)
diff --git a/apps/ca.c b/apps/ca.c
index 5cd800206..ce09155f2 100644
--- a/apps/ca.c
+++ b/apps/ca.c
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ end_of_options:
             extensions = "default";
     }
 
-        /*****************************************************************/
+    /*****************************************************************/
     if (req || gencrl) {
         Sout = bio_open_default(outfile, "w");
         if (Sout == NULL)
diff --git a/apps/cms.c b/apps/cms.c
index e40686b5d..599f21774 100644
--- a/apps/cms.c
+++ b/apps/cms.c
@@ -690,16 +690,14 @@ int cms_main(int argc, char **argv)
         flags &= ~CMS_DETACHED;
 
     if (operation & SMIME_OP) {
-        if (outformat == FORMAT_ASN1)
-            outmode = "wb";
+        outmode = WB(outformat);
     } else {
         if (flags & CMS_BINARY)
             outmode = "wb";
     }
 
     if (operation & SMIME_IP) {
-        if (informat == FORMAT_ASN1)
-            inmode = "rb";
+        inmode = RB(informat);
     } else {
         if (flags & CMS_BINARY)
             inmode = "rb";
diff --git a/apps/crl.c b/apps/crl.c
index c0bf8749d..1ea0c319c 100644
--- a/apps/crl.c
+++ b/apps/crl.c
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ int crl_main(int argc, char **argv)
             }
         }
     }
-    out = bio_open_default(outfile, "w");
+    out = bio_open_default(outfile, WB(outformat));
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/dhparam.c b/apps/dhparam.c
index 2e5ce2c6d..0640cf808 100644
--- a/apps/dhparam.c
+++ b/apps/dhparam.c
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ int dhparam_main(int argc, char **argv)
         /* dh != NULL */
     }
 
-    out = bio_open_default(outfile, "w");
+    out = bio_open_default(outfile, WB(outformat));
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/dsa.c b/apps/dsa.c
index 9998bfe30..4fca85263 100644
--- a/apps/dsa.c
+++ b/apps/dsa.c
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ int dsa_main(int argc, char **argv)
         goto end;
     }
 
-    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, "w", private);
+    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, WB(outformat), private);
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/dsaparam.c b/apps/dsaparam.c
index 8d48313d2..d61bb70a7 100644
--- a/apps/dsaparam.c
+++ b/apps/dsaparam.c
@@ -195,10 +195,10 @@ int dsaparam_main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
     private = genkey ? 1 : 0;
 
-    in = bio_open_default(infile, "r");
+    in = bio_open_default(infile, RB(informat));
     if (in == NULL)
         goto end;
-    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, "w", private);
+    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, WB(outformat), private);
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/enc.c b/apps/enc.c
index 18fcb9505..3b8d7eb26 100644
--- a/apps/enc.c
+++ b/apps/enc.c
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ int enc_main(int argc, char **argv)
         unbuffer(stdin);
         in = dup_bio_in();
     } else
-        in = bio_open_default(infile, "r");
+        in = bio_open_default(infile, base64 ? "r" : "rb");
     if (in == NULL)
         goto end;
 
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ int enc_main(int argc, char **argv)
         }
     }
 
-    out = bio_open_default(outfile, "w");
+    out = bio_open_default(outfile, base64 ? "w" : "wb");
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/genpkey.c b/apps/genpkey.c
index dbbedaa35..c29b1947a 100644
--- a/apps/genpkey.c
+++ b/apps/genpkey.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ int genpkey_main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (!app_load_modules(NULL))
         goto end;
 
-    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, "wb", private);
+    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, WB(outformat), private);
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/pkcs8.c b/apps/pkcs8.c
index b120b93aa..e3cb7750e 100644
--- a/apps/pkcs8.c
+++ b/apps/pkcs8.c
@@ -239,10 +239,10 @@ int pkcs8_main(int argc, char **argv)
     if ((pbe_nid == -1) && !cipher)
         pbe_nid = NID_pbeWithMD5AndDES_CBC;
 
-    in = bio_open_default(infile, "rb");
+    in = bio_open_default(infile, RB(informat));
     if (in == NULL)
         goto end;
-    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, "wb", private);
+    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, WB(outformat), private);
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/pkey.c b/apps/pkey.c
index 80c2e154d..9ef228f3a 100644
--- a/apps/pkey.c
+++ b/apps/pkey.c
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ int pkey_main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (!app_load_modules(NULL))
         goto end;
 
-    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, "wb", private);
+    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, WB(outformat), private);
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/rand.c b/apps/rand.c
index 432e78449..a5aa5d941 100644
--- a/apps/rand.c
+++ b/apps/rand.c
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ int rand_main(int argc, char **argv)
         BIO_printf(bio_err, "%ld semi-random bytes loaded\n",
                    app_RAND_load_files(inrand));
 
-    out = bio_open_default(outfile, "w");
+    out = bio_open_default(outfile, base64 ? "w" : "wb");
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/req.c b/apps/req.c
index 59cc6b466..bae3eeca0 100644
--- a/apps/req.c
+++ b/apps/req.c
@@ -764,7 +764,8 @@ int req_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     out = bio_open_default(outfile,
                            keyout != NULL && outfile != NULL &&
-                           strcmp(keyout, outfile) == 0 ? "a" : "w");
+                           strcmp(keyout, outfile) == 0
+                           ? AB(outformat) : WB(outformat));
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/rsa.c b/apps/rsa.c
index c7ad44b75..01cc6ea18 100644
--- a/apps/rsa.c
+++ b/apps/rsa.c
@@ -292,7 +292,7 @@ int rsa_main(int argc, char **argv)
         goto end;
     }
 
-    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, "w", private);
+    out = bio_open_owner(outfile, WB(outformat), private);
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
diff --git a/apps/sess_id.c b/apps/sess_id.c
index 681654335..e743791d2 100644
--- a/apps/sess_id.c
+++ b/apps/sess_id.c
@@ -160,10 +160,7 @@ int sess_id_main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
 
     if (!noout || text) {
-        const char* modeflag = "w";
-        if (outformat == FORMAT_ASN1 || outformat == FORMAT_NSS)
-            modeflag = "wb";
-        out = bio_open_default(outfile, modeflag);
+        out = bio_open_default(outfile, WB(outformat));
         if (out == NULL)
             goto end;
     }
diff --git a/apps/smime.c b/apps/smime.c
index 45898de4c..d597ebf53 100644
--- a/apps/smime.c
+++ b/apps/smime.c
@@ -427,16 +427,14 @@ int smime_main(int argc, char **argv)
         flags &= ~PKCS7_DETACHED;
 
     if (operation & SMIME_OP) {
-        if (outformat == FORMAT_ASN1)
-            outmode = "wb";
+        outmode = WB(outformat);
     } else {
         if (flags & PKCS7_BINARY)
             outmode = "wb";
     }
 
     if (operation & SMIME_IP) {
-        if (informat == FORMAT_ASN1)
-            inmode = "rb";
+        inmode = RB(informat);
     } else {
         if (flags & PKCS7_BINARY)
             inmode = "rb";
diff --git a/apps/x509.c b/apps/x509.c
index acce9e9dd..8020e8a08 100644
--- a/apps/x509.c
+++ b/apps/x509.c
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ int x509_main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (!app_load_modules(NULL))
         goto end;
 
-    out = bio_open_default(outfile, "w");
+    out = bio_open_default(outfile, WB(outformat));
     if (out == NULL)
         goto end;
 
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ int x509_main(int argc, char **argv)
             BIO_printf(bio_err, "We need a private key to sign with\n");
             goto end;
         }
-        in = bio_open_default(infile, "r");
+        in = bio_open_default(infile, RB(informat));
         if (in == NULL)
             goto end;
         req = PEM_read_bio_X509_REQ(in, NULL, NULL, NULL);