diff --git a/docs/transcoding.md b/docs/transcoding.md
index 889a4ed..ed97c63 100644
--- a/docs/transcoding.md
+++ b/docs/transcoding.md
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ All these are defined by the following variables:
 * `trancoder`
 * `decoder`
 * `encoder`
+* `default_transcode_target`
 
 where `EXT` is the lowercase file extension of the matching audio format.
 `transcoder`s variables have two extensions: the first one is the source
@@ -61,6 +62,9 @@ One final note: the original file should be provided as an argument of
 transcoders and decoders. All transcoders, decoders and encoders should write
 to standard output, and encoders should read from standard input.
 
+The value of `default_transcode_target` will be used as output format when a
+client requests a bitrate lower than the original file and no specific format.
+
 ## Suggested configuration
 
 Here are some example configuration that you could use. This is provided as-is,
@@ -75,5 +79,6 @@ decoder_ogg = oggdec -o %srcpath
 decoder_flac = flac -d -c -s %srcpath
 encoder_mp3 = lame --quiet -b %outrate - -
 encoder_ogg = oggenc2 -q -M %outrate -
+default_transcode_target = mp3
 ```
 
diff --git a/supysonic/api/media.py b/supysonic/api/media.py
index 71825fc..fc7d18d 100644
--- a/supysonic/api/media.py
+++ b/supysonic/api/media.py
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ def stream_media():
     dst_bitrate = res.bitrate
     dst_mimetype = res.mimetype
 
+    config = current_app.config["TRANSCODING"]
+
     prefs = request.client
     if prefs.format:
         dst_suffix = prefs.format
@@ -94,6 +96,8 @@ def stream_media():
 
         if dst_bitrate > maxBitRate and maxBitRate != 0:
             dst_bitrate = maxBitRate
+            if not format:
+                format = config.get("default_transcode_target")
 
     if format and format != "raw" and format != src_suffix:
         dst_suffix = format
@@ -112,7 +116,6 @@ def stream_media():
                 cache.get(cache_key), mimetype=dst_mimetype, conditional=True
             )
         except CacheMiss:
-            config = current_app.config["TRANSCODING"]
             transcoder = config.get("transcoder_{}_{}".format(src_suffix, dst_suffix))
             decoder = config.get("decoder_" + src_suffix) or config.get("decoder")
             encoder = config.get("encoder_" + dst_suffix) or config.get("encoder")