diff --git a/app/controllers/export_controller.rb b/app/controllers/export_controller.rb
index 46808bbad..e323bed65 100644
--- a/app/controllers/export_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/export_controller.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,16 @@ class ExportController < AuthenticatedController
   include ProjectScoped
 
   def index
+    @default_button_state = non_draft_records? ? 'published' : 'all'
   end
 
   private
 
+  def non_draft_records?
+    issue_states = current_project.issues.pluck(:state).uniq
+    (issue_states & ['published', 'ready_for_review']).any?
+  end
+
   # In case something goes wrong with the export, fail graciously instead of
   # presenting the obscure Error 500 default page of Rails.
   def rescue_action(exception)
diff --git a/app/views/export/_submit_button.html.erb b/app/views/export/_submit_button.html.erb
index dff812d2d..c919037dd 100644
--- a/app/views/export/_submit_button.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/export/_submit_button.html.erb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <div class="btn-group btn-states" data-behavior="btn-states">
-  <button id="export-button" class="btn btn-lg btn-primary">Export <span data-behavior="state-button">Published</span> Records</button>
+  <button id="export-button" class="btn btn-lg btn-primary">Export <span data-behavior="state-button"><%= @default_button_state.humanize %></span> Records</button>
   <button type="button" class="btn btn-primary dropdown-toggle dropdown-toggle-split" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded="false">
     <span class="visually-hidden">Toggle Dropdown</span>
   </button>
@@ -7,19 +7,19 @@
     <%= collection_radio_buttons(nil, :scope, [['published', 'published'], ['all', 'all']], :first, :first) do |b| %>
       <span>
         <%= b.label class: 'state', for: "#{plugin_name}_scope_#{b.value}" do %>
-          <%= b.radio_button id: "#{plugin_name}_scope_#{b.value}", class: 'd-none', data: { behavior: 'state-radio'}, checked: b.value == 'published' %>
+          <%= b.radio_button id: "#{plugin_name}_scope_#{b.value}", class: 'd-none', data: { behavior: 'state-radio'}, checked: b.value == @default_button_state %>
           <i class="fa-solid fa-check fa-fw"></i>
           <div class="state-label">
             <p data-behavior="state-label"><%= b.text.humanize %></p>
             <% case b.value %>
             <% when 'published' %>
-            <span>Only records that have been reviewed and published.</span>
+              <span>Only records that have been reviewed and published.</span>
             <% when 'all' %>
-            <span>All records, regardless if they are draft, ready for review, or published.</span>
-          <% end %>
-        </div>
-      <% end %>
-    </span>
-  <% end %>
-</div>
+              <span>All records, regardless if they are draft, ready for review, or published.</span>
+            <% end %>
+          </div>
+        <% end %>
+      </span>
+    <% end %>
+  </div>
 </div>