diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/encoder_base64.go b/pkg/yqlib/encoder_base64.go
index 0b98a733341..11ef5a253b5 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/encoder_base64.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/encoder_base64.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func (e *base64Encoder) PrintLeadingContent(_ io.Writer, _ string) error {
 
 func (e *base64Encoder) Encode(writer io.Writer, node *CandidateNode) error {
 	if node.guessTagFromCustomType() != "!!str" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("cannot encode %v as base64, can only operate on strings. Please first pipe through another encoding operator to convert the value to a string", node.Tag)
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot encode %v as base64, can only operate on strings", node.Tag)
 	}
 	_, err := writer.Write([]byte(e.encoding.EncodeToString([]byte(node.Value))))
 	return err
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/operator_encoder_decoder.go b/pkg/yqlib/operator_encoder_decoder.go
index a5e4b4eb569..03d8c3432a9 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/operator_encoder_decoder.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/operator_encoder_decoder.go
@@ -18,12 +18,6 @@ func configureEncoder(format *PrinterOutputFormat, indent int) Encoder {
 		prefs.ColorsEnabled = false
 		prefs.UnwrapScalar = false
 		return NewJSONEncoder(prefs)
-	case PropsOutputFormat:
-		return NewPropertiesEncoder(ConfiguredPropertiesPreferences)
-	case CSVOutputFormat:
-		return NewCsvEncoder(ConfiguredCsvPreferences)
-	case TSVOutputFormat:
-		return NewCsvEncoder(ConfiguredTsvPreferences)
 	case YamlOutputFormat:
 		var prefs = ConfiguredYamlPreferences.Copy()
 		prefs.Indent = indent
@@ -33,14 +27,8 @@ func configureEncoder(format *PrinterOutputFormat, indent int) Encoder {
 		var xmlPrefs = ConfiguredXMLPreferences.Copy()
 		xmlPrefs.Indent = indent
 		return NewXMLEncoder(xmlPrefs)
-	case Base64OutputFormat:
-		return NewBase64Encoder()
-	case UriOutputFormat:
-		return NewUriEncoder()
-	case ShOutputFormat:
-		return NewShEncoder()
 	}
-	panic("invalid encoder")
+	return format.EncoderFactory()
 }
 
 func encodeToString(candidate *CandidateNode, prefs encoderPreferences) (string, error) {
diff --git a/pkg/yqlib/printer.go b/pkg/yqlib/printer.go
index afa0ef582b7..d64e21329e9 100644
--- a/pkg/yqlib/printer.go
+++ b/pkg/yqlib/printer.go
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ var CSVOutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{"csv", []string{"c"}, func() Encoder
 var TSVOutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{"tsv", []string{"t"}, func() Encoder { return NewCsvEncoder(ConfiguredTsvPreferences) }}
 var XMLOutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{"xml", []string{"x"}, func() Encoder { return NewXMLEncoder(ConfiguredXMLPreferences) }}
 
-var Base64OutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{}
-var UriOutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{}
-var ShOutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{}
+var Base64OutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{"base64", []string{}, func() Encoder { return NewBase64Encoder() }}
+var UriOutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{"uri", []string{}, func() Encoder { return NewUriEncoder() }}
+var ShOutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{"", nil, func() Encoder { return NewShEncoder() }}
 
 var TomlOutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{"toml", []string{}, func() Encoder { return NewTomlEncoder() }}
 var ShellVariablesOutputFormat = &PrinterOutputFormat{"shell", []string{"s", "sh"}, func() Encoder { return NewShellVariablesEncoder() }}