diff --git a/iroh-bytes/src/store/traits.rs b/iroh-bytes/src/store/traits.rs
index b4c53ed4e8..115ce0e2db 100644
--- a/iroh-bytes/src/store/traits.rs
+++ b/iroh-bytes/src/store/traits.rs
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ pub enum ImportMode {
 /// does not make any sense. E.g. an in memory implementation will always have
 /// to copy the file into memory. Also, a disk based implementation might choose
 /// to copy small files even if the mode is `Reference`.
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Default)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Default, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 pub enum ExportMode {
     /// This mode will copy the file to the target directory.
     ///
diff --git a/iroh/src/client.rs b/iroh/src/client.rs
index 661dd8c62c..2d8085643c 100644
--- a/iroh/src/client.rs
+++ b/iroh/src/client.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use futures::{SinkExt, Stream, StreamExt, TryStreamExt};
 use iroh_bytes::export::ExportProgress;
 use iroh_bytes::format::collection::Collection;
 use iroh_bytes::provider::AddProgress;
-use iroh_bytes::store::ValidateProgress;
+use iroh_bytes::store::{ExportMode, ValidateProgress};
 use iroh_bytes::Hash;
 use iroh_bytes::{BlobFormat, Tag};
 use iroh_net::ticket::BlobTicket;
@@ -889,6 +889,7 @@ where
         &self,
         entry: Entry,
         path: impl AsRef<Path>,
+        mode: ExportMode,
     ) -> Result<DocExportFileProgress> {
         self.ensure_open()?;
         let stream = self
@@ -897,6 +898,7 @@ where
             .server_streaming(DocExportFileRequest {
                 entry: entry.0,
                 path: path.as_ref().into(),
+                mode,
             })
             .await?;
         Ok(DocExportFileProgress::new(stream))
@@ -1427,6 +1429,7 @@ mod tests {
             .export_file(
                 entry,
                 crate::util::fs::key_to_path(key, None, Some(out_root))?,
+                ExportMode::Copy,
             )
             .await
             .context("export file")?
diff --git a/iroh/src/node.rs b/iroh/src/node.rs
index 5c45382c66..4aacc02927 100644
--- a/iroh/src/node.rs
+++ b/iroh/src/node.rs
@@ -1050,7 +1050,7 @@ impl<D: BaoStore> RpcHandler<D> {
         progress: flume::Sender<ExportProgress>,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         let progress = FlumeProgressSender::new(progress);
-        let DocExportFileRequest { entry, path } = msg;
+        let DocExportFileRequest { entry, path, mode } = msg;
         let key = bytes::Bytes::from(entry.key().to_vec());
         let export_progress = progress.clone().with_map(move |mut x| {
             // assign the doc key to the `meta` field of the initial progress event
@@ -1064,7 +1064,7 @@ impl<D: BaoStore> RpcHandler<D> {
             entry.content_hash(),
             path,
             false,
-            ExportMode::Copy,
+            mode,
             export_progress,
         )
         .await?;
diff --git a/iroh/src/rpc_protocol.rs b/iroh/src/rpc_protocol.rs
index fee7611025..6bd35f1dc4 100644
--- a/iroh/src/rpc_protocol.rs
+++ b/iroh/src/rpc_protocol.rs
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ use quic_rpc::{
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 pub use iroh_base::rpc::{RpcError, RpcResult};
+use iroh_bytes::store::ExportMode;
 pub use iroh_bytes::{provider::AddProgress, store::ValidateProgress};
 
 use crate::sync_engine::LiveEvent;
@@ -781,6 +782,9 @@ pub struct DocExportFileRequest {
     /// the node runs. Usually the cli will run on the same machine as the
     /// node, so this should be an absolute path on the cli machine.
     pub path: PathBuf,
+    /// The mode of exporting. Setting to `ExportMode::TryReference` means attempting
+    /// to use references for keeping file
+    pub mode: ExportMode,
 }
 
 impl Msg<ProviderService> for DocExportFileRequest {