diff --git a/src/netlist.c b/src/netlist.c
index 407049a2..29844dab 100644
--- a/src/netlist.c
+++ b/src/netlist.c
@@ -615,8 +615,14 @@ void netlist_options(int i)
   str = get_tok_value(xctx->inst[i].prop_ptr, "lvs_netlist", 0);
   if(str[0]) {
     /* fprintf(errfp, "netlist_options(): prop_ptr=%s\n", xctx->inst[i].prop_ptr); */
-    if(!strboolcmp(str, "true")) tclsetintvar("lvs_netlist", 1);
-    else tclsetintvar("lvs_netlist", 0);
+    if(!strboolcmp(str, "true")) {
+      tclsetintvar("lvs_netlist", 1);
+      my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->format, "lvs_format");
+    }
+    else {
+     tclsetintvar("lvs_netlist", 0);
+     my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->format, xctx->custom_format);
+    }
   }
 
   str = get_tok_value(xctx->inst[i].prop_ptr, "top_is_subckt", 0);
diff --git a/src/scheduler.c b/src/scheduler.c
index a40c3ad6..314543f6 100644
--- a/src/scheduler.c
+++ b/src/scheduler.c
@@ -1418,8 +1418,8 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
           }
           else if(!strcmp(argv[2], "format")) { /* alternate format attribute to use in netlist (or NULL) */
             if(!xctx) {Tcl_SetResult(interp, not_avail, TCL_STATIC); return TCL_ERROR;}
-            if(!xctx->format ) Tcl_SetResult(interp, "<NULL>",TCL_STATIC);
-            else Tcl_SetResult(interp, xctx->format,TCL_VOLATILE);
+            if(!xctx->custom_format ) Tcl_SetResult(interp, "<NULL>",TCL_STATIC);
+            else Tcl_SetResult(interp, xctx->custom_format,TCL_VOLATILE);
           }
           break;
           case 'g':
@@ -5345,7 +5345,7 @@ int xschem(ClientData clientdata, Tcl_Interp *interp, int argc, const char * arg
           }
           else if(!strcmp(argv[2], "format")) { /* set name of custom format attribute used for netlisting */
             if(!xctx) {Tcl_SetResult(interp, not_avail, TCL_STATIC); return TCL_ERROR;}
-            my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->format, argv[3]);
+            my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->custom_format, argv[3]);
           }
           else if(!strcmp(argv[2], "header_text")) { /* set header metadata (used for license info) */
             if(!xctx) {Tcl_SetResult(interp, not_avail, TCL_STATIC); return TCL_ERROR;}
diff --git a/src/spice_netlist.c b/src/spice_netlist.c
index 359a0095..26fba797 100644
--- a/src/spice_netlist.c
+++ b/src/spice_netlist.c
@@ -173,9 +173,11 @@ static int spice_netlist(FILE *fd, int spice_stop )
   int err = 0;
   int i, flag = 0;
   const char *type;
-  int top_sub = tclgetboolvar("lvs_netlist") || tclgetboolvar("top_is_subckt");
+  int lvs_netlist =  tclgetboolvar("lvs_netlist");
+  int top_sub = lvs_netlist || tclgetboolvar("top_is_subckt");
   int lvs_ignore = tclgetboolvar("lvs_ignore");
-  
+  if(lvs_netlist) my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->format, "lvs_format");
+  else my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->format, xctx->custom_format);
   if(!spice_stop) {
     dbg(1, "spice_netlist(): invoke prepare_netlist_structs for %s\n", xctx->current_name);
     xctx->prep_net_structs = 0;
@@ -263,11 +265,9 @@ int global_spice_netlist(int global, int alert)  /* netlister driver */
  char cellname[PATH_MAX]; /* 20081211 overflow safe 20161122 */
  char *subckt_name;
  char *abs_path = NULL;
- int top_sub;
  int split_f;
  Str_hashtable subckt_table = {NULL, 0};
  Str_hashentry *model_entry;
- int lvs_ignore = tclgetboolvar("lvs_ignore");
  int save_prev_mod = xctx->prev_set_modify;
  struct stat buf;
  char *top_symbol_name = NULL;
@@ -278,7 +278,12 @@ int global_spice_netlist(int global, int alert)  /* netlister driver */
  int npins = 0; /* top schematic number of i/o ports */
  Sch_pin_record *pinnumber_list = NULL; /* list of top sch i/o ports ordered wrt sim_pinnumber attr */
  int uppercase_subckt = tclgetboolvar("uppercase_subckt");
+ int lvs_netlist =  tclgetboolvar("lvs_netlist");
+ int top_sub = lvs_netlist || tclgetboolvar("top_is_subckt");
+ int lvs_ignore = tclgetboolvar("lvs_ignore");
 
+ if(lvs_netlist) my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->format, "lvs_format");
+ else  my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->format, xctx->custom_format);
  exit_code = 0; /* reset exit code */
  split_f = tclgetboolvar("split_files");
  dbg(1, "global_spice_netlist(): invoking push_undo()\n");
@@ -339,7 +344,6 @@ int global_spice_netlist(int global, int alert)  /* netlister driver */
      netlist_options(i);
    }
  }
- top_sub = tclgetboolvar("lvs_netlist") || tclgetboolvar("top_is_subckt");
  if(!top_sub) fprintf(fd,"**");
  if(uppercase_subckt) 
    fprintf(fd,".SUBCKT %s", get_cell(xctx->sch[xctx->currsch], 0));
diff --git a/src/xinit.c b/src/xinit.c
index a3b5d5ea..96500823 100644
--- a/src/xinit.c
+++ b/src/xinit.c
@@ -422,6 +422,7 @@ static void free_xschem_data()
   my_free(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->current_win_path);
   my_free(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->fill_type);
   my_free(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->format);
+  my_free(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->custom_format);
   my_free(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx);
 }
 
@@ -684,8 +685,10 @@ static void alloc_xschem_data(const char *top_path, const char *win_path)
   xctx->active_layer=my_calloc(_ALLOC_ID_, cadlayers, sizeof(int));
   xctx->hide_symbols = 0;
   xctx->netlist_type = CAD_SPICE_NETLIST;
-  xctx->format = NULL; /* custom format string for netlist, otherwise use
+  xctx->format = NULL; /* format string for netlist, (copied from custom_format) otherwise use
                         * "format", "verilog_format", "vhdl_format", "tedax_format" */
+  /* user specified format string to use for spice netlist (xschem set format command) */
+  xctx->custom_format = NULL;
   xctx->top_path = NULL;
   xctx->current_win_path = NULL;
   my_strdup2(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->top_path, top_path);
@@ -2753,8 +2756,8 @@ int Tcl_AppInit(Tcl_Interp *inter)
  /* set global variables fetching data from tcl code */
 
  /* if lvs_netlist is set also use lvs_format for devices netlisting rule if existing */
- if(tclgetboolvar("lvs_netlist")) tcleval("xschem set format lvs_format");
- else tcleval("xschem set format {}");
+ if(tclgetboolvar("lvs_netlist"))  my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->format, "lvs_format");
+ else my_strdup(_ALLOC_ID_, &xctx->format, NULL);
 
  if(cli_opt_netlist_type) {
    xctx->netlist_type = cli_opt_netlist_type;
diff --git a/src/xschem.h b/src/xschem.h
index cf70c3f6..09f4faa9 100644
--- a/src/xschem.h
+++ b/src/xschem.h
@@ -1137,6 +1137,7 @@ typedef struct {
   int hide_symbols; /* MIRRORED IN TCL */
   int netlist_type;
   char *format; /* "format", "verilog_format", "vhdl_format" or "tedax_format" */
+  char *custom_format; /* user specified format string to use for spice netlist (xschem set format command) */
   char *top_path;
   /* top_path is the path prefix of drawing canvas (current_win_path):
    * top_path is always "" in tabbed interface 
diff --git a/src/xschem.tcl b/src/xschem.tcl
index b1c596a8..1d141370 100644
--- a/src/xschem.tcl
+++ b/src/xschem.tcl
@@ -9353,13 +9353,7 @@ tclcommand=\"xschem raw_read \$netlist_dir/[file tail [file rootname [xschem get
   $topwin.menubar.simulation add cascade -label "LVS" -menu $topwin.menubar.simulation.lvs
   menu $topwin.menubar.simulation.lvs -tearoff 0
   $topwin.menubar.simulation.lvs add checkbutton -label "LVS netlist + Top level is a .subckt" \
-  -selectcolor $selectcolor -variable lvs_netlist -command {
-    if {$lvs_netlist == 1} {
-      xschem set format lvs_format 
-    } else {
-      xschem set format {}
-    }
-  }
+  -selectcolor $selectcolor -variable lvs_netlist 
   $topwin.menubar.simulation.lvs add checkbutton -label "Upper case .SUBCKT and .ENDS" \
   -selectcolor $selectcolor -variable uppercase_subckt
   $topwin.menubar.simulation.lvs add checkbutton -label "Top level is a .subckt" \