diff --git a/odoo/addons/test_impex/tests/test_export.py b/odoo/addons/test_impex/tests/test_export.py
index 3d76ec925e6..01d322e0d15 100644
--- a/odoo/addons/test_impex/tests/test_export.py
+++ b/odoo/addons/test_impex/tests/test_export.py
@@ -606,18 +606,20 @@ class test_m2m(CreatorCase):
     def test_single_subfield(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             self.export([(0, False, {'value': 42})],
-                        fields=['value', 'value/value']),
+                        fields=['value', 'value/value'],
+                        context={'import_compat': False}),
             [[u'export.many2many.other:42', 42]])
 
     def test_integrate_one_in_parent(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             self.export([(0, False, {'value': 42})],
-                        fields=['const', 'value/value']),
+                        fields=['const', 'value/value'],
+                        context={'import_compat': False}),
             [[4, 42]])
 
     def test_multiple_records(self):
         self.assertEqual(
-            self.export(self.commands, fields=['const', 'value/value']),
+            self.export(self.commands, fields=['const', 'value/value'], context={'import_compat': False}),
             [
                 [4, 4],
                 [u'', 42],
@@ -629,6 +631,12 @@ class test_m2m(CreatorCase):
     def test_multiple_records_name(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             self.export(self.commands, fields=['const', 'value']),
+            [
+                [4, 'export.many2many.other:4,export.many2many.other:42,export.many2many.other:36,export.many2many.other:4,export.many2many.other:13'],
+            ])
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            self.export(self.commands, fields=['const', 'value'], context={'import_compat': False}),
             [
                 [4, u'export.many2many.other:4'],
                 ['', u'export.many2many.other:42'],
@@ -664,6 +672,10 @@ class test_m2m(CreatorCase):
             r.with_context(import_compat=True)._export_rows([['value', 'id']]),
             [['__t__.record000,__t__.record001,__t__.record010,__t__.record011,__t__.record100']]
         )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            r.with_context(import_compat=True)._export_rows([['value'], ['value', 'id']]),
+            [['', '__t__.record000,__t__.record001,__t__.record010,__t__.record011,__t__.record100']]
+        )
 
         self.assertEqual(
             r.with_context(import_compat=False)._export_rows([['id'], ['value', 'id'], ['value', 'value']]),
diff --git a/odoo/models.py b/odoo/models.py
index f1c6b890935..33c966bb1be 100644
--- a/odoo/models.py
+++ b/odoo/models.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 """
 
 import collections
+import contextlib
 import datetime
 import dateutil
 import fnmatch
@@ -838,18 +839,35 @@ class BaseModel(MetaModel('DummyModel', (object,), {'_register': False})):
                         current[i] = field.convert_to_export(value, record)
                     else:
                         primary_done.append(name)
-
-                        # in import_compat mode, m2m should always be exported as
-                        # a comma-separated list of xids in a single cell
-                        if import_compatible and field.type == 'many2many' and len(path) > 1 and path[1] == 'id':
-                            xml_ids = [xid for _, xid in value.__ensure_xml_id()]
-                            current[i] = ','.join(xml_ids) or False
-                            continue
-
                         # recursively export the fields that follow name; use
                         # 'display_name' where no subfield is exported
                         fields2 = [(p[1:] or ['display_name'] if p and p[0] == name else [])
                                    for p in fields]
+
+                        # in import_compat mode, m2m should always be exported as
+                        # a comma-separated list of xids or names in a single cell
+                        if import_compatible and field.type == 'many2many':
+                            index = None
+                            # find out which subfield the user wants & its
+                            # location as we might not get it as the first
+                            # column we encounter
+                            for name in ['id', 'name', 'display_name']:
+                                with contextlib.suppress(ValueError):
+                                    index = fields2.index([name])
+                                    break
+                            if index is None:
+                                # not found anything, assume we just want the
+                                # name_get in the first column
+                                name = None
+                                index = i
+
+                            if name == 'id':
+                                xml_ids = [xid for _, xid in value.__ensure_xml_id()]
+                                current[index] = ','.join(xml_ids) or False
+                            else:
+                                current[index] = field.convert_to_export(value, record) or False
+                            continue
+
                         lines2 = value._export_rows(fields2, _is_toplevel_call=False)
                         if lines2:
                             # merge first line with record's main line