diff --git a/io_scene_vrml2/__init__.py b/io_scene_vrml2/__init__.py
index 470bc8b0c08d42d5251d35a8d288728a1197cf35..7e02d6b0a413efe0f2e007c3a23cfeb6ff55800c 100644
--- a/io_scene_vrml2/__init__.py
+++ b/io_scene_vrml2/__init__.py
@@ -70,9 +70,8 @@ class ExportVRML(bpy.types.Operator, ExportHelper):
     color_type = EnumProperty(
             name='Color',
             items=(
-            ('MATERIAL', "Material Color", ""),
-            ('VERTEX', "Vertex Color", "")),
-            default='MATERIAL',
+            ('VERTEX', "Vertex Color", ""),
+            ('MATERIAL', "Material Color", "")),
             )
     use_uv = BoolProperty(
             name="Texture/UVs",
diff --git a/io_scene_vrml2/export_vrml2.py b/io_scene_vrml2/export_vrml2.py
index 7b77cc08d5960023ff6073f11333889de2884aba..29b76ddb97dc485fa2d7b16861640aa0dea61204 100644
--- a/io_scene_vrml2/export_vrml2.py
+++ b/io_scene_vrml2/export_vrml2.py
@@ -206,16 +206,16 @@ def save_object(fw, global_matrix,
     if use_color:
         if color_type == 'VERTEX':
             if bm.loops.layers.color.active is None:
-                use_color = False
-        elif color_type == 'MATERIAL':
+                # fallback to material
+                color_type = 'MATERIAL'
+        if color_type == 'MATERIAL':
             if not me.materials:
                 use_color = False
             else:
                 material_colors = [
                         "%.2f %.2f %.2f " % (m.diffuse_color[:] if m else (1.0, 1.0, 1.0))
                         for m in me.materials]
-        else:
-            assert(0)
+        assert(color_type in {'VERTEX', 'MATERIAL'})
 
     if use_uv:
         if bm.loops.layers.uv.active is None: