diff --git a/civicrm/CRM/Export/BAO/ExportProcessor.php b/civicrm/CRM/Export/BAO/ExportProcessor.php
index f134e0eaff2dfcee90a918c32a0d660467139a0e..06909bff331b93bd8e648d057a9526cc5e19bbc0 100644
--- a/civicrm/CRM/Export/BAO/ExportProcessor.php
+++ b/civicrm/CRM/Export/BAO/ExportProcessor.php
@@ -1469,7 +1469,7 @@ class CRM_Export_BAO_ExportProcessor {
             // @see https://lab.civicrm.org/dev/core/-/issues/2645
             switch ($fieldName) {
               case 'preferred_mail_format':
-                return "`$fieldName` varchar(16)";
+                return "`$fieldName` text(16)";
 
               default:
                 return "`$fieldName` varchar({$fieldSpec['maxlength']})";