diff --git a/library/Icingadb/Web/Controller.php b/library/Icingadb/Web/Controller.php
index e77b5302..2100f18b 100644
--- a/library/Icingadb/Web/Controller.php
+++ b/library/Icingadb/Web/Controller.php
@@ -341,6 +341,14 @@ class Controller extends CompatController
             return true;
         }
 
+        // It only makes sense to export a single result to CSV or JSON
+        $query = $queries[0];
+
+        // No matter the format, a limit should only apply if set
+        if ($this->format !== null) {
+            $query->limit(Url::fromRequest()->getParam('limit'));
+        }
+
         if ($this->format === 'json' || $this->format === 'csv') {
             $isJsonFormat = $this->format === 'json';
             $response = $this->getResponse();
@@ -369,11 +377,7 @@ class Controller extends CompatController
             ob_end_clean();
             Environment::raiseExecutionTime();
 
-            $query = $queries[0];
-            $query->limit(Url::fromRequest()->getParam('limit'));
             $col = array_merge((array) $query->getModel()->getKeyName(), $query->getModel()->getColumns());
-            $tableName = $query->getModel()->getTableName();
-
             foreach ($query->getWith() as $relationPath => $relation) {
                 $relatedCols = $relation->getTarget()->getColumns();
                 foreach ($relatedCols as $alias => $name) {