diff --git a/docs/configuration.rst b/docs/configuration.rst
index d03dd2d5..3d0ba4a3 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/configuration.rst
@@ -1465,8 +1465,8 @@ Description Select how to write metadata.
             * ``"json"``: all metadata using `json.dump()
               <https://docs.python.org/3/library/json.html#json.dump>`_
             * ``"tags"``: ``tags`` separated by newlines
-            * ``"custom"``: result of applying `metadata.format`_ to a file's
-              metadata dictionary
+            * ``"custom"``: result of applying `metadata.content-format`_
+              to a file's metadata dictionary
 =========== =====
 
 metadata.extension
@@ -1490,8 +1490,8 @@ Description Custom format string to build filename extensions for metadata
             Note: `metadata.extension`_ is ignored if this option is set.
 =========== =====
 
-metadata.format
----------------
+metadata.content-format
+-----------------------
 =========== =====
 Type        ``string``
 Example     ``"tags:\n\n{tags:J\n}\n"``
diff --git a/gallery_dl/postprocessor/metadata.py b/gallery_dl/postprocessor/metadata.py
index 20f47a15..75c5fffa 100644
--- a/gallery_dl/postprocessor/metadata.py
+++ b/gallery_dl/postprocessor/metadata.py
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@ class MetadataPP(PostProcessor):
         mode = options.get("mode", "json")
         if mode == "custom":
             self.write = self._write_custom
-            self.contentfmt = util.Formatter(options.get("format")).format_map
+            cfmt = options.get("content-format") or options.get("format")
+            self.contentfmt = util.Formatter(cfmt).format_map
             ext = "txt"
         elif mode == "tags":
             self.write = self._write_tags