diff --git a/cli/command/node/ps.go b/cli/command/node/ps.go
index 6a586a3bcc..5212e596f3 100644
--- a/cli/command/node/ps.go
+++ b/cli/command/node/ps.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command"
-	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/formatter"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/idresolver"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/task"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/opts"
@@ -88,11 +87,7 @@ func runPs(dockerCli command.Cli, options psOptions) error {
 
 	format := options.format
 	if len(format) == 0 {
-		if dockerCli.ConfigFile() != nil && len(dockerCli.ConfigFile().TasksFormat) > 0 && !options.quiet {
-			format = dockerCli.ConfigFile().TasksFormat
-		} else {
-			format = formatter.TableFormatKey
-		}
+		format = task.DefaultFormat(dockerCli.ConfigFile(), options.quiet)
 	}
 
 	if len(errs) == 0 || len(tasks) != 0 {
diff --git a/cli/command/service/ps.go b/cli/command/service/ps.go
index 741f6b589f..07dbba7230 100644
--- a/cli/command/service/ps.go
+++ b/cli/command/service/ps.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command"
-	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/formatter"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/idresolver"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/node"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/task"
@@ -65,11 +64,7 @@ func runPS(dockerCli command.Cli, options psOptions) error {
 
 	format := options.format
 	if len(format) == 0 {
-		if len(dockerCli.ConfigFile().TasksFormat) > 0 && !options.quiet {
-			format = dockerCli.ConfigFile().TasksFormat
-		} else {
-			format = formatter.TableFormatKey
-		}
+		format = task.DefaultFormat(dockerCli.ConfigFile(), options.quiet)
 	}
 	if err := task.Print(ctx, dockerCli, tasks, idresolver.New(client, options.noResolve), !options.noTrunc, options.quiet, format); err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/cli/command/stack/ps.go b/cli/command/stack/ps.go
index 985d6ee8d8..25bd1eee10 100644
--- a/cli/command/stack/ps.go
+++ b/cli/command/stack/ps.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command"
-	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/formatter"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/idresolver"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/task"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/opts"
@@ -64,11 +63,7 @@ func runPS(dockerCli command.Cli, options psOptions) error {
 
 	format := options.format
 	if len(format) == 0 {
-		if len(dockerCli.ConfigFile().TasksFormat) > 0 && !options.quiet {
-			format = dockerCli.ConfigFile().TasksFormat
-		} else {
-			format = formatter.TableFormatKey
-		}
+		format = task.DefaultFormat(dockerCli.ConfigFile(), options.quiet)
 	}
 
 	return task.Print(ctx, dockerCli, tasks, idresolver.New(client, options.noResolve), !options.noTrunc, options.quiet, format)
diff --git a/cli/command/task/print.go b/cli/command/task/print.go
index 2376ecf803..6526c28beb 100644
--- a/cli/command/task/print.go
+++ b/cli/command/task/print.go
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"sort"
 
-	"golang.org/x/net/context"
-
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/formatter"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command/idresolver"
+	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/config/configfile"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/api/types/swarm"
+	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 )
 
 type tasksBySlot []swarm.Task
@@ -82,3 +82,12 @@ func Print(ctx context.Context, dockerCli command.Cli, tasks []swarm.Task, resol
 
 	return formatter.TaskWrite(tasksCtx, tasks, names, nodes)
 }
+
+// DefaultFormat returns the default format from the config file, or table
+// format if nothing is set in the config.
+func DefaultFormat(configFile *configfile.ConfigFile, quiet bool) string {
+	if len(configFile.TasksFormat) > 0 && !quiet {
+		return configFile.TasksFormat
+	}
+	return formatter.TableFormatKey
+}