diff --git a/deepmd/entrypoints/convert.py b/deepmd/entrypoints/convert.py
index 73906fe074..bea047ba72 100644
--- a/deepmd/entrypoints/convert.py
+++ b/deepmd/entrypoints/convert.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     convert_12_to_21,
     convert_13_to_21,
     convert_20_to_21,
+    convert_pb_to_pbtxt,
     convert_pbtxt_to_pb,
     convert_to_21,
 )
@@ -17,20 +18,26 @@ def convert(
     output_model: str,
     **kwargs,
 ):
-    if FROM == "auto":
-        convert_to_21(input_model, output_model)
-    elif FROM == "0.12":
-        convert_012_to_21(input_model, output_model)
-    elif FROM == "1.0":
-        convert_10_to_21(input_model, output_model)
-    elif FROM in ["1.1", "1.2"]:
-        # no difference between 1.1 and 1.2
-        convert_12_to_21(input_model, output_model)
-    elif FROM == "1.3":
-        convert_13_to_21(input_model, output_model)
-    elif FROM == "2.0":
-        convert_20_to_21(input_model, output_model)
-    elif FROM == "pbtxt":
-        convert_pbtxt_to_pb(input_model, output_model)
+    if output_model[-6:] == ".pbtxt":
+        if input_model[-6:] != ".pbtxt":
+            convert_pb_to_pbtxt(input_model, output_model)
+        else:
+            raise RuntimeError("input model is already pbtxt")
     else:
-        raise RuntimeError("unsupported model version " + FROM)
+        if FROM == "auto":
+            convert_to_21(input_model, output_model)
+        elif FROM == "0.12":
+            convert_012_to_21(input_model, output_model)
+        elif FROM == "1.0":
+            convert_10_to_21(input_model, output_model)
+        elif FROM in ["1.1", "1.2"]:
+            # no difference between 1.1 and 1.2
+            convert_12_to_21(input_model, output_model)
+        elif FROM == "1.3":
+            convert_13_to_21(input_model, output_model)
+        elif FROM == "2.0":
+            convert_20_to_21(input_model, output_model)
+        elif FROM == "pbtxt":
+            convert_pbtxt_to_pb(input_model, output_model)
+        else:
+            raise RuntimeError("unsupported model version " + FROM)
diff --git a/deepmd_cli/main.py b/deepmd_cli/main.py
index 5a0670d8dc..bffc1c6911 100644
--- a/deepmd_cli/main.py
+++ b/deepmd_cli/main.py
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ def main_parser() -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         "--output-model",
         default="convert_out.pb",
         type=str,
-        help="the output model",
+        help="the output model\nIf OUTPUT_MODEL ends with '.pbtxt', the provided model will be converted to pbtxt format, without version conversion.",
     )
 
     # neighbor_stat
diff --git a/source/tests/test_deeppot_a.py b/source/tests/test_deeppot_a.py
index 12f677e618..1c6cdc4afc 100644
--- a/source/tests/test_deeppot_a.py
+++ b/source/tests/test_deeppot_a.py
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ def setUp(self):
 
     def test_convert_012(self):
         old_model = "deeppot.pb"
-        new_model = "deeppot.pbtxt"
+        new_model = "deeppot-new.pb"
         convert_pbtxt_to_pb(str(tests_path / "infer" / "sea_012.pbtxt"), old_model)
         run_dp(f"dp convert-from 0.12 -i {old_model} -o {new_model}")
         dp = DeepPot(new_model)
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ def test_convert_012(self):
 
     def test_convert(self):
         old_model = "deeppot.pb"
-        new_model = "deeppot.pbtxt"
+        new_model = "deeppot-new.pb"
         convert_pbtxt_to_pb(str(tests_path / "infer" / "sea_012.pbtxt"), old_model)
         run_dp(f"dp convert-from -i {old_model} -o {new_model}")
         dp = DeepPot(new_model)