diff --git a/napalm_base/helpers.py b/napalm_base/helpers.py
index ed7d63f5..467c71d8 100644
--- a/napalm_base/helpers.py
+++ b/napalm_base/helpers.py
@@ -20,22 +20,31 @@
 from napalm_base.utils.jinja_filters import CustomJinjaFilters
 from napalm_base.utils import py23_compat
 
-
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # helper classes -- will not be exported
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
 class _MACFormat(mac_unix):
     pass
 
 
 _MACFormat.word_fmt = '%.2X'
 
-
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # callable helpers
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
 def load_template(cls, template_name, template_source=None, template_path=None,
                   openconfig=False, **template_vars):
+    used_config_format = None
+    if hasattr(cls, '_config_format'):
+        # let's hack this
+        # if the user set a specific configuration format, override it to `text`
+        # when applying the native NAPALM template
+        used_config_format = cls._config_format
+        cls._config_format = 'text'
     try:
         if isinstance(template_source, py23_compat.string_types):
             template = jinja2.Template(template_source)
@@ -65,6 +74,8 @@ def load_template(cls, template_name, template_source=None, template_path=None,
             for filter_name, filter_function in CustomJinjaFilters.filters().items():
                 environment.filters[filter_name] = filter_function
 
+            # TODO: use the `used_config_format` variable to load the right file
+
             template = environment.get_template('{template_name}.j2'.format(
                 template_name=template_name
             ))
@@ -83,7 +94,14 @@ def load_template(cls, template_name, template_source=None, template_path=None,
                 error=jinjaerr.message
             )
         )
-    return cls.load_merge_candidate(config=configuration)
+    else:
+        # all good, let's merge
+        cls.load_merge_candidate(config=configuration)
+    finally:
+        # no matter what, let's revert config format to the previous state
+        if used_config_format:
+            cls._config_format = used_config_format
+    return True
 
 
 def textfsm_extractor(cls, template_name, raw_text):