diff --git a/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Plugin/views/display/RestExport.php b/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Plugin/views/display/RestExport.php
index a32e0e1..1e816e2 100644
--- a/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Plugin/views/display/RestExport.php
+++ b/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Plugin/views/display/RestExport.php
@@ -80,7 +80,12 @@ public function initDisplay(ViewExecutable $view, array &$display, array &$optio
 
     $request_content_type = $negotiation->getContentType($request);
     // Only set the requested content type if it's not html.
-    if ($request_content_type !== 'html') {
+    if ($request_content_type === 'html') {
+      if (\Drupal::moduleHandler()->moduleExists('hal_json')) {
+        $this->setContentType('hal_json');
+      }
+    }
+    else {
       $this->setContentType($request_content_type);
     }
 
diff --git a/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Tests/Views/StyleSerializerTest.php b/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Tests/Views/StyleSerializerTest.php
index be89aa9..260361d 100644
--- a/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Tests/Views/StyleSerializerTest.php
+++ b/core/modules/rest/lib/Drupal/rest/Tests/Views/StyleSerializerTest.php
@@ -127,7 +127,12 @@ public function testSerializerResponses() {
     $actual_json = $this->drupalGet('test/serialize/entity', array(), array('Accept: application/hal+json'));
     $this->assertIdentical($actual_json, $expected, 'The expected HAL output was found.');
 
-    // Test that by default the output will be JSON.
+    // Test that by default the output will be JSON if hal is enabled.
+    $expected = $serializer->serialize($entities, 'hal_json');
+    $actual_xml = $this->drupalGet('test/serialize/entity');
+    $this->assertIdentical($actual_xml, $expected, 'If hal modul is enabled by default hal_json output is returned.');
+
+    module_disable('hal');
     $expected = $serializer->serialize($entities, 'json');
     $actual_xml = $this->drupalGet('test/serialize/entity');
     $this->assertIdentical($actual_xml, $expected, 'By default json output is returned.');