diff --git a/GPy/core/parameterization/parameter_core.py b/GPy/core/parameterization/parameter_core.py
index a8f11606..6add95b0 100644
--- a/GPy/core/parameterization/parameter_core.py
+++ b/GPy/core/parameterization/parameter_core.py
@@ -1010,9 +1010,9 @@ class Parameterizable(OptimizationHandlable):
         """
         pass
 
-    def save_params_H5(self, filename):
+    def save(self, filename, ftype='HDF5'):
         """
-        Save all the model parameters into a HDF5 file.
+        Save all the model parameters into a file (HDF5 by default).
         """
         from . import Param
         from ...util.misc import param_to_array
@@ -1022,15 +1022,16 @@ class Parameterizable(OptimizationHandlable):
         plist = []
         self.traverse(gather_params, plist)
         names = self.parameter_names(adjust_for_printing=True)
-        try:
-            import h5py
-            f = h5py.File(filename,'w')
-            for p,n in zip(plist,names):
-                n = n.replace('.','_')
-                p = param_to_array(p)
-                d = f.create_dataset(n,p.shape,dtype=p.dtype)
-                d[:] = p
-            f.close()
-        except:
-            raise 'Fails to write the parameters into a HDF5 file!'
+        if ftype=='HDF5':
+            try:
+                import h5py
+                f = h5py.File(filename,'w')
+                for p,n in zip(plist,names):
+                    n = n.replace('.','_')
+                    p = param_to_array(p)
+                    d = f.create_dataset(n,p.shape,dtype=p.dtype)
+                    d[:] = p
+                f.close()
+            except:
+                raise 'Fails to write the parameters into a HDF5 file!'