diff --git a/azure-pipelines/e2e-projects/export-project/vcpkg.json b/azure-pipelines/e2e-projects/export-project/vcpkg.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c51d51076
--- /dev/null
+++ b/azure-pipelines/e2e-projects/export-project/vcpkg.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "name": "my-project",
+  "version-string": "0.1.0",
+  "dependencies": [
+    {
+      "name": "zlib"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "fmt"
+    }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/azure-pipelines/end-to-end-tests-dir/commands.export.ps1 b/azure-pipelines/end-to-end-tests-dir/commands.export.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e5c8c0d26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/azure-pipelines/end-to-end-tests-dir/commands.export.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+. $PSScriptRoot/../end-to-end-tests-prelude.ps1
+
+
+$manifestPath = "$PSScriptRoot/../e2e-projects/export-project"
+$outputDir = "$manifestPath/output"
+Run-Vcpkg install --x-manifest-root=$manifestPath
+Throw-IfFailed
+
+Run-Vcpkg export --zip --x-manifest-root=$manifestPath --output-dir=$outputDir
+Throw-IfFailed
+
+Run-Vcpkg export --nuget --x-manifest-root=$manifestPath --output-dir=$outputDir
+Throw-IfFailed
+
+Run-Vcpkg export --7zip --x-manifest-root=$manifestPath --output-dir=$outputDir
+Throw-IfFailed
+
+# Check existence of zip file(s)
+$zipFilesExist = Test-Path "$outputDir/*.zip"
+if (-Not $zipFilesExist)
+{
+    throw "No zip files found in $outputDir"
+}
+
+# Check existence of nuget file(s)
+$nugetFilesExist = Test-Path "$outputDir/*.nupkg"
+if (-Not $nugetFilesExist)
+{
+	throw "No nuget files found in $outputDir"
+}
+
+# Check existence of 7zip file(s)
+$sevenZipFilesExist = Test-Path "$outputDir/*.7z"
+if (-Not $sevenZipFilesExist)
+{
+	throw "No 7zip files found in $outputDir"
+}
+
+# Cleanup exported packages
+Get-ChildItem -Path $manifestPath | Where-Object { $_.Name -ne "vcpkg.json" -and $_.Name -ne "vcpkg_installed" } | Remove-Item -Recurse -Force
+
+# Test export with invalid <port:triplet> argument
+$out = Run-VcpkgAndCaptureOutput export zlib:x64-windows --zip --x-manifest-root=$manifestPath --output-dir=$manifestPath
+Throw-IfNotFailed
+if ($out -notmatch "unexpected argument: zlib:x64-windows")
+{
+    throw "Expected to fail and print warning about unexpected argument"
+}
+
+# Test export with missing --output-dir argument
+$out = Run-VcpkgAndCaptureOutput export --zip --x-manifest-root=$manifestPath
+Throw-IfNotFailed
+if ($out -notmatch "This command requires --output-dir")
+{
+	throw "Expected to fail and print warning about missing argument"
+}
+
+# Test export with empty export plan
+Remove-Item -Path "$manifestPath/vcpkg_installed" -Recurse -Force
+$out = Run-VcpkgAndCaptureOutput export --zip --x-manifest-root=$manifestPath --output-dir=$manifestPath
+Throw-IfNotFailed
+if ($out -notmatch "Refusing to create an export of zero packages. Install packages before exporting.")
+{
+	throw "Expected to fail and print warning about empty export plan."
+}
+
+
diff --git a/include/vcpkg/base/message-data.inc.h b/include/vcpkg/base/message-data.inc.h
index d7a137b1b..098c749a6 100644
--- a/include/vcpkg/base/message-data.inc.h
+++ b/include/vcpkg/base/message-data.inc.h
@@ -496,6 +496,10 @@ DECLARE_MESSAGE(CmdDependInfoOptSort,
 DECLARE_MESSAGE(CmdEditOptAll, (), "", "Open editor into the port as well as the port-specific buildtree subfolder")
 DECLARE_MESSAGE(CmdEditOptBuildTrees, (), "", "Open editor into the port-specific buildtree subfolder")
 DECLARE_MESSAGE(CmdEnvOptions, (msg::path, msg::env_var), "", "Add installed {path} to {env_var}")
+DECLARE_MESSAGE(CmdExportEmptyPlan,
+                (),
+                "",
+                "Refusing to create an export of zero packages. Install packages before exporting.")
 DECLARE_MESSAGE(CmdExportOpt7Zip, (), "", "Export to a 7zip (.7z) file")
 DECLARE_MESSAGE(CmdExportOptChocolatey, (), "", "Export a Chocolatey package (experimental feature)")
 DECLARE_MESSAGE(CmdExportOptDebug, (), "", "Enable prefab debug")
diff --git a/locales/messages.json b/locales/messages.json
index 26cc220c0..99952bc76 100644
--- a/locales/messages.json
+++ b/locales/messages.json
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@
   "CmdEditOptBuildTrees": "Open editor into the port-specific buildtree subfolder",
   "CmdEnvOptions": "Add installed {path} to {env_var}",
   "_CmdEnvOptions.comment": "An example of {path} is /foo/bar. An example of {env_var} is VCPKG_DEFAULT_TRIPLET.",
+  "CmdExportEmptyPlan": "Refusing to create an export of zero packages. Install packages before exporting.",
   "CmdExportOpt7Zip": "Export to a 7zip (.7z) file",
   "CmdExportOptChocolatey": "Export a Chocolatey package (experimental feature)",
   "CmdExportOptDebug": "Enable prefab debug",
diff --git a/src/vcpkg/commands.export.cpp b/src/vcpkg/commands.export.cpp
index d98335590..cda604eba 100644
--- a/src/vcpkg/commands.export.cpp
+++ b/src/vcpkg/commands.export.cpp
@@ -389,11 +389,39 @@ namespace vcpkg::Export
         ret.prefab_options.enable_maven = Util::Sets::contains(options.switches, OPTION_PREFAB_ENABLE_MAVEN);
         ret.prefab_options.enable_debug = Util::Sets::contains(options.switches, OPTION_PREFAB_ENABLE_DEBUG);
         ret.maybe_output = Util::lookup_value_copy(options.settings, OPTION_OUTPUT);
-        ret.output_dir = Util::lookup_value(options.settings, OPTION_OUTPUT_DIR)
-                             .map([&](const Path& p) { return paths.original_cwd / p; })
-                             .value_or(paths.root);
         ret.all_installed = Util::Sets::contains(options.switches, OPTION_ALL_INSTALLED);
 
+        if (paths.manifest_mode_enabled())
+        {
+            auto output_dir_opt = Util::lookup_value(options.settings, OPTION_OUTPUT_DIR);
+
+            // --output-dir is required in manifest mode
+            if (auto d = output_dir_opt.get())
+            {
+                ret.output_dir = paths.original_cwd / *d;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                msg::println_error(msgMissingOption, msg::option = "output-dir");
+                Checks::exit_fail(VCPKG_LINE_INFO);
+            }
+
+            // Force enable --all-installed in manifest mode
+            ret.all_installed = true;
+
+            // In manifest mode the entire installed directory is exported
+            if (!options.command_arguments.empty())
+            {
+                msg::println_error(msgUnexpectedArgument, msg::option = options.command_arguments[0]);
+                Checks::exit_fail(VCPKG_LINE_INFO);
+            }
+        }
+
+        ret.output_dir = ret.output_dir.empty() ? Util::lookup_value(options.settings, OPTION_OUTPUT_DIR)
+                                                      .map([&](const Path& p) { return paths.original_cwd / p; })
+                                                      .value_or(paths.root)
+                                                : ret.output_dir;
+
         if (ret.all_installed)
         {
             auto installed_ipv = get_installed_ports(status_db);
@@ -593,10 +621,6 @@ namespace vcpkg::Export
                           Triplet host_triplet)
     {
         (void)host_triplet;
-        if (paths.manifest_mode_enabled())
-        {
-            Checks::msg_exit_maybe_upgrade(VCPKG_LINE_INFO, msgExportUnsupportedInManifest);
-        }
         const StatusParagraphs status_db = database_load_check(paths.get_filesystem(), paths.installed());
         const auto opts = handle_export_command_arguments(paths, args, default_triplet, status_db);
 
@@ -610,7 +634,7 @@ namespace vcpkg::Export
         std::vector<ExportPlanAction> export_plan = create_export_plan(opts.specs, status_db);
         if (export_plan.empty())
         {
-            Debug::print("Export plan cannot be empty.");
+            msg::println_error(msgCmdExportEmptyPlan);
             Checks::exit_fail(VCPKG_LINE_INFO);
         }