diff --git a/api/src/services/export_service.py b/api/src/services/export_service.py
index e6dd1e9..9c8629f 100644
--- a/api/src/services/export_service.py
+++ b/api/src/services/export_service.py
@@ -169,13 +169,28 @@ class ExportService:
         form = await self._get_form_for_export(form_id=form_id, current_user=current_user)
         sheets = self._resolve_requested_sheets(form=form, requested_sheet=sheet)
         self._validate_sections_for_form(form=form, sections=sections)
-        plans = self._build_sheet_plans(
-            form=form,
-            sheets=sheets,
-            direction=direction,
-            sections=sections,
-            ignore_non_applicable_query_params=ignore_non_applicable_query_params,
-        )
+
+        if direction:
+            plans = self._build_sheet_plans(
+                form=form,
+                sheets=sheets,
+                direction=direction,
+                sections=sections,
+                ignore_non_applicable_query_params=ignore_non_applicable_query_params,
+            )
+        else:
+            sheets_by_directions = self._resolve_sheets_by_directions(form=form, requested_sheet=sheet)
+            plans = []
+            for dr, shts in sheets_by_directions.items():
+                plans += self._build_sheet_plans(
+                    form=form,
+                    sheets=shts,
+                    direction=dr,
+                    sections=sections,
+                    ignore_non_applicable_query_params=ignore_non_applicable_query_params,
+                )
+
+
 
         workbook = self._create_workbook_with_metadata(form=form)
         exported_sheets = 0
@@ -294,6 +309,18 @@ class ExportService:
         if requested_sheet:
             return [requested_sheet]
         return list(form.form_type.sheet_list)
+    
+    def _resolve_sheets_by_directions(self, form: Any, requested_sheet: str | None) -> dict[str | None, str]:
+        result = {}
+        for sheet in form.form_type.sheet_list_with_directions:
+            if requested_sheet and sheet["sheet_name"] != requested_sheet:
+                continue
+
+            if sheet["direction"] in result:
+                result[sheet["direction"]].append(sheet["sheet_name"])
+            else:
+                result[sheet["direction"]] = [sheet["sheet_name"]]
+        return result
 
     @staticmethod
     def _validate_sections_for_form(form: Any, sections: list[str] | None) -> None: