diff --git a/youtube_dl/InfoExtractors.py b/youtube_dl/InfoExtractors.py
index cfaef2904..6b8582742 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/InfoExtractors.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/InfoExtractors.py
@@ -1100,21 +1100,32 @@ class VimeoIE(InfoExtractor):
 		timestamp = config['request']['timestamp']
 
 		# Vimeo specific: extract video codec and quality information
+		# First consider quality, then codecs, then take everything
 		# TODO bind to format param
 		codecs = [('h264', 'mp4'), ('vp8', 'flv'), ('vp6', 'flv')]
-		for codec in codecs:
-			if codec[0] in config["video"]["files"]:
-				video_codec = codec[0]
-				video_extension = codec[1]
-				if 'hd' in config["video"]["files"][codec[0]]: quality = 'hd'
-				else: quality = 'sd'
+		files = { 'hd': [], 'sd': [], 'other': []}
+		for codec_name, codec_extension in codecs:
+			if codec_name in config["video"]["files"]:
+				if 'hd' in config["video"]["files"][codec_name]:
+					files['hd'].append((codec_name, codec_extension, 'hd'))
+				elif 'sd' in config["video"]["files"][codec_name]:
+					files['sd'].append((codec_name, codec_extension, 'sd'))
+				else:
+					files['other'].append((codec_name, codec_extension, config["video"]["files"][codec_name][0]))
+
+		for quality in ('hd', 'sd', 'other'):
+			if len(files[quality]) > 0:
+				video_quality = files[quality][0][2]
+				video_codec = files[quality][0][0]
+				video_extension = files[quality][0][1]
+				self._downloader.to_screen(u'[vimeo] %s: Downloading %s file at %s quality' % (video_id, video_codec.upper(), video_quality))
 				break
 		else:
 			self._downloader.trouble(u'ERROR: no known codec found')
 			return
 
 		video_url = "http://player.vimeo.com/play_redirect?clip_id=%s&sig=%s&time=%s&quality=%s&codecs=%s&type=moogaloop_local&embed_location=" \
-					%(video_id, sig, timestamp, quality, video_codec.upper())
+					%(video_id, sig, timestamp, video_quality, video_codec.upper())
 
 		return [{
 			'id':		video_id,