diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 7bcb0ae..42d1d13 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ use std::{
     path::Path,
     fs::File,
     str::FromStr,
-    io::{stdin, stdout, Read, Write},
+    io::{stdin, stdout, Read},
 };
 use clap::{crate_name, crate_version, App, Arg, AppSettings};
-use crate::{Password, crypto::{ArgonParams, CipherAlgorithm}};
+use crate::{LazyWriter, Password, crypto::{ArgonParams, CipherAlgorithm}};
 
 cpufeatures::new!(aes_ni, "aes");
 
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ pub struct CliArgs {
     pub cipher: CipherAlgorithm,
     pub block_size: usize,
     pub reader: Box<dyn Read>,
-    pub writer: Box<dyn Write>,
+    pub writer: LazyWriter<String>,
 }
 
 pub fn parse() -> Option<CliArgs> {
@@ -133,10 +133,10 @@ pub fn parse() -> Option<CliArgs> {
                 eprintln!("WARNING: {} already exists", s);
                 None
             } else {
-                Some(Box::new(File::create(s).unwrap()) as Box<dyn Write>)
+                Some(LazyWriter::from_path(s.to_owned()))
             }
         })
-        .unwrap_or_else(|| Some(Box::new(stdout())))?;
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| Some(LazyWriter::from_writer(stdout())))?;
 
     Some(CliArgs {
         password: app.value_of("1_password").into(),
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index d076a27..64a4f61 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 pub mod cli;
 pub mod crypto;
 
-use std::io::{self, Read, Write};
+use std::{fs::File, path::Path, io::{self, Read, Write}};
 use crypto::{DobyCipher, EncryptionParams};
 use zeroize::Zeroize;
 
@@ -33,6 +33,39 @@ impl Zeroize for Password {
     }
 }
 
+pub struct LazyWriter<P: AsRef<Path>> {
+    path: Option<P>,
+    writer: Option<Box<dyn Write>>,
+}
+
+impl<P: AsRef<Path>> LazyWriter<P> {
+    fn from_path(path: P) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            path: Some(path),
+            writer: None,
+        }
+    }
+    fn from_writer<T: 'static + Write>(writer: T) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            path: None,
+            writer: Some(Box::new(writer)),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<P: AsRef<Path>> Write for LazyWriter<P> {
+    fn write(&mut self, buf: &[u8]) -> io::Result<usize> {
+        if self.writer.is_none() {
+            self.writer = Some(Box::new(File::create(self.path.as_ref().unwrap()).unwrap()));
+        }
+        self.writer.as_mut().unwrap().write(buf)
+    }
+
+    fn flush(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> {
+        self.writer.as_mut().unwrap().flush()
+    }
+}
+
 pub fn encrypt<R: Read, W: Write>(reader: &mut R, writer: &mut W, params: &EncryptionParams, mut cipher: DobyCipher, block_size: usize, already_read: Option<Vec<u8>>) -> io::Result<()> {
     writer.write_all(MAGIC_BYTES)?;
     params.write(writer)?;