diff --git a/iroh/src/commands.rs b/iroh/src/commands.rs
index e852627ea9..7dafc4805d 100644
--- a/iroh/src/commands.rs
+++ b/iroh/src/commands.rs
@@ -199,7 +199,8 @@ pub enum FullCommands {
         /// DERP region of the provider
         #[clap(long)]
         region: Option<u16>,
-        /// Directory in which to save the file(s), defaults to writing to STDOUT
+        /// Directory in which to save the file(s). When passed `STDOUT` will be written to stdout,
+        /// otherwise the content will be stored in the provided path.
         ///
         /// If the directory exists and contains a partial download, the download will
         /// be resumed.
@@ -207,7 +208,7 @@ pub enum FullCommands {
         /// Otherwise, all files in the collection will be overwritten. Other files
         /// in the directory will be left untouched.
         #[clap(long, short)]
-        out: Option<PathBuf>,
+        out: OutputTarget,
         #[clap(conflicts_with_all = &["hash", "peer", "addrs", "token"])]
         /// Ticket containing everything to retrieve the data from a provider.
         #[clap(long)]
@@ -224,6 +225,27 @@ pub enum FullCommands {
     },
 }
 
+/// Where the data should be stored.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, derive_more::Display, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum OutputTarget {
+    /// Writes to stdout
+    #[display("STDOUT")]
+    Stdout,
+    /// Writes to the provided path
+    #[display("{}", _0.display())]
+    Path(PathBuf),
+}
+
+impl From<String> for OutputTarget {
+    fn from(s: String) -> Self {
+        if s == "STDOUT" {
+            return OutputTarget::Stdout;
+        }
+
+        OutputTarget::Path(s.into())
+    }
+}
+
 impl FullCommands {
     pub async fn run(
         self,
@@ -1132,4 +1154,17 @@ mod tests {
             BlobSource::Path("hello/world".into()),
         );
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_output_target() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            OutputTarget::from(OutputTarget::Stdout.to_string()),
+            OutputTarget::Stdout
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            OutputTarget::from(OutputTarget::Path("hello/world".into()).to_string()),
+            OutputTarget::Path("hello/world".into()),
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/iroh/src/commands/get.rs b/iroh/src/commands/get.rs
index 67d8766bba..e44e0a0f67 100644
--- a/iroh/src/commands/get.rs
+++ b/iroh/src/commands/get.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ use iroh_net::derp::DerpMode;
 
 use crate::commands::show_download_progress;
 
+use super::OutputTarget;
+
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct GetInteractive {
     pub rt: iroh_bytes::util::runtime::Handle,
@@ -99,11 +101,10 @@ impl GetInteractive {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub async fn get_interactive(self, out_dir: Option<PathBuf>) -> Result<()> {
-        if let Some(out_dir) = out_dir {
-            self.get_to_dir(out_dir).await
-        } else {
-            self.get_to_stdout().await
+    pub async fn get_interactive(self, out_dir: OutputTarget) -> Result<()> {
+        match out_dir {
+            OutputTarget::Path(dir) => self.get_to_dir(dir).await,
+            OutputTarget::Stdout => self.get_to_stdout().await,
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/iroh/tests/cli.rs b/iroh/tests/cli.rs
index c14f4f2ddd..60e615562d 100644
--- a/iroh/tests/cli.rs
+++ b/iroh/tests/cli.rs
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ fn make_get_cmd(iroh_data_dir: &Path, ticket: &str, out: Option<PathBuf>) -> duc
             ["get", "--ticket", ticket, "--out", out.to_str().unwrap()],
         )
     } else {
-        cmd(iroh_bin(), ["get", "--ticket", ticket])
+        cmd(iroh_bin(), ["get", "--ticket", ticket, "--out", "STDOUT"])
     }
     .env_remove("RUST_LOG")
     .env("IROH_DATA_DIR", iroh_data_dir)
@@ -694,12 +694,12 @@ fn test_provide_get_loop_single(
     hash: Hash,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     let out = match output {
-        Output::Stdout => None,
+        Output::Stdout => "STDOUT".to_string(),
         Output::Path => {
             let dir = testdir!();
-            Some(dir.join("out"))
+            dir.join("out").display().to_string()
         }
-        Output::Custom(out) => Some(out),
+        Output::Custom(ref out) => out.display().to_string(),
     };
 
     let num_blobs = if path.is_dir() {
@@ -733,10 +733,9 @@ fn test_provide_get_loop_single(
         args.push("--addrs");
         args.push(addr);
     }
-    if let Some(ref out) = out {
-        args.push("--out");
-        args.push(out.to_str().unwrap());
-    }
+    args.push("--out");
+    args.push(&out);
+
     args.push("--region");
     args.push(&region);
     let hash_str = hash.to_string();
@@ -757,12 +756,12 @@ fn test_provide_get_loop_single(
 
     // test output
     let expect_content = std::fs::read(path)?;
-    match out {
-        None => {
+    match output {
+        Output::Stdout => {
             assert!(!get_output.stdout.is_empty());
             assert_eq!(expect_content, get_output.stdout);
         }
-        Some(out) => {
+        _ => {
             let content = std::fs::read(out)?;
             assert_eq!(expect_content, content);
         }