diff --git a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
index 5fa28608..4bf7564d 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
@@ -92,24 +92,7 @@ follow :  whether to tail -f the input"""
             self.out_fh = sys.stdout
         else:
             # TODO: out_path should be sanity checked.
-            out_dir = os.path.dirname(self.out_path)
-            if not os.path.isdir(out_dir) and out_dir != '':
-                try:
-                    os.makedirs(out_dir)
-                except: # we get a WindowsError here in Windows.. pretty sure something else for Linux :D
-                    log.error("Unable to create output directory %s for HHC!" % out_dir)
-                    print "*** ERROR: UNABLE TO CREATE OUTPUT DIRECTORY", out_dir
-                    # TODO: pop up a box to allow person to choose output directory?
-                    # TODO: shouldn't that be done when we startup, actually?
-                else:
-                    log.info("Created directory '%s'" % out_dir)
-            try:
-                self.out_fh = codecs.open(self.out_path, 'w', 'utf8')
-            except:
-                log.error("out_path %s couldn't be opened" % (self.out_path))
-            else:
-                log.debug("out_path %s opened as %s" % (self.out_path, self.out_fh))
-
+            self.out_fh = sys.stdout
         self.follow = follow
         self.compiledPlayers   = set()
         self.maxseats  = 10