diff --git a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
index 4bf7564d..41d5b39a 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
@@ -92,7 +92,23 @@ follow :  whether to tail -f the input"""
             self.out_fh = sys.stdout
         else:
             # TODO: out_path should be sanity checked.
-            self.out_fh = sys.stdout
+            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.follow = follow
         self.compiledPlayers   = set()
         self.maxseats  = 10