diff --git a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
index 41d5b39a..0edaaed0 100644
--- a/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/HandHistoryConverter.py
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ out_path  (default '-' = sys.stdout)
 follow :  whether to tail -f the input"""
 
         self.config = config
+        self.import_parameters = self.config.get_import_parameters()
         #log = Configuration.get_logger("logging.conf", "parser", log_dir=self.config.dir_log)
         log.info("HandHistory init - %s subclass, in_path '%s'; out_path '%s'" % (self.sitename, in_path, out_path) )
 
@@ -87,28 +88,8 @@ follow :  whether to tail -f the input"""
 
         if in_path == '-':
             self.in_fh = sys.stdin
+        self.out_fh = get_out_fh(out_path, self.import_parameters)
 
-        if out_path == '-':
-            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.follow = follow
         self.compiledPlayers   = set()
         self.maxseats  = 10
@@ -531,3 +512,28 @@ def getSiteHhc(config, sitename):
     hhcName = config.supported_sites[sitename].converter
     hhcModule = __import__(hhcName)
     return getattr(hhcModule, hhcName[:-6])
+
+def get_out_fh(out_path, parameters):
+    if out_path == '-':
+        return(sys.stdout)
+    elif parameters['saveStarsHH']:
+        # 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: 
+            return(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))
+    else:
+         return(sys.stdout)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pyfpdb/fpdb.py b/pyfpdb/fpdb.py
index 55b19a3b..0abffcd0 100755
--- a/pyfpdb/fpdb.py
+++ b/pyfpdb/fpdb.py
@@ -997,23 +997,24 @@ This program is licensed under the AGPL3, see docs"""+os.sep+"agpl-3.0.txt")
         return response
 
     def validate_config(self):
-        hhbase    = self.config.get_import_parameters().get("hhArchiveBase")
-        hhbase    = os.path.expanduser(hhbase)
-        #hhdir     = os.path.join(hhbase,site)
-        hhdir       = hhbase
-        if not os.path.isdir(hhdir):
-            diapath = gtk.MessageDialog(parent=None, flags=0, type=gtk.MESSAGE_WARNING, buttons=(gtk.BUTTONS_YES_NO), message_format="Setup hh dir")
-            diastring = "WARNING: Unable to find output hh directory %s\n\n Press YES to create this directory, or NO to select a new one." % hhdir
-            diapath.format_secondary_text(diastring)
-            response = diapath.run()
-            diapath.destroy()
-            if response == gtk.RESPONSE_YES:
-                try:
-                    os.makedirs(hhdir)
-                except:
-                    self.warning_box("WARNING: Unable to create hand output directory. Importing is not likely to work until this is fixed.")
-            elif response == gtk.RESPONSE_NO:
-               self.select_hhArchiveBase()
+        if self.config.get_import_parameters().get('saveStarsHH'):
+            hhbase    = self.config.get_import_parameters().get("hhArchiveBase")
+            hhbase    = os.path.expanduser(hhbase)
+            #hhdir     = os.path.join(hhbase,site)
+            hhdir       = hhbase
+            if not os.path.isdir(hhdir):
+                diapath = gtk.MessageDialog(parent=None, flags=0, type=gtk.MESSAGE_WARNING, buttons=(gtk.BUTTONS_YES_NO), message_format="Setup hh dir")
+                diastring = "WARNING: Unable to find output hh directory %s\n\n Press YES to create this directory, or NO to select a new one." % hhdir
+                diapath.format_secondary_text(diastring)
+                response = diapath.run()
+                diapath.destroy()
+                if response == gtk.RESPONSE_YES:
+                    try:
+                        os.makedirs(hhdir)
+                    except:
+                        self.warning_box("WARNING: Unable to create hand output directory. Importing is not likely to work until this is fixed.")
+                elif response == gtk.RESPONSE_NO:
+                    self.select_hhArchiveBase()
 
     def select_hhArchiveBase(self, widget=None):
         fc = gtk.FileChooserDialog(title="Select HH Output Directory", parent=None, action=gtk.FILE_CHOOSER_ACTION_SELECT_FOLDER, buttons=(gtk.STOCK_OPEN,gtk.RESPONSE_OK), backend=None)