diff --git a/src/bin/genesis.rs b/src/bin/genesis.rs
index 884fadae26..bc0698cd41 100644
--- a/src/bin/genesis.rs
+++ b/src/bin/genesis.rs
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@ extern crate serde_json;
 extern crate solana;
 
 use atty::{is, Stream};
+use solana::entry_writer::EntryWriter;
 use solana::mint::Mint;
 use std::error;
-use std::io::{stdin, stdout, Read, Write};
+use std::io::{stdin, stdout, Read};
 use std::process::exit;
+use std::sync::Mutex;
 
 fn main() -> Result<(), Box<error::Error>> {
     if is(Stream::Stdin) {
@@ -24,9 +26,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<error::Error>> {
     }
 
     let mint: Mint = serde_json::from_str(&buffer)?;
-    let mut writer = stdout();
-    for x in mint.create_entries() {
-        writeln!(writer, "{}", serde_json::to_string(&x)?)?;
-    }
+    let writer = Mutex::new(stdout());
+    EntryWriter::write_entries(&writer, &mint.create_entries())?;
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/entry_writer.rs b/src/entry_writer.rs
index 0ca30d772a..d6f8303800 100644
--- a/src/entry_writer.rs
+++ b/src/entry_writer.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,18 @@ impl<'a> EntryWriter<'a> {
         EntryWriter { bank }
     }
 
+    fn write_entry<W: Write>(writer: &Mutex<W>, entry: &Entry) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let serialized = serde_json::to_string(&entry).unwrap();
+        writeln!(writer.lock().unwrap(), "{}", serialized)
+    }
+
+    pub fn write_entries<W: Write>(writer: &Mutex<W>, entries: &[Entry]) -> io::Result<()> {
+        for entry in entries {
+            Self::write_entry(writer, entry)?;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     fn write_and_register_entry<W: Write>(
         &self,
         writer: &Mutex<W>,
@@ -34,30 +46,26 @@ impl<'a> EntryWriter<'a> {
         if !entry.has_more {
             self.bank.register_entry_id(&entry.id);
         }
-        writeln!(
-            writer
-                .lock()
-                .expect("'writer' lock in fn fn write_and_register_entry"),
-            "{}",
-            serde_json::to_string(&entry)
-                .expect("'entry' to_strong in fn write_and_register_entry")
-        )
+        Self::write_entry(&writer, entry)
     }
 
-    fn write_entries<W: Write>(
+    fn write_and_register_entries<W: Write>(
         &self,
         writer: &Mutex<W>,
-        entry_receiver: &Receiver<Entry>,
-    ) -> Result<Vec<Entry>> {
-        //TODO implement a serialize for channel that does this without allocations
+        entries: &[Entry],
+    ) -> io::Result<()> {
+        for entry in entries {
+            self.write_and_register_entry(writer, &entry)?;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn recv_entries(entry_receiver: &Receiver<Entry>) -> Result<Vec<Entry>> {
         let entry = entry_receiver.recv_timeout(Duration::new(1, 0))?;
         let mut entries = vec![entry];
         while let Ok(entry) = entry_receiver.try_recv() {
             entries.push(entry);
         }
-        for entry in &entries {
-            self.write_and_register_entry(writer, &entry)?;
-        }
         Ok(entries)
     }
 
@@ -70,7 +78,8 @@ impl<'a> EntryWriter<'a> {
         writer: &Mutex<W>,
         entry_receiver: &Receiver<Entry>,
     ) -> Result<()> {
-        let entries = self.write_entries(writer, entry_receiver)?;
+        let entries = Self::recv_entries(entry_receiver)?;
+        self.write_and_register_entries(writer, &entries)?;
         trace!("New blobs? {}", entries.len());
         let mut blobs = VecDeque::new();
         entries.to_blobs(blob_recycler, &mut blobs);
@@ -84,7 +93,8 @@ impl<'a> EntryWriter<'a> {
     /// Process any Entry items that have been published by the Historian.
     /// continuosly broadcast blobs of entries out
     pub fn drain_entries(&self, entry_receiver: &Receiver<Entry>) -> Result<()> {
-        self.write_entries(&Arc::new(Mutex::new(sink())), entry_receiver)?;
+        let entries = Self::recv_entries(entry_receiver)?;
+        self.write_and_register_entries(&Arc::new(Mutex::new(sink())), &entries)?;
         Ok(())
     }
 }