diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cfe761dd..0dc855bb 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -43,13 +43,13 @@ C = $(wildcard *.c) $(wildcard *.cpp)
 INCLUDES = -I/usr/local/include -I.
 LIBS = -L/usr/local/lib
 
-tippecanoe: geojson.o jsonpull/jsonpull.o tile.o pool.o mbtiles.o geometry.o projection.o memfile.o clipper/clipper.o mvt.o serial.o main.o text.o
+tippecanoe: geojson.o jsonpull/jsonpull.o tile.o pool.o mbtiles.o geometry.o projection.o memfile.o clipper/clipper.o mvt.o serial.o main.o text.o plugin.o
 	$(CXX) $(PG) $(LIBS) $(FINAL_FLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LDFLAGS) -lm -lz -lsqlite3 -lpthread
 
 tippecanoe-enumerate: enumerate.o
 	$(CXX) $(PG) $(LIBS) $(FINAL_FLAGS) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LDFLAGS) -lsqlite3
 
-tippecanoe-decode: decode.o projection.o mvt.o
+tippecanoe-decode: decode.o projection.o mvt.o plugin.o
 	$(CXX) $(PG) $(LIBS) $(FINAL_FLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LDFLAGS) -lm -lz -lsqlite3
 
 tile-join: tile-join.o projection.o pool.o mbtiles.o mvt.o memfile.o
diff --git a/decode.cpp b/decode.cpp
index 8a9bbc28..879d73d4 100644
--- a/decode.cpp
+++ b/decode.cpp
@@ -15,36 +15,7 @@
 #include "mvt.hpp"
 #include "projection.hpp"
 #include "geometry.hpp"
-
-void printq(const char *s) {
-	putchar('"');
-	for (; *s; s++) {
-		if (*s == '\\' || *s == '"') {
-			printf("\\%c", *s);
-		} else if (*s >= 0 && *s < ' ') {
-			printf("\\u%04x", *s);
-		} else {
-			putchar(*s);
-		}
-	}
-	putchar('"');
-}
-
-struct lonlat {
-	int op;
-	double lon;
-	double lat;
-	int x;
-	int y;
-
-	lonlat(int nop, double nlon, double nlat, int nx, int ny) {
-		this->op = nop;
-		this->lon = nlon;
-		this->lat = nlat;
-		this->x = nx;
-		this->y = ny;
-	}
-};
+#include "plugin.hpp"
 
 void handle(std::string message, int z, unsigned x, unsigned y, int describe) {
 	int within = 0;
@@ -67,7 +38,7 @@ void handle(std::string message, int z, unsigned x, unsigned y, int describe) {
 
 		if (projection != projections) {
 			printf(", \"crs\": { \"type\": \"name\", \"properties\": { \"name\": ");
-			printq(projection->alias);
+			fprintq(stdout, projection->alias);
 			printf(" } }");
 		}
 	}
@@ -76,7 +47,6 @@ void handle(std::string message, int z, unsigned x, unsigned y, int describe) {
 
 	for (size_t l = 0; l < tile.layers.size(); l++) {
 		mvt_layer &layer = tile.layers[l];
-		int extent = layer.extent;
 
 		if (describe) {
 			if (l != 0) {
@@ -85,7 +55,7 @@ void handle(std::string message, int z, unsigned x, unsigned y, int describe) {
 
 			printf("{ \"type\": \"FeatureCollection\"");
 			printf(", \"properties\": { \"layer\": ");
-			printq(layer.name.c_str());
+			fprintq(stdout, layer.name.c_str());
 			printf(", \"version\": %d, \"extent\": %d", layer.version, layer.extent);
 			printf(" }");
 			printf(", \"features\": [\n");
@@ -93,234 +63,7 @@ void handle(std::string message, int z, unsigned x, unsigned y, int describe) {
 			within = 0;
 		}
 
-		for (size_t f = 0; f < layer.features.size(); f++) {
-			mvt_feature &feat = layer.features[f];
-
-			if (within) {
-				printf(",\n");
-			}
-			within = 1;
-
-			printf("{ \"type\": \"Feature\"");
-
-			if (feat.has_id) {
-				printf(", \"id\": %llu", feat.id);
-			}
-
-			printf(", \"properties\": { ");
-
-			for (size_t t = 0; t + 1 < feat.tags.size(); t += 2) {
-				if (t != 0) {
-					printf(", ");
-				}
-
-				if (feat.tags[t] >= layer.keys.size()) {
-					fprintf(stderr, "Error: out of bounds feature key\n");
-					exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-				}
-				if (feat.tags[t + 1] >= layer.values.size()) {
-					fprintf(stderr, "Error: out of bounds feature value\n");
-					exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
-				}
-
-				const char *key = layer.keys[feat.tags[t]].c_str();
-				mvt_value const &val = layer.values[feat.tags[t + 1]];
-
-				if (val.type == mvt_string) {
-					printq(key);
-					printf(": ");
-					printq(val.string_value.c_str());
-				} else if (val.type == mvt_int) {
-					printq(key);
-					printf(": %lld", (long long) val.numeric_value.int_value);
-				} else if (val.type == mvt_double) {
-					printq(key);
-					double v = val.numeric_value.double_value;
-					if (v == (long long) v) {
-						printf(": %lld", (long long) v);
-					} else {
-						printf(": %g", v);
-					}
-				} else if (val.type == mvt_float) {
-					printq(key);
-					double v = val.numeric_value.float_value;
-					if (v == (long long) v) {
-						printf(": %lld", (long long) v);
-					} else {
-						printf(": %g", v);
-					}
-				} else if (val.type == mvt_sint) {
-					printq(key);
-					printf(": %lld", (long long) val.numeric_value.sint_value);
-				} else if (val.type == mvt_uint) {
-					printq(key);
-					printf(": %lld", (long long) val.numeric_value.uint_value);
-				} else if (val.type == mvt_bool) {
-					printq(key);
-					printf(": %s", val.numeric_value.bool_value ? "true" : "false");
-				}
-			}
-
-			printf(" }, \"geometry\": { ");
-
-			std::vector<lonlat> ops;
-
-			for (size_t g = 0; g < feat.geometry.size(); g++) {
-				int op = feat.geometry[g].op;
-				long long px = feat.geometry[g].x;
-				long long py = feat.geometry[g].y;
-
-				if (op == VT_MOVETO || op == VT_LINETO) {
-					long long scale = 1LL << (32 - z);
-					long long wx = scale * x + (scale / extent) * px;
-					long long wy = scale * y + (scale / extent) * py;
-
-					double lat, lon;
-					projection->unproject(wx, wy, 32, &lon, &lat);
-
-					ops.push_back(lonlat(op, lon, lat, px, py));
-				} else {
-					ops.push_back(lonlat(op, 0, 0, 0, 0));
-				}
-			}
-
-			if (feat.type == VT_POINT) {
-				if (ops.size() == 1) {
-					printf("\"type\": \"Point\", \"coordinates\": [ %f, %f ]", ops[0].lon, ops[0].lat);
-				} else {
-					printf("\"type\": \"MultiPoint\", \"coordinates\": [ ");
-					for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
-						if (i != 0) {
-							printf(", ");
-						}
-						printf("[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
-					}
-					printf(" ]");
-				}
-			} else if (feat.type == VT_LINE) {
-				int movetos = 0;
-				for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
-					if (ops[i].op == VT_MOVETO) {
-						movetos++;
-					}
-				}
-
-				if (movetos < 2) {
-					printf("\"type\": \"LineString\", \"coordinates\": [ ");
-					for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
-						if (i != 0) {
-							printf(", ");
-						}
-						printf("[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
-					}
-					printf(" ]");
-				} else {
-					printf("\"type\": \"MultiLineString\", \"coordinates\": [ [ ");
-					int state = 0;
-					for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
-						if (ops[i].op == VT_MOVETO) {
-							if (state == 0) {
-								printf("[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
-								state = 1;
-							} else {
-								printf(" ], [ ");
-								printf("[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
-								state = 1;
-							}
-						} else {
-							printf(", [ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
-						}
-					}
-					printf(" ] ]");
-				}
-			} else if (feat.type == VT_POLYGON) {
-				std::vector<std::vector<lonlat> > rings;
-				std::vector<double> areas;
-
-				for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
-					if (ops[i].op == VT_MOVETO) {
-						rings.push_back(std::vector<lonlat>());
-						areas.push_back(0);
-					}
-
-					int n = rings.size() - 1;
-					if (n >= 0) {
-						if (ops[i].op == VT_CLOSEPATH) {
-							rings[n].push_back(rings[n][0]);
-						} else {
-							rings[n].push_back(ops[i]);
-						}
-					}
-				}
-
-				int outer = 0;
-
-				for (size_t i = 0; i < rings.size(); i++) {
-					long double area = 0;
-					for (size_t k = 0; k < rings[i].size(); k++) {
-						if (rings[i][k].op != VT_CLOSEPATH) {
-							area += rings[i][k].x * rings[i][(k + 1) % rings[i].size()].y;
-							area -= rings[i][k].y * rings[i][(k + 1) % rings[i].size()].x;
-						}
-					}
-
-					areas[i] = area;
-					if (areas[i] >= 0 || i == 0) {
-						outer++;
-					}
-
-					// printf("area %f\n", area / .00000274 / .00000274);
-				}
-
-				if (outer > 1) {
-					printf("\"type\": \"MultiPolygon\", \"coordinates\": [ [ [ ");
-				} else {
-					printf("\"type\": \"Polygon\", \"coordinates\": [ [ ");
-				}
-
-				int state = 0;
-				for (size_t i = 0; i < rings.size(); i++) {
-					if (areas[i] >= 0) {
-						if (state != 0) {
-							// new multipolygon
-							printf(" ] ], [ [ ");
-						}
-						state = 1;
-					}
-
-					if (state == 2) {
-						// new ring in the same polygon
-						printf(" ], [ ");
-					}
-
-					for (size_t j = 0; j < rings[i].size(); j++) {
-						if (rings[i][j].op != VT_CLOSEPATH) {
-							if (j != 0) {
-								printf(", ");
-							}
-
-							printf("[ %f, %f ]", rings[i][j].lon, rings[i][j].lat);
-						} else {
-							if (j != 0) {
-								printf(", ");
-							}
-
-							printf("[ %f, %f ]", rings[i][0].lon, rings[i][0].lat);
-						}
-					}
-
-					state = 2;
-				}
-
-				if (outer > 1) {
-					printf(" ] ] ]");
-				} else {
-					printf(" ] ]");
-				}
-			}
-
-			printf(" } }\n");
-		}
+		layer_to_geojson(stdout, layer, z, x, y);
 
 		if (describe) {
 			printf("] }\n");
@@ -389,9 +132,9 @@ void decode(char *fname, int z, unsigned x, unsigned y) {
 			const unsigned char *name = sqlite3_column_text(stmt2, 0);
 			const unsigned char *value = sqlite3_column_text(stmt2, 1);
 
-			printq((char *) name);
+			fprintq(stdout, (char *) name);
 			printf(": ");
-			printq((char *) value);
+			fprintq(stdout, (char *) value);
 		}
 
 		sqlite3_finalize(stmt2);
diff --git a/plugin.cpp b/plugin.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..afde5456
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugin.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,269 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <vector>
+#include <string>
+#include <map>
+#include "mvt.hpp"
+#include "plugin.hpp"
+#include "projection.hpp"
+#include "geometry.hpp"
+
+struct lonlat {
+	int op;
+	double lon;
+	double lat;
+	int x;
+	int y;
+
+	lonlat(int nop, double nlon, double nlat, int nx, int ny) {
+		this->op = nop;
+		this->lon = nlon;
+		this->lat = nlat;
+		this->x = nx;
+		this->y = ny;
+	}
+};
+
+void layer_to_geojson(FILE *fp, mvt_layer &layer, unsigned z, unsigned x, unsigned y) {
+	for (size_t f = 0; f < layer.features.size(); f++) {
+		mvt_feature &feat = layer.features[f];
+
+		if (f != 0) {
+			fprintf(fp, ",\n");
+		}
+
+		fprintf(fp, "{ \"type\": \"Feature\"");
+
+		if (feat.has_id) {
+			fprintf(fp, ", \"id\": %llu", feat.id);
+		}
+
+		fprintf(fp, ", \"properties\": { ");
+
+		for (size_t t = 0; t + 1 < feat.tags.size(); t += 2) {
+			if (t != 0) {
+				fprintf(fp, ", ");
+			}
+
+			if (feat.tags[t] >= layer.keys.size()) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "Error: out of bounds feature key\n");
+				exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+			}
+			if (feat.tags[t + 1] >= layer.values.size()) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "Error: out of bounds feature value\n");
+				exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+			}
+
+			const char *key = layer.keys[feat.tags[t]].c_str();
+			mvt_value const &val = layer.values[feat.tags[t + 1]];
+
+			if (val.type == mvt_string) {
+				fprintq(fp, key);
+				fprintf(fp, ": ");
+				fprintq(fp, val.string_value.c_str());
+			} else if (val.type == mvt_int) {
+				fprintq(fp, key);
+				fprintf(fp, ": %lld", (long long) val.numeric_value.int_value);
+			} else if (val.type == mvt_double) {
+				fprintq(fp, key);
+				double v = val.numeric_value.double_value;
+				if (v == (long long) v) {
+					fprintf(fp, ": %lld", (long long) v);
+				} else {
+					fprintf(fp, ": %g", v);
+				}
+			} else if (val.type == mvt_float) {
+				fprintq(fp, key);
+				double v = val.numeric_value.float_value;
+				if (v == (long long) v) {
+					fprintf(fp, ": %lld", (long long) v);
+				} else {
+					fprintf(fp, ": %g", v);
+				}
+			} else if (val.type == mvt_sint) {
+				fprintq(fp, key);
+				fprintf(fp, ": %lld", (long long) val.numeric_value.sint_value);
+			} else if (val.type == mvt_uint) {
+				fprintq(fp, key);
+				fprintf(fp, ": %lld", (long long) val.numeric_value.uint_value);
+			} else if (val.type == mvt_bool) {
+				fprintq(fp, key);
+				fprintf(fp, ": %s", val.numeric_value.bool_value ? "true" : "false");
+			}
+		}
+
+		fprintf(fp, " }, \"geometry\": { ");
+
+		std::vector<lonlat> ops;
+
+		for (size_t g = 0; g < feat.geometry.size(); g++) {
+			int op = feat.geometry[g].op;
+			long long px = feat.geometry[g].x;
+			long long py = feat.geometry[g].y;
+
+			if (op == VT_MOVETO || op == VT_LINETO) {
+				long long scale = 1LL << (32 - z);
+				long long wx = scale * x + (scale / layer.extent) * px;
+				long long wy = scale * y + (scale / layer.extent) * py;
+
+				double lat, lon;
+				projection->unproject(wx, wy, 32, &lon, &lat);
+
+				ops.push_back(lonlat(op, lon, lat, px, py));
+			} else {
+				ops.push_back(lonlat(op, 0, 0, 0, 0));
+			}
+		}
+
+		if (feat.type == VT_POINT) {
+			if (ops.size() == 1) {
+				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"Point\", \"coordinates\": [ %f, %f ]", ops[0].lon, ops[0].lat);
+			} else {
+				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"MultiPoint\", \"coordinates\": [ ");
+				for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
+					if (i != 0) {
+						fprintf(fp, ", ");
+					}
+					fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
+				}
+				fprintf(fp, " ]");
+			}
+		} else if (feat.type == VT_LINE) {
+			int movetos = 0;
+			for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
+				if (ops[i].op == VT_MOVETO) {
+					movetos++;
+				}
+			}
+
+			if (movetos < 2) {
+				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"LineString\", \"coordinates\": [ ");
+				for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
+					if (i != 0) {
+						fprintf(fp, ", ");
+					}
+					fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
+				}
+				fprintf(fp, " ]");
+			} else {
+				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"MultiLineString\", \"coordinates\": [ [ ");
+				int state = 0;
+				for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
+					if (ops[i].op == VT_MOVETO) {
+						if (state == 0) {
+							fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
+							state = 1;
+						} else {
+							fprintf(fp, " ], [ ");
+							fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
+							state = 1;
+						}
+					} else {
+						fprintf(fp, ", [ %f, %f ]", ops[i].lon, ops[i].lat);
+					}
+				}
+				fprintf(fp, " ] ]");
+			}
+		} else if (feat.type == VT_POLYGON) {
+			std::vector<std::vector<lonlat> > rings;
+			std::vector<double> areas;
+
+			for (size_t i = 0; i < ops.size(); i++) {
+				if (ops[i].op == VT_MOVETO) {
+					rings.push_back(std::vector<lonlat>());
+					areas.push_back(0);
+				}
+
+				int n = rings.size() - 1;
+				if (n >= 0) {
+					if (ops[i].op == VT_CLOSEPATH) {
+						rings[n].push_back(rings[n][0]);
+					} else {
+						rings[n].push_back(ops[i]);
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			int outer = 0;
+
+			for (size_t i = 0; i < rings.size(); i++) {
+				long double area = 0;
+				for (size_t k = 0; k < rings[i].size(); k++) {
+					if (rings[i][k].op != VT_CLOSEPATH) {
+						area += rings[i][k].x * rings[i][(k + 1) % rings[i].size()].y;
+						area -= rings[i][k].y * rings[i][(k + 1) % rings[i].size()].x;
+					}
+				}
+
+				areas[i] = area;
+				if (areas[i] >= 0 || i == 0) {
+					outer++;
+				}
+
+				// fprintf(fp, "area %f\n", area / .00000274 / .00000274);
+			}
+
+			if (outer > 1) {
+				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"MultiPolygon\", \"coordinates\": [ [ [ ");
+			} else {
+				fprintf(fp, "\"type\": \"Polygon\", \"coordinates\": [ [ ");
+			}
+
+			int state = 0;
+			for (size_t i = 0; i < rings.size(); i++) {
+				if (areas[i] >= 0) {
+					if (state != 0) {
+						// new multipolygon
+						fprintf(fp, " ] ], [ [ ");
+					}
+					state = 1;
+				}
+
+				if (state == 2) {
+					// new ring in the same polygon
+					fprintf(fp, " ], [ ");
+				}
+
+				for (size_t j = 0; j < rings[i].size(); j++) {
+					if (rings[i][j].op != VT_CLOSEPATH) {
+						if (j != 0) {
+							fprintf(fp, ", ");
+						}
+
+						fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", rings[i][j].lon, rings[i][j].lat);
+					} else {
+						if (j != 0) {
+							fprintf(fp, ", ");
+						}
+
+						fprintf(fp, "[ %f, %f ]", rings[i][0].lon, rings[i][0].lat);
+					}
+				}
+
+				state = 2;
+			}
+
+			if (outer > 1) {
+				fprintf(fp, " ] ] ]");
+			} else {
+				fprintf(fp, " ] ]");
+			}
+		}
+
+		fprintf(fp, " } }\n");
+	}
+}
+
+void fprintq(FILE *fp, const char *s) {
+	fputc('"', fp);
+	for (; *s; s++) {
+		if (*s == '\\' || *s == '"') {
+			fprintf(fp, "\\%c", *s);
+		} else if (*s >= 0 && *s < ' ') {
+			fprintf(fp, "\\u%04x", *s);
+		} else {
+			fputc(*s, fp);
+		}
+	}
+	fputc('"', fp);
+}
diff --git a/plugin.hpp b/plugin.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..13080066
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugin.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+void layer_to_geojson(FILE *fp, mvt_layer &layer, unsigned z, unsigned x, unsigned y);
+void fprintq(FILE *f, const char *s);