diff --git a/examples/load_save.rs b/examples/load_save.rs
index dbcc9149..175746f1 100644
--- a/examples/load_save.rs
+++ b/examples/load_save.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+//! A small program that times the loading and saving of a UFO file.
+
 use std::env;
 use std::ffi::OsStr;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
@@ -5,49 +7,44 @@ use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
 use norad::Font;
 
-fn main() {
-    let (input, output) = get_path_or_exit();
-
-    let start_load = Instant::now();
-    let mut my_ufo = match Font::load(input) {
-        Ok(v) => v,
-        Err(e) => {
-            eprintln!("Loading the UFO failed: {}", e);
-            std::process::exit(1);
-        }
-    };
-    let duration_load = start_load.elapsed();
-    let duration_load_str = format_time(duration_load);
-
-    my_ufo.meta.creator = "org.linebender.norad".to_string();
+static HELP: &str = "
+USAGE:
+    open_ufo PATH [OUTPATH]
 
-    let start_write = Instant::now();
-    my_ufo.save(output).unwrap();
-    let duration_write = start_write.elapsed();
-    let duration_write_str = format_time(duration_write);
+If an OUTPATH is provided, the UFO will be saved after opening.
+";
 
-    println!("Loaded UFO in {}, wrote it in {}.", duration_load_str, duration_write_str);
+macro_rules! exit_err {
+    ($($arg:tt)*) => ({
+        eprintln!($($arg)*);
+        eprintln!("{}", HELP);
+        std::process::exit(1);
+    })
 }
 
-fn get_path_or_exit() -> (PathBuf, PathBuf) {
-    let mut args = env::args().skip(1);
+fn main() {
+    let args = Args::get_from_env_or_exit();
 
-    let input = match args.next().map(PathBuf::from) {
-        Some(ref p) if p.exists() && p.extension() == Some(OsStr::new("ufo")) => p.to_owned(),
-        _ => {
-            eprintln!("Please supply a path to a UFO to read from");
-            std::process::exit(1);
-        }
-    };
-    let output = match args.next().map(PathBuf::from) {
-        Some(ref p) if p.extension() == Some(OsStr::new("ufo")) => p.to_owned(),
-        _ => {
-            eprintln!("Please supply a path to write the UFO to");
-            std::process::exit(1);
-        }
-    };
+    let start = Instant::now();
+    let ufo = Font::load(&args.path).expect("failed to load file");
+
+    let duration = start.elapsed();
+    let time_str = format_time(duration);
+    let font_name = ufo
+        .font_info
+        .as_ref()
+        .and_then(|f| f.family_name.clone())
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| "an unnamed font".into());
 
-    (input, output)
+    println!("loaded {} glyphs from {} in {}.", ufo.glyph_count(), font_name, time_str);
+
+    if let Some(outpath) = args.outpath {
+        let start = Instant::now();
+        ufo.save(outpath).expect("failed to save UFO");
+        let duration = start.elapsed();
+        let time_str = format_time(duration);
+        println!("wrote UFO to disk in {}", time_str);
+    }
 }
 
 fn format_time(duration: Duration) -> String {
@@ -55,3 +52,26 @@ fn format_time(duration: Duration) -> String {
     let millis = duration.subsec_millis();
     format!("{}.{}s", secs, millis)
 }
+
+struct Args {
+    path: PathBuf,
+    outpath: Option<PathBuf>,
+}
+
+impl Args {
+    fn get_from_env_or_exit() -> Self {
+        let mut args = env::args().skip(1);
+        let path = match args.next().map(PathBuf::from) {
+            Some(ref p) if p.exists() && p.extension() == Some(OsStr::new("ufo")) => p.to_owned(),
+            Some(ref p) => exit_err!("path {:?} is not an existing .ufo file, exiting", p),
+            None => exit_err!("Please supply a path to a .ufo file"),
+        };
+
+        let outpath = args.next().map(PathBuf::from);
+        if outpath.as_ref().map(|p| p.exists()).unwrap_or(false) {
+            exit_err!("outpath {} already exists, exiting", outpath.unwrap().display());
+        }
+
+        Args { path, outpath }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/examples/open_ufo.rs b/examples/open_ufo.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 95848a38..00000000
--- a/examples/open_ufo.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-//! A small program that loads a UFO file and prints the glyph count.
-
-use std::env;
-use std::ffi::OsStr;
-use std::path::PathBuf;
-use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
-
-use norad::Font;
-
-fn main() {
-    let path = get_path_or_exit();
-
-    let start = Instant::now();
-    let ufo = Font::load(&path).expect("failed to load file");
-
-    let duration = start.elapsed();
-    let time_str = format_time(duration);
-    let font_name = ufo
-        .font_info
-        .as_ref()
-        .and_then(|f| f.family_name.clone())
-        .unwrap_or_else(|| "an unnamed font".into());
-
-    println!("loaded {} glyphs from {} in {}.", ufo.glyph_count(), font_name, time_str);
-}
-
-fn get_path_or_exit() -> PathBuf {
-    match env::args().skip(1).next().map(PathBuf::from) {
-        Some(ref p) if p.exists() && p.extension() == Some(OsStr::new("ufo")) => p.to_owned(),
-        Some(ref p) => {
-            eprintln!("path {:?} is not an existing .glif file, exiting", p);
-            std::process::exit(1);
-        }
-        None => {
-            eprintln!("Please supply a path to a glif file");
-            std::process::exit(1);
-        }
-    }
-}
-
-fn format_time(duration: Duration) -> String {
-    let secs = duration.as_secs();
-    let millis = duration.subsec_millis();
-    format!("{}.{}s", secs, millis)
-}