diff --git a/internal/boxcli/add.go b/internal/boxcli/add.go
index e04d403808a..9e6c0cea5d9 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/add.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/add.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ package boxcli
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -24,9 +23,9 @@ func AddCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	flags := addCmdFlags{}
 
 	command := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:               "add <pkg>...",
-		Short:             "Add a new package to your devbox",
-		PersistentPreRunE: nix.EnsureInstalled,
+		Use:     "add <pkg>...",
+		Short:   "Add a new package to your devbox",
+		PreRunE: nix.EnsureInstalled,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			if len(args) == 0 {
 				fmt.Fprintf(
@@ -49,8 +48,8 @@ func AddCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	return command
 }
 
-func addCmdFunc(_ *cobra.Command, args []string, flags addCmdFlags) error {
-	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, os.Stdout)
+func addCmdFunc(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, flags addCmdFlags) error {
+	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/cloud.go b/internal/boxcli/cloud.go
index ce5152760d9..e4729d63b34 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/cloud.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/cloud.go
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 package boxcli
 
 import (
-	"os"
-
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox"
@@ -36,7 +34,7 @@ func cloudShellCmd() *cobra.Command {
 		Use:   "shell",
 		Short: "Shell into a cloud environment that matches your local devbox environment",
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			return runCloudShellCmd(&flags)
+			return runCloudShellCmd(cmd, &flags)
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -44,10 +42,10 @@ func cloudShellCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	return command
 }
 
-func runCloudShellCmd(flags *cloudShellCmdFlags) error {
-	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, os.Stdout)
+func runCloudShellCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, flags *cloudShellCmdFlags) error {
+	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
-	return cloud.Shell(box.ConfigDir())
+	return cloud.Shell(box.ConfigDir(), cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 }
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/info.go b/internal/boxcli/info.go
index c812f1d0002..a389e728260 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/info.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/info.go
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 package boxcli
 
 import (
-	"os"
-
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox"
@@ -21,11 +19,11 @@ type infoCmdFlags struct {
 func InfoCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	flags := infoCmdFlags{}
 	command := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:               "info <pkg>",
-		Hidden:            !featureflag.PKGConfig.Enabled(),
-		Short:             "Display package info",
-		Args:              cobra.ExactArgs(1),
-		PersistentPreRunE: nix.EnsureInstalled,
+		Use:     "info <pkg>",
+		Hidden:  !featureflag.PKGConfig.Enabled(),
+		Short:   "Display package info",
+		Args:    cobra.ExactArgs(1),
+		PreRunE: nix.EnsureInstalled,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return infoCmdFunc(cmd, args[0], flags)
 		},
@@ -36,8 +34,8 @@ func InfoCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	return command
 }
 
-func infoCmdFunc(_ *cobra.Command, pkg string, flags infoCmdFlags) error {
-	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, os.Stdout)
+func infoCmdFunc(cmd *cobra.Command, pkg string, flags infoCmdFlags) error {
+	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, cmd.OutOrStdout())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/init.go b/internal/boxcli/init.go
index 4b4445c177c..c69b2c9433f 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/init.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/init.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox"
-	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/boxcli/writer"
 )
 
 func InitCmd() *cobra.Command {
@@ -27,8 +26,7 @@ func InitCmd() *cobra.Command {
 func runInitCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	path := pathArg(args)
 
-	w := writer.New(cmd)
-	_, err := devbox.InitConfig(path, w)
+	_, err := devbox.InitConfig(path, cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/plan.go b/internal/boxcli/plan.go
index 88bf94698c0..56f321a925f 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/plan.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/plan.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ package boxcli
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
-	"os"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -33,18 +32,18 @@ func PlanCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	return command
 }
 
-func runPlanCmd(_ *cobra.Command, args []string, flags planCmdFlags) error {
+func runPlanCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, flags planCmdFlags) error {
 	path, err := configPathFromUser(args, &flags.config)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	// Check the directory exists.
-	box, err := devbox.Open(path, os.Stdout)
+	box, err := devbox.Open(path, cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
-	enc := json.NewEncoder(os.Stdout)
+	enc := json.NewEncoder(cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	enc.SetIndent("", "  ")
 	enc.SetEscapeHTML(false)
 
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/rm.go b/internal/boxcli/rm.go
index a668b1b603d..67d26b6f361 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/rm.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/rm.go
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 package boxcli
 
 import (
-	"os"
-
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox"
@@ -30,8 +28,8 @@ func RemoveCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	return command
 }
 
-func runRemoveCmd(_ *cobra.Command, args []string, flags removeCmdFlags) error {
-	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, os.Stdout)
+func runRemoveCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, flags removeCmdFlags) error {
+	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/root.go b/internal/boxcli/root.go
index b3659314620..3781b7c368c 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/root.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/root.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package boxcli
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 
@@ -26,6 +27,11 @@ func RootCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	command := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "devbox",
 		Short: "Instant, easy, predictable development environments",
+		PersistentPreRun: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+			if flags.quiet {
+				cmd.SetErr(io.Discard)
+			}
+		},
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return cmd.Help()
 		},
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/run.go b/internal/boxcli/run.go
index 87cdf54f2de..51b0342ac5a 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/run.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/run.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox"
-	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/boxcli/writer"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/nix"
 	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 )
@@ -22,11 +21,11 @@ type runCmdFlags struct {
 func RunCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	flags := runCmdFlags{}
 	command := &cobra.Command{
-		Use:               "run <script>",
-		Short:             "Starts a new devbox shell and runs the target script",
-		Long:              "Starts a new interactive shell and runs your target script in it. The shell will exit once your target script is completed or when it is terminated via CTRL-C. Scripts can be defined in your `devbox.json`",
-		Args:              cobra.MaximumNArgs(1),
-		PersistentPreRunE: nix.EnsureInstalled,
+		Use:     "run <script>",
+		Short:   "Starts a new devbox shell and runs the target script",
+		Long:    "Starts a new interactive shell and runs your target script in it. The shell will exit once your target script is completed or when it is terminated via CTRL-C. Scripts can be defined in your `devbox.json`",
+		Args:    cobra.MaximumNArgs(1),
+		PreRunE: nix.EnsureInstalled,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return runScriptCmd(cmd, args, flags)
 		},
@@ -39,14 +38,13 @@ func RunCmd() *cobra.Command {
 
 func runScriptCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, flags runCmdFlags) error {
 
-	w := writer.New(cmd)
 	path, script, err := parseScriptArgs(args, flags)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	// Check the directory exists.
-	box, err := devbox.Open(path, w)
+	box, err := devbox.Open(path, cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/services.go b/internal/boxcli/services.go
index 35bf31a03b6..1ff03730cc0 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/services.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/services.go
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 package boxcli
 
 import (
-	"os"
-
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox"
@@ -66,7 +64,7 @@ func ServicesCmd() *cobra.Command {
 }
 
 func listServices(cmd *cobra.Command, flags servicesCmdFlags) error {
-	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, os.Stdout)
+	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
@@ -81,7 +79,7 @@ func listServices(cmd *cobra.Command, flags servicesCmdFlags) error {
 }
 
 func startServices(cmd *cobra.Command, services []string, flags servicesCmdFlags) error {
-	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, os.Stdout)
+	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
@@ -99,7 +97,7 @@ func startServices(cmd *cobra.Command, services []string, flags servicesCmdFlags
 }
 
 func stopServices(cmd *cobra.Command, services []string, flags servicesCmdFlags) error {
-	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, os.Stdout)
+	box, err := devbox.Open(flags.config.path, cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/setup.go b/internal/boxcli/setup.go
index 6b26ae436b8..94b86db9b59 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/setup.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/setup.go
@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@ func SetupCmd() *cobra.Command {
 func runInstallNixCmd(cmd *cobra.Command) error {
 	if nix.NixBinaryInstalled() {
 		color.New(color.FgYellow).Fprint(
-			cmd.OutOrStdout(),
+			cmd.ErrOrStderr(),
 			"Nix is already installed. If this is incorrect please remove the "+
 				"nix-shell binary from your path.\n",
 		)
 		return nil
 	}
-	return nix.Install()
+	return nix.Install(cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 }
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/shell.go b/internal/boxcli/shell.go
index 078380196e5..fa38d0afe01 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/shell.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/shell.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox"
-	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/boxcli/writer"
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/nix"
 )
 
@@ -29,8 +28,8 @@ func ShellCmd() *cobra.Command {
 			"If invoked with a `cmd`, devbox will run the command in a shell and then exit.\n" +
 			"In both cases, the shell will be started using the devbox.json found in the --config flag directory. " +
 			"If --config isn't set, then devbox recursively searches the current directory and its parents.",
-		Args:              validateShellArgs,
-		PersistentPreRunE: nix.EnsureInstalled,
+		Args:    validateShellArgs,
+		PreRunE: nix.EnsureInstalled,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			return runShellCmd(cmd, args, flags)
 		},
@@ -38,7 +37,6 @@ func ShellCmd() *cobra.Command {
 
 	command.Flags().BoolVar(
 		&flags.PrintEnv, "print-env", false, "Print script to setup shell environment")
-
 	flags.config.register(command)
 	return command
 }
@@ -48,9 +46,8 @@ func runShellCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, flags shellCmdFlags) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	w := writer.New(cmd)
 	// Check the directory exists.
-	box, err := devbox.Open(path, w)
+	box, err := devbox.Open(path, cmd.ErrOrStderr())
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/version.go b/internal/boxcli/version.go
index b7425e41e9d..f4aa6bd0405 100644
--- a/internal/boxcli/version.go
+++ b/internal/boxcli/version.go
@@ -32,16 +32,17 @@ func VersionCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	return command
 }
 
-func versionCmdFunc(_ *cobra.Command, _ []string, flags versionFlags) error {
+func versionCmdFunc(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string, flags versionFlags) error {
+	w := cmd.OutOrStdout()
 	v := getVersionInfo()
 	if flags.verbose {
-		fmt.Printf("Version:     %v\n", v.Version)
-		fmt.Printf("Platform:    %v\n", v.Platform)
-		fmt.Printf("Commit:      %v\n", v.Commit)
-		fmt.Printf("Commit Time: %v\n", v.CommitDate)
-		fmt.Printf("Go Version:  %v\n", v.GoVersion)
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "Version:     %v\n", v.Version)
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "Platform:    %v\n", v.Platform)
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "Commit:      %v\n", v.Commit)
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "Commit Time: %v\n", v.CommitDate)
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "Go Version:  %v\n", v.GoVersion)
 	} else {
-		fmt.Printf("%v\n", v.Version)
+		fmt.Fprintf(w, "%v\n", v.Version)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/boxcli/writer/writer.go b/internal/boxcli/writer/writer.go
deleted file mode 100644
index fbeea002a25..00000000000
--- a/internal/boxcli/writer/writer.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,36 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright 2023 Jetpack Technologies Inc and contributors. All rights reserved.
-// Use of this source code is governed by the license in the LICENSE file.
-package writer
-
-import (
-	"io"
-
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-)
-
-type devboxIOWriter struct {
-	w     io.Writer
-	quiet bool
-}
-
-func (d devboxIOWriter) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
-	if !d.quiet {
-		n, err := d.w.Write(p)
-		if err != nil {
-			return n, err
-		}
-		if n != len(p) {
-			return n, io.ErrShortWrite
-		}
-	}
-	return len(p), nil
-}
-
-func New(cmd *cobra.Command) *devboxIOWriter {
-	quiet, err := cmd.Flags().GetBool("quiet")
-	if err != nil {
-		// default value for quiet/q flag
-		quiet = false
-	}
-	return &devboxIOWriter{w: cmd.ErrOrStderr(), quiet: quiet}
-}
diff --git a/internal/cloud/cloud.go b/internal/cloud/cloud.go
index 3074f64a5cb..95e843d1804 100644
--- a/internal/cloud/cloud.go
+++ b/internal/cloud/cloud.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package cloud
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -25,11 +26,11 @@ import (
 	"go.jetpack.io/devbox/internal/debug"
 )
 
-func Shell(configDir string) error {
+func Shell(configDir string, w io.Writer) error {
 	c := color.New(color.FgMagenta).Add(color.Bold)
-	c.Println("Devbox Cloud")
-	fmt.Println("Remote development environments powered by Nix")
-	fmt.Print("\n")
+	c.Fprintln(w, "Devbox Cloud")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "Remote development environments powered by Nix")
+	fmt.Fprint(w, "\n")
 
 	username, vmHostname := parseVMEnvVar()
 	if username == "" {
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ func Shell(configDir string) error {
 	s3 := stepper.Start("Connecting to virtual machine...")
 	time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
 	s3.Stop("Connecting to virtual machine")
-	fmt.Print("\n")
+	fmt.Fprint(w, "\n")
 
 	return shell(username, vmHostname, configDir)
 }
diff --git a/internal/impl/devbox.go b/internal/impl/devbox.go
index 57affcb36a8..0f9be6439d1 100644
--- a/internal/impl/devbox.go
+++ b/internal/impl/devbox.go
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ func (d *Devbox) RunScriptInShell(scriptName string) error {
 	)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Print(err)
+		fmt.Fprint(d.writer, err)
 		shell = &nix.Shell{}
 	}
 
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ func (d *Devbox) RunScript(scriptName string) error {
 	shell, err := nix.DetectShell(opts...)
 
 	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Print(err)
+		fmt.Fprint(d.writer, err)
 		shell = &nix.Shell{}
 	}
 
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ func (d *Devbox) ensurePackagesAreInstalled(mode installMode) error {
 
 	// We need to re-install the packages
 	if err := d.applyDevNixDerivation(); err != nil {
-		fmt.Println()
+		fmt.Fprintln(d.writer)
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "apply Nix derivation")
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintln(d.writer, "done.")
diff --git a/internal/nix/install.go b/internal/nix/install.go
index 07da8e95c0b..38c0bb093e5 100644
--- a/internal/nix/install.go
+++ b/internal/nix/install.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import (
 //go:embed install.sh
 var installScript string
 
-func Install() error {
+func Install(writer io.Writer) error {
 	r, w, err := os.Pipe()
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func Install() error {
 	cmd.Stdout = w
 	cmd.Stderr = w
 
-	fmt.Println("Installing Nix. This will require sudo access.")
+	fmt.Fprintln(writer, "Installing Nix. This will require sudo access.")
 	if err = cmd.Start(); err != nil {
 		return errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ func Install() error {
 	go func() {
 		_, err := io.Copy(os.Stdout, r)
 		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Println(err)
+			fmt.Fprintln(writer, err)
 		}
 	}()
 
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func EnsureInstalled(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 				"\n\nPress enter to continue or ctrl-c to exit.\n",
 		)
 		fmt.Scanln()
-		if err := Install(); err != nil {
+		if err := Install(cmd.ErrOrStderr()); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		return usererr.NewWarning(