diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index b31105d..e4f9137 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -339,16 +339,17 @@ export async function createDelegation (audienceDID, opts) {
     audienceMeta
   })
 
-  const { writer, out } = CarWriter.create()
-  const dest = opts.output ? fs.createWriteStream(opts.output) : process.stdout
-
-  Readable.from(out).pipe(dest)
+  const result = await delegation.archive()
+  if (result.error) {
+    console.error(`Error: failed to archive delegation: ${result.error.message}`)
+    process.exit(1)
+  }
 
-  for (const block of delegation.export()) {
-    // @ts-expect-error
-    await writer.put(block)
+  if (opts.output) {
+    await fs.promises.writeFile(opts.output, result.ok)
+  } else {
+    process.stdout.write(result.ok)
   }
-  await writer.close()
 }
 
 /**