diff --git a/lib/runtime/adapter-write.js b/lib/runtime/adapter-write.js
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/runtime/adapter-write.js
+++ b/lib/runtime/adapter-write.js
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ class AdapterWrite {
         this.events.on(type, handler, context);
     }
 
+    // Indication the program has started for the adapter to do any
+    // initialization of the output.
+    start() {
+    }
+
     // Write out the given points.
     //
     // Typically this will be asynchronous, and the adapter is responsible for
diff --git a/lib/runtime/procs/write.js b/lib/runtime/procs/write.js
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/lib/runtime/procs/write.js
+++ b/lib/runtime/procs/write.js
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ var Write = sink.extend({
                 this.writer.eof();
             };
 
+            this.start = function() {
+                this.writer.start();
+            };
+
             this.writer.isDone = this.isDone;
             this.writer.done = this.done;
             return;
@@ -64,6 +68,10 @@ var Write = sink.extend({
         });
     },
 
+    start: function() {
+        this.adapter.start();
+    },
+
     process: function(points) {
         this.adapter.write(points);
     },
adapters: add start hook to write