diff --git a/sprout/io.hpp b/sprout/io.hpp
index 9325aa97..41f31e6f 100644
--- a/sprout/io.hpp
+++ b/sprout/io.hpp
@@ -397,6 +397,10 @@ namespace sprout {
 			}
 		}	// namespace flags
 
+		template<std::size_t N, typename Elem = char, typename Expression>
+		inline SPROUT_CONSTEXPR sprout::basic_string<Elem, N>
+		output(Expression const& expr);
+
 		//
 		// nil_expression
 		//
@@ -495,6 +499,14 @@ namespace sprout {
 			SPROUT_CONSTEXPR sprout::io::format_settings const& settings() const {
 				return left().settings();
 			}
+			template<std::size_t N, typename Elem = char>
+			SPROUT_CONSTEXPR sprout::basic_string<Elem, N> output() const {
+				return sprout::io::output<N, Elem>(*this);
+			}
+			template<std::size_t N, typename Elem = char>
+			SPROUT_CONSTEXPR operator sprout::basic_string<Elem, N>() const {
+				return sprout::io::output<N, Elem>(*this);
+			}
 		};
 
 		//