diff --git a/bumblebee-status b/bumblebee-status
index 75ad1b8..e461758 100755
--- a/bumblebee-status
+++ b/bumblebee-status
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import sys
 import core.config
 import core.output
+import core.module
 
 def main():
     config = core.config.Config(sys.argv[1:])
@@ -10,15 +11,15 @@ def main():
     modules = []
     for module in config.modules():
         modules.append(core.module.load(module))
-    sys.stdout.write(output.start())
+    output.draw('start')
     while True:
-        sys.stdout.write(output.begin_status_line())
+        output.clear()
         for module in modules:
             module.update()
-            sys.stdout.write(output.draw(module))
-        sys.stdout.write(output.end_status_line())
+            output.append(module)
+        output.draw('statusline')
         output.wait(config.interval())
-    sys.stdout.write(output.stop())
+    output.draw('stop')
         
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/core/output.py b/core/output.py
index ddbb1ca..9a6b898 100644
--- a/core/output.py
+++ b/core/output.py
@@ -1,18 +1,42 @@
+import sys
 import json
 import time
 
 class i3(object):
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.clear()
+
+    def draw(self, what):
+        data = getattr(self, what)()
+        if 'data' in data:
+            sys.stdout.write(json.dumps(data['data']))
+        if 'suffix' in data:
+            sys.stdout.write(data['suffix'])
+        sys.stdout.write('\n')
+
     def start(self):
-        return '{}\n'.format(json.dumps({ 'version': 1, 'click_events': True }))
+        return {
+            'data': { 'version': 1, 'click_events': True },
+            'suffix': '\n[',
+        }
 
     def stop(self):
-        return ']\n'
+        return { 'suffix': '\n]' }
 
-    def begin_status_line(self):
-        return '['
+    def clear(self):
+        self._statusline = []
 
-    def end_status_line(self):
-        return '],\n'
+    def append(self, module):
+        for widget in module.widgets():
+            self._statusline.append({
+                'full_text': widget.full_text()
+            })
+
+    def statusline(self):
+        return {
+            'data': self._statusline,
+            'suffix': ','
+        }
 
     def wait(self, interval):
         time.sleep(interval)
diff --git a/modules/test.py b/modules/test.py
index 57af6db..3d22ddb 100644
--- a/modules/test.py
+++ b/modules/test.py
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@
 """Test module
 """
 
+import core.widget
 import core.module
 
 class Module(core.module.Module):
     def __init__(self):
-        pass
+        super().__init__(core.widget.Widget('test'))
 
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/tests/core/test_output.py b/tests/core/test_output.py
index 17526f3..e32839a 100644
--- a/tests/core/test_output.py
+++ b/tests/core/test_output.py
@@ -11,17 +11,15 @@ class i3(unittest.TestCase):
         pass
 
     def test_start(self):
-        data = json.loads(self.i3.start())
+        all_data = self.i3.start()
+        data = all_data['data']
         self.assertEqual(1, data['version'], 'i3bar protocol version 1 expected')
         self.assertTrue(data['click_events'], 'click events should be enabled')
-
-    def test_begin_status_line(self):
-        self.assertEqual('[', self.i3.begin_status_line(), 'each line must be a JSON array')
-
-    def test_end_status_line(self):
-        self.assertEqual('],\n', self.i3.end_status_line(), 'each line must terminate properly')
+        self.assertEqual('\n[', all_data['suffix'])
 
     def test_stop(self):
-        self.assertEqual(']\n', self.i3.stop())
+        self.assertEqual('\n]', self.i3.stop()['suffix'])
+
+    # TODO: mock a "draw" call
 
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4