diff --git a/bumblebee/engine.py b/bumblebee/engine.py
index 0264083..0213062 100644
--- a/bumblebee/engine.py
+++ b/bumblebee/engine.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ class Engine(object):
     This class connects input/output, instantiates all
     required modules and drives the "event loop"
     """
-    def __init__(self, config):
+    def __init__(self, config, output=None):
+        self._output = output
         self._running = True
         self._modules = []
         self.load_modules(config.modules())
@@ -45,7 +46,10 @@ class Engine(object):
 
     def run(self):
         """Start the event loop"""
+        self._output.start()
         while self.running():
             pass
 
+        self._output.stop()
+
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/bumblebee/output.py b/bumblebee/output.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d09f63a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bumblebee/output.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# pylint: disable=R0201
+
+"""Output classes"""
+
+import sys
+import json
+
+class I3BarOutput(object):
+    """Manage output according to the i3bar protocol"""
+    def __init__(self):
+        pass
+
+    def start(self):
+        """Print start preamble for i3bar protocol"""
+        sys.stdout.write(json.dumps({"version": 1, "click_events": True}) + "[\n")
+
+    def stop(self):
+        """Finish i3bar protocol"""
+        sys.stdout.write("]\n")
+
+# vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/runlint.sh b/runlint.sh
index 0d35fb5..022534d 100755
--- a/runlint.sh
+++ b/runlint.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-find . -name "*.py"|xargs pylint
+find . -name "*.py"|xargs pylint --disable=R0903
diff --git a/tests/test_engine.py b/tests/test_engine.py
index 7a6152f..cc5c69f 100644
--- a/tests/test_engine.py
+++ b/tests/test_engine.py
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ class TestEngine(unittest.TestCase):
         self.testModule = "test"
         self.testModuleSpec = "bumblebee.modules.{}".format(self.testModule)
         self.testModules = [
-            { "module": "test", "name": "a" },
-            { "module": "test", "name": "b" },
+            {"module": "test", "name": "a"},
+            {"module": "test", "name": "b"},
         ]
 
     def test_stop(self):
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ class TestEngine(unittest.TestCase):
         modules = self.engine.load_modules(self.testModules)
         self.assertEquals(len(modules), len(self.testModules))
         self.assertEquals(
-            [ module.__module__ for module in modules ],
-            [ self.testModuleSpec for module in modules ]
+            [module.__module__ for module in modules],
+            [self.testModuleSpec for module in modules]
         )
 
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/tests/test_i3baroutput.py b/tests/test_i3baroutput.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9fff324
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_i3baroutput.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# pylint: disable=C0103,C0111
+import json
+import unittest
+import mock
+try:
+    from StringIO import StringIO
+except ImportError:
+    from io import StringIO
+
+from bumblebee.output import I3BarOutput
+
+class TestI3BarOutput(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.output = I3BarOutput()
+        self.expectedStart = json.dumps({"version": 1, "click_events": True}) + "[\n"
+        self.expectedStop = "]\n"
+
+    @mock.patch("sys.stdout", new_callable=StringIO)
+    def test_start(self, stdout):
+        self.output.start()
+        self.assertEquals(self.expectedStart, stdout.getvalue())
+
+    @mock.patch("sys.stdout", new_callable=StringIO)
+    def test_stop(self, stdout):
+        self.output.stop()
+        self.assertEquals(self.expectedStop, stdout.getvalue())
+
+# vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4