diff --git a/examples/examples.ipynb b/examples/examples.ipynb
index b5ee26648..27caada76 100644
--- a/examples/examples.ipynb
+++ b/examples/examples.ipynb
@@ -87,8 +87,9 @@
       "driver.tmax = 1.0\n",
       "driver.verbose = 0\n",
       "io.basename = smooth_\n",
-      "io.do_io = 1\n",
+      "io.do_io = 0\n",
       "io.dt_out = 0.2\n",
+      "io.force_final_output = 0\n",
       "io.n_out = 10000\n",
       "mesh.grid_type = Cartesian2d\n",
       "mesh.nx = 32\n",
diff --git a/pyro/_defaults b/pyro/_defaults
index ff2427904..2f32cc45e 100644
--- a/pyro/_defaults
+++ b/pyro/_defaults
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ basename = pyro_           ; basename for output files
 dt_out = 0.1               ; simulation time between writing output files
 n_out = 10000              ; number of timesteps between writing output files
 do_io = 1                  ; do we output at all?
+force_final_output = 0     ; regardless of do_io, do we output when the simulation ends?
 
 [vis]
 
diff --git a/pyro/pyro_sim.py b/pyro/pyro_sim.py
index a31086f92..fd554019f 100755
--- a/pyro/pyro_sim.py
+++ b/pyro/pyro_sim.py
@@ -114,11 +114,12 @@ def initialize_problem(self, problem_name, *, inputs_file=None, inputs_dict=None
 
             self.rp.load_params(inputs_file, no_new=1)
 
-        # manually override the dovis and verbose defaults
+        # manually override the I/O, dovis, and verbose defaults
         # for Jupyter, we want runtime vis disabled by default
         if not self.from_commandline:
             self.rp.set_param("vis.dovis", 0)
             self.rp.set_param("driver.verbose", 0)
+            self.rp.set_param("io.do_io", 0)
 
         if inputs_dict is not None:
             for k, v in inputs_dict.items():
@@ -162,7 +163,10 @@ def run_sim(self):
 
         # output the 0th data
         basename = self.rp.get_param("io.basename")
-        self.sim.write(f"{basename}{self.sim.n:04d}")
+        do_io = self.rp.get_param("io.do_io")
+
+        if do_io:
+            self.sim.write(f"{basename}{self.sim.n:04d}")
 
         if self.dovis:
             plt.figure(num=1, figsize=(8, 6), dpi=100, facecolor='w')
@@ -172,10 +176,13 @@ def run_sim(self):
             self.single_step()
 
         # final output
-        if self.verbose > 0:
-            msg.warning("outputting...")
-        basename = self.rp.get_param("io.basename")
-        self.sim.write(f"{basename}{self.sim.n:04d}")
+        force_final_output = self.rp.get_param("io.force_final_output")
+
+        if do_io or force_final_output:
+            if self.verbose > 0:
+                msg.warning("outputting...")
+            basename = self.rp.get_param("io.basename")
+            self.sim.write(f"{basename}{self.sim.n:04d}")
 
         tm_main.end()
         # -------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/pyro/test.py b/pyro/test.py
index d2868c56d..2f5b953bb 100755
--- a/pyro/test.py
+++ b/pyro/test.py
@@ -57,14 +57,12 @@ def run_test(t, reset_fails, store_all_benchmarks, rtol, nproc):
                                    reset_bench_on_fail=reset_fails,
                                    make_bench=store_all_benchmarks)
             p.initialize_problem(t.problem, inputs_file=t.inputs, inputs_dict=t.options)
-            start_n = p.sim.n
             err = p.run_sim(rtol)
     finally:
         os.chdir(orig_cwd)
     if err == 0:
         # the test passed; clean up the output files for developer use
         basename = p.rp.get_param("io.basename")
-        (test_dir / f"{basename}{start_n:04d}.h5").unlink()
         (test_dir / f"{basename}{p.sim.n:04d}.h5").unlink()
         (test_dir / "inputs.auto").unlink()
         test_dir.rmdir()
@@ -86,7 +84,7 @@ def do_tests(out_file,
              reset_fails=False, store_all_benchmarks=False,
              single=None, solver=None, rtol=1e-12, nproc=1):
 
-    opts = {"driver.verbose": 0, "vis.dovis": 0, "io.do_io": 0}
+    opts = {"driver.verbose": 0, "vis.dovis": 0, "io.do_io": 0, "io.force_final_output": 1}
 
     results = {}