diff --git a/moses2/legacy/OutputCollector.cpp b/moses2/legacy/OutputCollector.cpp
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..2d54ec78d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/moses2/legacy/OutputCollector.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#include "OutputCollector.h"
+
+namespace Moses2
+{
+  OutputCollector::OutputCollector(std::string xout, std::string xerr = "") :
+  m_nextOutput(0) {
+  // TO DO open magic streams instead of regular ofstreams! [UG]
+
+  if (xout == "/dev/stderr") {
+    m_outStream = &std::cerr;
+    m_isHoldingOutputStream = false;
+  }
+  else if (xout.size() && xout != "/dev/stdout" && xout != "-") {
+    m_outStream = new std::ofstream(xout.c_str());
+    UTIL_THROW_IF2(!m_outStream->good(),
+      "Failed to open output file" << xout);
+    m_isHoldingOutputStream = true;
+  }
+  else {
+    m_outStream = &std::cout;
+    m_isHoldingOutputStream = false;
+  }
+
+  if (xerr == "/dev/stdout") {
+    m_debugStream = &std::cout;
+    m_isHoldingDebugStream = false;
+  }
+  else if (xerr.size() && xerr != "/dev/stderr") {
+    m_debugStream = new std::ofstream(xerr.c_str());
+    UTIL_THROW_IF2(!m_debugStream->good(),
+      "Failed to open debug stream" << xerr);
+    m_isHoldingDebugStream = true;
+  }
+  else {
+    m_debugStream = &std::cerr;
+    m_isHoldingDebugStream = false;
+  }
+}
+
+
+}
+