diff --git a/include/mapnik/svg_renderer.hpp b/include/mapnik/svg_renderer.hpp
index 70ce4db1a..1805927fb 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/svg_renderer.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/svg_renderer.hpp
@@ -33,15 +33,16 @@
 
 namespace mapnik 
 {
-    // parameterized with the type of ostream it will use for output.
+    // parameterized with the type of output iterator it will use for output.
+    // output iterators add more flexibility than streams, because iterators
+    // can target many other output destinations besides streams.
     template <typename T>
     class MAPNIK_DECL svg_renderer : public feature_style_processor<svg_renderer<T> >, 
 				     private boost::noncopyable
     {
 
     public:
-	// the only parameter I'm sure of is the map.
-	svg_renderer(Map const& m, T& output_stream);
+	svg_renderer(Map const& m, T& output_iterator);
 	~svg_renderer();
 
 	void start_map_processing(Map const& map);
@@ -83,15 +84,15 @@ namespace mapnik
 		     proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 	
 	// should this function be inline?
-	inline T& get_output_stream() 
+	inline T& get_output_iterator() 
 	{
-	    return output_stream_;
+	    return output_iterator_;
 	}
 
 	// should this function be inline?
-	inline const T& get_output_stream() const
+	inline const T& get_output_iterator() const
 	{
-	    return output_stream_;
+	    return output_iterator_;
 	}
 
 	// XML declaration.
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	static const std::string SVG_NAMESPACE_URL;
 
     private:
-	T& output_stream_;
+	T& output_iterator_;
 	const int width_;
 	const int height_;
     };
diff --git a/src/svg/process_building_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_building_symbolizer.cpp
index 7a8b1cb9f..d1b32655d 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_building_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_building_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -28,17 +28,13 @@ namespace mapnik
 {
     template <typename T>
     void svg_renderer<T>::process(building_symbolizer const& sym,
-			       Feature const& feature,
-			       proj_transform const& prj_trans)
+				  Feature const& feature,
+				  proj_transform const& prj_trans)
     {
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(building_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(building_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(building_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/process_glyph_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_glyph_symbolizer.cpp
index 105d78bb2..0065e73fe 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_glyph_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_glyph_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -28,17 +28,13 @@ namespace mapnik
 {
     template <typename T>
     void svg_renderer<T>::process(glyph_symbolizer const& sym,
-			       Feature const& feature,
-			       proj_transform const& prj_trans)
+				  Feature const& feature,
+				  proj_transform const& prj_trans)
     {
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(glyph_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(glyph_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(glyph_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/process_line_pattern_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_line_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
index 3711509e7..238abda84 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_line_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_line_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(line_pattern_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(line_pattern_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(line_pattern_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/process_line_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_line_symbolizer.cpp
index 67bbcee4a..8d075f5d8 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_line_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_line_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(line_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(line_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(line_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
index 299f517ce..0b5b554d1 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(markers_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(markers_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(markers_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/process_point_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_point_symbolizer.cpp
index 0e65721eb..7553ca4ca 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_point_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_point_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(point_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(point_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(point_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/process_polygon_pattern_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_polygon_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
index 2d9134dae..ba63be165 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_polygon_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_polygon_pattern_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(polygon_pattern_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(polygon_pattern_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(polygon_pattern_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/process_polygon_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_polygon_symbolizer.cpp
index 243bbe9f9..cd558c893 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_polygon_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_polygon_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(polygon_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(polygon_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(polygon_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/process_raster_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_raster_symbolizer.cpp
index 701bf9b96..5c7fb73ff 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_raster_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_raster_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(raster_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(raster_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(raster_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/process_shield_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_shield_symbolizer.cpp
index 04db836e5..aae409cf1 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_shield_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_shield_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(shield_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(shield_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(shield_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/process_text_symbolizer.cpp b/src/svg/process_text_symbolizer.cpp
index a8ea27f2e..19b078916 100644
--- a/src/svg/process_text_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/process_text_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -34,11 +34,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	// nothing yet.
     }
 
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>::process(text_symbolizer const& sym,
-							    Feature const& feature,
-							    proj_transform const& prj_trans);
-
-    template void svg_renderer<std::ofstream>::process(text_symbolizer const& sym,
-						       Feature const& feature,
-						       proj_transform const& prj_trans);
+    template void svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >::process(text_symbolizer const& sym,
+								      Feature const& feature,
+								      proj_transform const& prj_trans);
 }
diff --git a/src/svg/svg_renderer.cpp b/src/svg/svg_renderer.cpp
index ad23cb378..ac13b8d00 100644
--- a/src/svg/svg_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/svg/svg_renderer.cpp
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@
 #ifdef MAPNIK_DEBUG
 #include <iostream>
 #endif
-#include <sstream>
-#include <fstream>
+#include <ostream>
 
 // boost
 #include <boost/fusion/tuple.hpp>
@@ -64,9 +63,9 @@ namespace mapnik
     const std::string svg_renderer<T>::SVG_NAMESPACE_URL = "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg";
 
     template <typename T>
-    svg_renderer<T>::svg_renderer(Map const& m, T & output_stream) :
+    svg_renderer<T>::svg_renderer(Map const& m, T & output_iterator) :
 	feature_style_processor<svg_renderer>(m),
-	output_stream_(output_stream),
+	output_iterator_(output_iterator),
 	width_(m.width()),
 	height_(m.height())
     {
@@ -91,11 +90,9 @@ namespace mapnik
 	using repository::confix;
 	using fusion::tuple;
 
-	std::ostream_iterator<char> output_stream_iterator(output_stream_);
-
 	// generate XML header.
 	generate(
-	    output_stream_iterator,
+	    output_iterator_,
 	    string << eol << string << eol, 
 	    XML_DECLARATION, SVG_DTD);
 
@@ -104,7 +101,7 @@ namespace mapnik
 	// which is taken from the map's dimensions.
 
 	generate(
-	    output_stream_iterator,
+	    output_iterator_,
 	    confix("<", ">")[
 		"svg width=" << confix('"', '"')[int_ << string]
 		<< " height=" << confix('"', '"')[int_ << string]
@@ -118,13 +115,14 @@ namespace mapnik
 	{
 	    // generate background color as a rectangle that spans the whole image.
 	    generate(
-		output_stream_iterator,
+		output_iterator_,
 		confix("<", "/>")[
 		    "rect x=" << confix('"', '"')[int_]
 		    << " y=" << confix('"', '"')[int_]
 		    << " width=" << confix('"', '"')[int_ << string]
 		    << " height=" << confix('"', '"')[int_ << string]
-		    << " style=" << confix('"', '"')["fill: " << string]],
+		    << " style=" << confix('"', '"')["fill: " << string]]
+		<< eol,
 		0, 0, tuple<int, std::string>(width_, "px"), tuple<int, std::string>(height_, "px"), bgcolor->to_hex_string());
 	}
     }
@@ -132,11 +130,13 @@ namespace mapnik
     template <typename T>
     void svg_renderer<T>::end_map_processing(Map const& map)
     {
-	using karma::format;
+	using karma::generate;
 	using karma::lit;
 
 	// generate SVG root element closing tag.
-	output_stream_ << format(lit("\n</svg>"));
+	generate(
+	    output_iterator_,
+	    lit("</svg>"));
 
 	#ifdef MAPNIK_DEBUG
 	std::clog << "end map processing" << std::endl;
@@ -163,6 +163,5 @@ namespace mapnik
 	#endif
     }
 
-    template class svg_renderer<std::ostringstream>;
-    template class svg_renderer<std::ofstream>;
+    template class svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> >;
 }
diff --git a/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/combined_test.cpp b/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/combined_test.cpp
index 2967905dc..3296ea156 100644
--- a/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/combined_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/combined_test.cpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 // std
 #include <string>
 #include <sstream>
+#include <iterator>
 
 /**
  * This test case tests all the generators inside svg_renderer,
@@ -26,13 +27,14 @@
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(combined_test_case)
 {
     using namespace mapnik;
-    typedef svg_renderer<std::ostringstream> svg_ren;
+    typedef svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> > svg_ren;
 
     Map map(800, 600);
     map.set_background(color_factory::from_string("white"));
 
     std::ostringstream output_stream;
-    svg_ren renderer(map, output_stream);
+    std::ostream_iterator<char> output_stream_iterator(output_stream);
+    svg_ren renderer(map, output_stream_iterator);
     renderer.apply();
 
     std::string expected_output = 
@@ -48,7 +50,7 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(combined_test_case)
 	+"\n"
 	+"</svg>";
 
-    std::string actual_output = renderer.get_output_stream().str();
+    std::string actual_output = output_stream.str();
     BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(actual_output, expected_output);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/compilation_test.cpp b/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/compilation_test.cpp
index fa1393ecd..6ca837f18 100644
--- a/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/compilation_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/compilation_test.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 // std
 #include <sstream>
+#include <iterator>
 
 /**
  * This test is meant to see if the empty
@@ -24,7 +25,8 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(compile_test_case)
     try
     {
 	std::ostringstream output_stream;
-	svg_renderer<std::ostringstream> renderer(map, output_stream);
+	std::ostream_iterator<char> output_stream_iterator(output_stream);
+	svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> > renderer(map, output_stream_iterator);
 	renderer.apply();
     }
     catch(...)
diff --git a/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/file_output_test.cpp b/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/file_output_test.cpp
index bd0eeb149..e5c55ca83 100644
--- a/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/file_output_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/cpp_tests/svg_renderer_tests/file_output_test.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 // stl
 #include <fstream>
+#include <iterator>
 
 namespace filesystem = boost::filesystem;
 
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ namespace filesystem = boost::filesystem;
 BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(file_output_test_case)
 {
     using namespace mapnik;
-    typedef svg_renderer<std::ofstream> svg_ren;
+    typedef svg_renderer<std::ostream_iterator<char> > svg_ren;
 
     Map map(800, 600);
     map.set_background(color_factory::from_string("blue"));
@@ -49,7 +50,9 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(file_output_test_case)
 
     if(output_stream)
     {
-	svg_ren renderer(map, output_stream);
+	std::ostream_iterator<char> output_stream_iterator(output_stream);
+
+	svg_ren renderer(map, output_stream_iterator);
 	renderer.apply();
 
 	output_stream.close();