diff --git a/cmd/gotext/rewrite.go b/cmd/gotext/rewrite.go
index 3ee9555..9702ca7 100644
--- a/cmd/gotext/rewrite.go
+++ b/cmd/gotext/rewrite.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"io"
 	"os"
 
 	"golang.org/x/text/message/pipeline"
@@ -39,9 +40,9 @@
 }
 
 func runRewrite(cmd *Command, _ *pipeline.Config, args []string) error {
-	w := os.Stdout
-	if *overwrite {
-		w = nil
+	var w io.Writer
+	if !*overwrite {
+		w = os.Stdout
 	}
 	pkg := "."
 	switch len(args) {