diff --git a/test/test.py b/test/test.py
index ae5e390..fdabc11 100755
--- a/test/test.py
+++ b/test/test.py
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ def test_in_place_yaml(self):
             self.assertEqual(tf.read(), b"foo\n...\n")
             self.assertEqual(tf2.read(), b"foo\n...\n")
 
-            # Files do not get overwritten on error (DeferredOutputStream logic)
+            # Files do not get overwritten on error
             self.run_yq("", ["-i", "-y", tf.name, tf2.name], expect_exit_codes=[3])
             tf.seek(0)
             tf2.seek(0)
diff --git a/yq/__init__.py b/yq/__init__.py
index 477dd78..0bd2a0a 100644
--- a/yq/__init__.py
+++ b/yq/__init__.py
@@ -50,30 +50,6 @@ def tq_cli():
     cli(input_format="toml", program_name="tomlq")
 
 
-class DeferredOutputStream:
-    def __init__(self, name, mode="w"):
-        self.name = name
-        self.mode = mode
-        self._fh = None
-
-    @property
-    def fh(self):
-        if self._fh is None:
-            self._fh = open(self.name, self.mode)
-        return self._fh
-
-    def flush(self):
-        if self._fh is not None:
-            return self.fh.flush()
-
-    def close(self):
-        if self._fh is not None:
-            return self.fh.close()
-
-    def __getattr__(self, a):
-        return getattr(self.fh, a)
-
-
 def cli(args=None, input_format="yaml", program_name="yq"):
     parser = get_parser(program_name, __doc__)
     argcomplete.autocomplete(parser)
@@ -131,8 +107,8 @@ def cli(args=None, input_format="yaml", program_name="yq"):
 
     yq_args = dict(input_format=input_format, program_name=program_name, jq_args=jq_args, **vars(args))
     if in_place:
-        if args.output_format not in {"yaml", "annotated_yaml", "toml"}:
-            sys.exit("{}: -i/--in-place can only be used with -y/-Y/-t".format(program_name))
+        if args.output_format not in {"yaml", "annotated_yaml", "toml", "xml"}:
+            sys.exit("{}: -i/--in-place can only be used with -y/-Y/-t/-x".format(program_name))
         input_streams = yq_args.pop("input_streams")
         if len(input_streams) == 1 and input_streams[0].name == "<stdin>":
             msg = "{}: -i/--in-place can only be used with filename arguments, not on standard input"
@@ -145,7 +121,11 @@ def exit_handler(arg=None):
 
             if i < len(input_streams):
                 yq_args["exit_func"] = exit_handler
-            yq(input_streams=[input_stream], output_stream=DeferredOutputStream(input_stream.name), **yq_args)
+
+            with io.StringIO() as out_fh:
+                yq(input_streams=[input_stream], output_stream=out_fh, **yq_args)
+                with open(input_stream.name, "w") as fh:
+                    fh.write(out_fh.getvalue())
     else:
         yq(**yq_args)