diff --git a/nats-top.go b/nats-top.go
index e22d444..49f3301 100644
--- a/nats-top.go
+++ b/nats-top.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ var (
 	delay             = flag.Int("d", 1, "Refresh interval in seconds.")
 	sortBy            = flag.String("sort", "cid", "Value for which to sort by the connections.")
 	lookupDNS         = flag.Bool("lookup", false, "Enable client addresses DNS lookup.")
+	outputFile        = flag.String("o", "", "Save the very first nats-top snapshot to the given file and exit. If '-' is passed then the snapshot is printed the standard output.")
 	showVersion       = flag.Bool("v", false, "Show nats-top version.")
 	displayRawBytes   = flag.Bool("b", false, "Display traffic in raw bytes.")
 	maxStatsRefreshes = flag.Int("r", -1, "Specifies the maximum number of times nats-top should refresh nats-stats before exiting.")
@@ -115,6 +116,11 @@ func main() {
 	}
 	engine.SortOpt = sortOpt
 
+	if *outputFile != "" {
+		saveStatsSnapshotToFile(engine, outputFile)
+		return
+	}
+
 	err = ui.Init()
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
@@ -122,9 +128,31 @@ func main() {
 	defer ui.Close()
 
 	go engine.MonitorStats()
+
 	StartUI(engine)
 }
 
+func saveStatsSnapshotToFile(engine *top.Engine, outputFile *string) {
+	stats := engine.FetchStatsSnapshot()
+	text := generateParagraph(engine, stats)
+
+	if *outputFile == "-" {
+		fmt.Print(text)
+		return
+	}
+
+	f, err := os.OpenFile(*outputFile, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE|os.O_TRUNC, 0755)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("nats-top: failed to open output file '%s': %s\n", *outputFile, err)
+	}
+
+	if _, err = f.WriteString(text); err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("nats-top: failed to write stats-snapshot to output file '%s': %s\n", *outputFile, err)
+	}
+
+	f.Close() //no point to error check    process will exit anyway
+}
+
 // clearScreen tries to ensure resetting original state of screen
 func clearScreen() {
 	fmt.Print("\033[2J\033[1;1H\033[?25l")
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index b503ad1..2802d76 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ and releases of the binary are also [available](https://github.com/nats-io/nats-
 ## Usage
 
 ```
-usage: nats-top [-s server] [-m http_port] [-ms https_port] [-n num_connections] [-d delay_secs] [-r max] [-sort by]
+usage: nats-top [-s server] [-m http_port] [-ms https_port] [-n num_connections] [-d delay_secs] [-r max] [-o FILE] [-sort by]
                 [-cert FILE] [-key FILE ][-cacert FILE] [-k] [-b]
 ```
 
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ usage: nats-top [-s server] [-m http_port] [-ms https_port] [-n num_connections]
 
   Specify the maximum number of times nats-top should refresh nats-stats before exiting (default: `0` which stands for `"no limit"`).
 
+- `-o file`
+
+  Saves the very first nats-top snapshot to the given file and exits. If '-' is passed then the snapshot is printed to the standard output.
+
 - `-sort by `
 
   Field to use for sorting the connections.
diff --git a/util/toputils.go b/util/toputils.go
index 7683e9e..2ec74db 100644
--- a/util/toputils.go
+++ b/util/toputils.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"crypto/tls"
 	"crypto/x509"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"net/http"
@@ -90,8 +91,35 @@ func (engine *Engine) Request(path string) (interface{}, error) {
 // MonitorStats is ran as a goroutine and takes options
 // which can modify how poll values then sends to channel.
 func (engine *Engine) MonitorStats() error {
-	var pollTime time.Time
+	delay := time.Duration(engine.Delay) * time.Second
+	isFirstTime := true
+	lastPollTime := time.Now()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-engine.ShutdownCh:
+			return nil
+		case <-time.After(delay):
+			stats, newLastPollTime := engine.fetchStats(isFirstTime, lastPollTime)
+			if stats != nil && errors.Is(stats.Error, errDud) {
+				isFirstTime = false
+				lastPollTime = newLastPollTime
+			}
+
+			engine.StatsCh <- stats
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (engine *Engine) FetchStatsSnapshot() *Stats {
+	stats, _ := engine.fetchStats(true, time.Now())
+
+	return stats
+}
+
+var errDud = fmt.Errorf("")
 
+func (engine *Engine) fetchStats(isFirstTime bool, lastPollTime time.Time) (*Stats, time.Time) {
 	var inMsgsDelta int64
 	var outMsgsDelta int64
 	var inBytesDelta int64
@@ -107,89 +135,74 @@ func (engine *Engine) MonitorStats() error {
 	var inBytesRate float64
 	var outBytesRate float64
 
-	first := true
-	pollTime = time.Now()
-
-	delay := time.Duration(engine.Delay) * time.Second
+	stats := &Stats{
+		Varz:  &server.Varz{},
+		Connz: &server.Connz{},
+		Rates: &Rates{},
+		Error: errDud,
+	}
 
-	for {
-		stats := &Stats{
-			Varz:  &server.Varz{},
-			Connz: &server.Connz{},
-			Rates: &Rates{},
-			Error: fmt.Errorf(""),
+	// Get /varz
+	{
+		result, err := engine.Request("/varz")
+		if err != nil {
+			stats.Error = err
+			return stats, time.Time{}
 		}
 
-		select {
-		case <-engine.ShutdownCh:
-			return nil
-		case <-time.After(delay):
-			// Get /varz
-			{
-				result, err := engine.Request("/varz")
-				if err != nil {
-					stats.Error = err
-					engine.StatsCh <- stats
-					continue
-				}
-				if varz, ok := result.(*server.Varz); ok {
-					stats.Varz = varz
-				}
-			}
+		if varz, ok := result.(*server.Varz); ok {
+			stats.Varz = varz
+		}
+	}
 
-			// Get /connz
-			{
-				result, err := engine.Request("/connz")
-				if err != nil {
-					stats.Error = err
-					engine.StatsCh <- stats
-					continue
-				}
-				if connz, ok := result.(*server.Connz); ok {
-					stats.Connz = connz
-				}
-			}
+	// Get /connz
+	{
+		result, err := engine.Request("/connz")
+		if err != nil {
+			stats.Error = err
+			return stats, time.Time{}
+		}
 
-			// Periodic snapshot to get per sec metrics
-			inMsgsVal := stats.Varz.InMsgs
-			outMsgsVal := stats.Varz.OutMsgs
-			inBytesVal := stats.Varz.InBytes
-			outBytesVal := stats.Varz.OutBytes
-
-			inMsgsDelta = inMsgsVal - inMsgsLastVal
-			outMsgsDelta = outMsgsVal - outMsgsLastVal
-			inBytesDelta = inBytesVal - inBytesLastVal
-			outBytesDelta = outBytesVal - outBytesLastVal
-
-			inMsgsLastVal = inMsgsVal
-			outMsgsLastVal = outMsgsVal
-			inBytesLastVal = inBytesVal
-			outBytesLastVal = outBytesVal
-
-			now := time.Now()
-			tdelta := now.Sub(pollTime)
-			pollTime = now
-
-			// Calculate rates but the first time
-			if first {
-				first = false
-			} else {
-				inMsgsRate = float64(inMsgsDelta) / tdelta.Seconds()
-				outMsgsRate = float64(outMsgsDelta) / tdelta.Seconds()
-				inBytesRate = float64(inBytesDelta) / tdelta.Seconds()
-				outBytesRate = float64(outBytesDelta) / tdelta.Seconds()
-			}
+		if connz, ok := result.(*server.Connz); ok {
+			stats.Connz = connz
+		}
+	}
 
-			stats.Rates = &Rates{
-				InMsgsRate:   inMsgsRate,
-				OutMsgsRate:  outMsgsRate,
-				InBytesRate:  inBytesRate,
-				OutBytesRate: outBytesRate,
-			}
+	// Periodic snapshot to get per sec metrics
+	inMsgsVal := stats.Varz.InMsgs
+	outMsgsVal := stats.Varz.OutMsgs
+	inBytesVal := stats.Varz.InBytes
+	outBytesVal := stats.Varz.OutBytes
+
+	inMsgsDelta = inMsgsVal - inMsgsLastVal
+	outMsgsDelta = outMsgsVal - outMsgsLastVal
+	inBytesDelta = inBytesVal - inBytesLastVal
+	outBytesDelta = outBytesVal - outBytesLastVal
+
+	inMsgsLastVal = inMsgsVal
+	outMsgsLastVal = outMsgsVal
+	inBytesLastVal = inBytesVal
+	outBytesLastVal = outBytesVal
+
+	now := time.Now()
+	tdelta := now.Sub(lastPollTime)
+
+	// Calculate rates but the first time
+	if !isFirstTime {
+		inMsgsRate = float64(inMsgsDelta) / tdelta.Seconds()
+		outMsgsRate = float64(outMsgsDelta) / tdelta.Seconds()
+		inBytesRate = float64(inBytesDelta) / tdelta.Seconds()
+		outBytesRate = float64(outBytesDelta) / tdelta.Seconds()
+	}
 
-			engine.StatsCh <- stats
-		}
+	stats.Rates = &Rates{
+		InMsgsRate:   inMsgsRate,
+		OutMsgsRate:  outMsgsRate,
+		InBytesRate:  inBytesRate,
+		OutBytesRate: outBytesRate,
 	}
+
+	return stats, now
 }
 
 // SetupHTTPS sets up the http client and uri to use for polling.