diff --git a/cmd/get.go b/cmd/get.go
index bf625fe..d227721 100644
--- a/cmd/get.go
+++ b/cmd/get.go
@@ -28,10 +28,12 @@ var cacheCredentials bool
 var writeToFile string
 var cacheToFile string
 
+const defaultOutput = "~/.aws/credentials"
+
 func init() {
 	RootCmd.AddCommand(cmdGet)
 	cmdGet.Flags().StringVarP(
-		&output, "output", "o", "~/.aws/credentials", "How or where to output credentials. Two special values are supported 'environment' and 'credential_process'. All other values are interpreted as file paths",
+		&output, "output", "o", defaultOutput, "How or where to output credentials. Two special values are supported 'environment' and 'credential_process'. All other values are interpreted as file paths",
 	)
 
 	cmdGet.Flags().BoolVarP(
@@ -45,7 +47,7 @@ func init() {
 
 	// Keep the old flags as is.
 	cmdGet.Flags().StringVarP(
-		&writeToFile, "write-to-file", "w", "~/.aws/credentials",
+		&writeToFile, "write-to-file", "w", defaultOutput,
 		"Write credentials to this file instead of the default",
 	)
 	cmdGet.Flags().BoolVarP(
@@ -79,7 +81,8 @@ func preferredOutput(cmd *cobra.Command, app string) string {
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Log.Warnf("Error getting output flag: %v", err)
 	}
-	if out != "" {
+	if out != "" && out != defaultOutput {
+		log.Log.Tracef("output flag sets output to: %s", out)
 		return out
 	}
 
@@ -87,25 +90,29 @@ func preferredOutput(cmd *cobra.Command, app string) string {
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Log.Warnf("Error getting write-to-file flag: %v", err)
 	}
-	if out != "" {
+	if out != "" && out != defaultOutput {
+		log.Log.Tracef("write-to-file flag sets output: %s", out)
 		return out
 	}
 
 	out = viper.GetString(fmt.Sprintf("apps.%s.output", app))
 	if out != "" {
+		log.Log.Tracef("App specific config sets output to: %s", out)
 		return out
 	}
 
 	out = viper.GetString("global.output")
 	if out != "" {
+		log.Log.Tracef("Global config sets output to: %s", out)
 		return out
 	}
 
-	return "~/.aws/credentials"
+	return defaultOutput
 }
 
 func setOutput(cmd *cobra.Command, app string) {
 	o := preferredOutput(cmd, app)
+	log.Log.Tracef("Preferred output: %s", o)
 	writeToFile = ""
 	switch o {
 	case "environment":
diff --git a/cmd/get_test.go b/cmd/get_test.go
index a6d326e..cb65b2c 100644
--- a/cmd/get_test.go
+++ b/cmd/get_test.go
@@ -8,9 +8,13 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/allcloud-io/clisso/log"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
+var _ = log.NewLogger("panic", "", false)
+
 var testdata = []struct {
 	app      int32
 	provider int32
@@ -33,3 +37,42 @@ func TestSessionDuration(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+func TestPreferredOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	testdata := []struct {
+		outputFlag      string
+		writeToFileFlag string
+		appConfig       string
+		globalConfig    string
+		result          string
+	}{
+		{"environment", "", "", "", "environment"},
+		{"credential_process", "", "", "", "credential_process"},
+		{"", "", "~/.aws/test", "", "~/.aws/test"},
+		{"", "", "", "test", "test"},
+		{defaultOutput, "", "", "", defaultOutput},
+		{defaultOutput, "", "credential_process", "", "credential_process"},
+		{defaultOutput, "", "credential_process", "~/global", "credential_process"},
+		{defaultOutput, "", "", "~/global", "~/global"},
+		{"~/test", "", "credential_process", "", "~/test"},
+		{"~/test", "", "credential_process", "~/global", "~/test"},
+		{"~/test", "", "", "~/global", "~/test"},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range testdata {
+		viper.Set("apps.test.output", tc.appConfig)
+		viper.Set("global.output", tc.globalConfig)
+
+		cmd := &cobra.Command{}
+		cmd.Flags().StringVarP(
+			&output, "output", "o", tc.outputFlag, "fake",
+		)
+		cmd.Flags().StringVarP(
+			&output, "write-to-file", "f", tc.outputFlag, "fake legacy flag",
+		)
+
+		res := preferredOutput(cmd, "test")
+		if res != tc.result {
+			t.Fatalf("Invalid output: got %v, want: %v", res, tc.result)
+		}
+	}
+}