diff --git a/lib/cli/writer.js b/lib/cli/writer.js
index 545c41b3..378e8528 100644
--- a/lib/cli/writer.js
+++ b/lib/cli/writer.js
@@ -16,24 +16,8 @@
 
 'use strict'
 
-const _ = require('lodash')
 const Bluebird = require('bluebird')
-const fs = Bluebird.promisifyAll(require('fs'))
-const mountutils = Bluebird.promisifyAll(require('mountutils'))
-const drivelist = Bluebird.promisifyAll(require('drivelist'))
-const os = require('os')
-const imageStream = require('../sdk/image-stream')
-const errors = require('../shared/errors')
-const constraints = require('../shared/drive-constraints')
 const ImageWriter = require('../sdk/writer')
-const diskpart = require('./diskpart')
-
-/**
- * @summary Timeout, in milliseconds, to wait before unmounting on success
- * @constant
- * @type {Number}
- */
-const UNMOUNT_ON_SUCCESS_TIMEOUT_MS = 2000
 
 /**
  * @summary Write an image to a disk drive
@@ -61,85 +45,18 @@ const UNMOUNT_ON_SUCCESS_TIMEOUT_MS = 2000
  * });
  */
 exports.writeImage = (imagePath, drive, options, onProgress) => {
-  return drivelist.listAsync().then((drives) => {
-    const selectedDrive = _.find(drives, {
-      device: drive
-    })
+  const writer = new ImageWriter({
+    path: drive,
+    imagePath,
+    verify: options.validateWriteOnSuccess,
+    checksumAlgorithms: [ 'crc32' ],
+    unmountOnSuccess: options.unmountOnSuccess
+  })
 
-    if (!selectedDrive) {
-      throw errors.createUserError({
-        title: 'The selected drive was not found',
-        description: `We can't find ${drive} in your system. Did you unplug the drive?`,
-        code: 'EUNPLUGGED'
-      })
-    }
-
-    return selectedDrive
-  }).then((driveObject) => {
-    return Bluebird.try(() => {
-      // Unmounting a drive in Windows means we can't write to it anymore
-      if (os.platform() === 'win32') {
-        return Bluebird.resolve()
-      }
-
-      return mountutils.unmountDiskAsync(driveObject.device)
-    }).then(() => {
-      return diskpart.clean(driveObject.device)
-    }).then(() => {
-      /* eslint-disable no-bitwise */
-      const flags = fs.constants.O_RDWR |
-        fs.constants.O_NONBLOCK |
-        fs.constants.O_SYNC
-      /* eslint-enable no-bitwise */
-
-      return fs.openAsync(driveObject.raw, flags)
-    }).then((driveFileDescriptor) => {
-      return imageStream.getFromFilePath(imagePath).then((image) => {
-        if (!constraints.isDriveLargeEnough(driveObject, image)) {
-          throw errors.createUserError({
-            title: 'The image you selected is too big for this drive',
-            description: 'Please connect a bigger drive and try again'
-          })
-        }
-
-        const writer = new ImageWriter({
-          image,
-          fd: driveFileDescriptor,
-          path: driveObject.raw,
-          verify: options.validateWriteOnSuccess,
-          checksumAlgorithms: [ 'crc32' ]
-        })
-
-        return writer.write()
-      }).then((writer) => {
-        return new Bluebird((resolve, reject) => {
-          writer.on('progress', onProgress)
-          writer.on('error', reject)
-          writer.on('finish', (results) => {
-            results.drive = driveObject
-            resolve(results)
-          })
-        })
-      }).tap(() => {
-        // Make sure the device stream file descriptor is closed
-        // before returning control the the caller. Not closing
-        // the file descriptor (and waiting for it) results in
-        // `EBUSY` errors when attempting to unmount the drive
-        // right afterwards in some Windows 7 systems.
-        return fs.closeAsync(driveFileDescriptor).then(() => {
-          if (!options.unmountOnSuccess) {
-            return Bluebird.resolve()
-          }
-
-          // Closing a file descriptor on a drive containing mountable
-          // partitions causes macOS to mount the drive. If we try to
-          // unmount to quickly, then the drive might get re-mounted
-          // right afterwards.
-          return Bluebird.delay(UNMOUNT_ON_SUCCESS_TIMEOUT_MS)
-            .return(driveObject.device)
-            .then(mountutils.unmountDiskAsync)
-        })
-      })
-    })
+  return new Bluebird((resolve, reject) => {
+    writer.flash()
+      .on('error', reject)
+      .on('progress', onProgress)
+      .on('finish', resolve)
   })
 }
diff --git a/lib/sdk/writer/index.js b/lib/sdk/writer/index.js
index 9238b2cb..f7faa9f3 100644
--- a/lib/sdk/writer/index.js
+++ b/lib/sdk/writer/index.js
@@ -16,6 +16,11 @@
 
 'use strict'
 
+const os = require('os')
+const fs = require('fs')
+const EventEmitter = require('events').EventEmitter
+const mountutils = require('mountutils')
+const drivelist = require('drivelist')
 const stream = require('readable-stream')
 const Pipage = require('pipage')
 const BlockMap = require('blockmap')
@@ -24,10 +29,54 @@ const BlockWriteStream = require('./block-write-stream')
 const BlockReadStream = require('./block-read-stream')
 const ChecksumStream = require('./checksum-stream')
 const ProgressStream = require('./progress-stream')
+const imageStream = require('../image-stream')
+const diskpart = require('../../cli/diskpart')
+const constraints = require('../../shared/drive-constraints')
+const errors = require('../../shared/errors')
 const debug = require('debug')('etcher:writer')
-const EventEmitter = require('events').EventEmitter
 const _ = require('lodash')
 
+/* eslint-disable prefer-reflect */
+
+/**
+ * @summary Timeout, in milliseconds, to wait before unmounting on success
+ * @constant
+ * @type {Number}
+ */
+const UNMOUNT_ON_SUCCESS_TIMEOUT_MS = 2000
+
+/**
+ * @summary Helper function to run a set of async tasks in sequence
+ * @private
+ * @param {Array<Function>} tasks - set of tasks
+ * @param {Function} callback - callback(error)
+ * @example
+ * runSeries([
+ *   (next) => first(next),
+ *   (next) => second(next),
+ * ], (error) => {
+ *   // ...
+ * })
+ */
+const runSeries = (tasks, callback) => {
+  /**
+   * @summary Task runner
+   * @param {Error} [error] - error
+   * @example
+   * run()
+   */
+  const run = (error) => {
+    const task = tasks.shift()
+    if (error || task == null) {
+      callback(error)
+      return
+    }
+    task(run)
+  }
+
+  run()
+}
+
 /**
  * @summary ImageWriter class
  * @class
@@ -36,6 +85,11 @@ class ImageWriter extends EventEmitter {
   /**
    * @summary ImageWriter constructor
    * @param {Object} options - options
+   * @param {String} options.imagePath - disk image path
+   * @param {String} options.path - dest path
+   * @param {Boolean} options.verify - whether to verify the dest
+   * @param {Boolean} options.unmountOnSuccess - whether to unmount the dest after flashing
+   * @param {Array<String>} options.checksumAlgorithms - checksums to calculate
    * @example
    * new ImageWriter(options)
    */
@@ -48,13 +102,187 @@ class ImageWriter extends EventEmitter {
     this.pipeline = null
     this.target = null
 
-    this.hadError = false
-
     this.bytesRead = 0
     this.bytesWritten = 0
     this.checksum = {}
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @summary Verify that the selected destination device exists
+   * @param {Function} callback - callback(error)
+   * @private
+   * @example
+   * writer.checkSelectedDevice((error) => {
+   *   // ...
+   * })
+   */
+  checkSelectedDevice (callback) {
+    debug('state:device-select', this.options.path)
+    this.destinationDevice = null
+    drivelist.list((error, drives) => {
+      debug('state:device-select', this.options.path, error ? 'NOT OK' : 'OK')
+
+      if (error) {
+        callback.call(this, error)
+        return
+      }
+
+      const selectedDrive = _.find(drives, {
+        device: this.options.path
+      })
+
+      if (!selectedDrive) {
+        const selectionError = errors.createUserError({
+          title: 'The selected drive was not found',
+          description: `We can't find ${this.options.path} in your system. Did you unplug the drive?`,
+          code: 'EUNPLUGGED'
+        })
+        debug('state:device-select', this.options.path, 'NOT OK')
+        callback.call(this, selectionError)
+        return
+      }
+
+      this.destinationDevice = selectedDrive
+
+      callback.call(this)
+    })
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @summary Unmount the destination device
+   * @param {Function} callback - callback(error)
+   * @private
+   * @example
+   * writer.unmountDevice((error) => {
+   *   // ...
+   * })
+   */
+  unmountDevice (callback) {
+    if (os.platform() === 'win32') {
+      callback.call(this)
+      return
+    }
+
+    debug('state:unmount', this.destinationDevice.device)
+
+    mountutils.unmountDisk(this.destinationDevice.device, (error) => {
+      debug('state:unmount', this.destinationDevice.device, error ? 'NOT OK' : 'OK')
+      callback.call(this, error)
+    })
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @summary Clean a device's partition table
+   * @param {Function} callback - callback(error)
+   * @private
+   * @example
+   * writer.removePartitionTable((error) => {
+   *   // ...
+   * })
+   */
+  removePartitionTable (callback) {
+    if (os.platform() !== 'win32') {
+      callback.call(this)
+      return
+    }
+
+    debug('state:clean', this.destinationDevice.device)
+
+    diskpart.clean(this.destinationDevice.device).asCallback((error) => {
+      debug('state:clean', this.destinationDevice.device, error ? 'NOT OK' : 'OK')
+      callback.call(this, error)
+    })
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @summary Open the source for reading
+   * @param {Function} callback - callback(error)
+   * @private
+   * @example
+   * writer.openSource((error) => {
+   *   // ...
+   * })
+   */
+  openSource (callback) {
+    debug('state:source-open', this.options.imagePath)
+    imageStream.getFromFilePath(this.options.imagePath).asCallback((error, image) => {
+      debug('state:source-open', this.options.imagePath, error ? 'NOT OK' : 'OK')
+      if (error) {
+        callback.call(this, error)
+        return
+      }
+
+      if (!constraints.isDriveLargeEnough(this.destinationDevice, image)) {
+        const driveError = errors.createUserError({
+          title: 'The image you selected is too big for this drive',
+          description: 'Please connect a bigger drive and try again'
+        })
+        debug('state:source-open', this.options.imagePath, 'NOT OK')
+        callback.call(this, driveError)
+        return
+      }
+
+      this.options.image = image
+
+      callback.call(this)
+    })
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @summary Open the destination for writing
+   * @param {Function} callback - callback(error)
+   * @private
+   * @example
+   * writer.openDestination((error) => {
+   *   // ...
+   * })
+   */
+  openDestination (callback) {
+    debug('state:destination-open', this.destinationDevice.raw)
+
+    /* eslint-disable no-bitwise */
+    const flags = fs.constants.O_RDWR |
+      fs.constants.O_NONBLOCK |
+      fs.constants.O_SYNC
+    /* eslint-enable no-bitwise */
+
+    fs.open(this.destinationDevice.raw, flags, (error, fd) => {
+      debug('state:destination-open', this.destinationDevice.raw, error ? 'NOT OK' : 'OK')
+      this.options.fd = fd
+      callback.call(this, error)
+    })
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @summary Start the flashing process
+   * @returns {ImageWriter} imageWriter
+   * @example
+   * imageWriter.flash()
+   *   .on('error', reject)
+   *   .on('progress', onProgress)
+   *   .on('finish', resolve)
+   */
+  flash () {
+    const tasks = [
+      (next) => { this.checkSelectedDevice(next) },
+      (next) => { this.unmountDevice(next) },
+      (next) => { this.removePartitionTable(next) },
+      (next) => { this.openSource(next) },
+      (next) => { this.openDestination(next) }
+    ]
+
+    runSeries(tasks, (error) => {
+      if (error) {
+        this.emit('error')
+        return
+      }
+
+      this.write()
+    })
+
+    return this
+  }
+
   /**
    * @summary Start the writing process
    * @returns {ImageWriter} imageWriter
@@ -62,15 +290,12 @@ class ImageWriter extends EventEmitter {
    * imageWriter.write()
    */
   write () {
-    this.hadError = false
-
     this._createWritePipeline(this.options)
       .on('checksum', (checksum) => {
         debug('write:checksum', checksum)
         this.checksum = checksum
       })
       .on('error', (error) => {
-        this.hadError = true
         this.emit('error', error)
       })
 
@@ -80,7 +305,7 @@ class ImageWriter extends EventEmitter {
       if (this.options.verify) {
         this.verify()
       } else {
-        this._emitFinish()
+        this._finish()
       }
     })
 
@@ -96,7 +321,6 @@ class ImageWriter extends EventEmitter {
   verify () {
     this._createVerifyPipeline(this.options)
       .on('error', (error) => {
-        this.hadError = true
         this.emit('error', error)
       })
       .on('checksum', (checksum) => {
@@ -106,13 +330,13 @@ class ImageWriter extends EventEmitter {
           error.code = 'EVALIDATION'
           this.emit('error', error)
         }
-        this._emitFinish()
+        this._finish()
       })
       .on('finish', () => {
         debug('verify:end')
 
         // NOTE: As the 'checksum' event only happens after
-        // the 'finish' event, we `._emitFinish()` there instead of here
+        // the 'finish' event, we `._finish()` there instead of here
       })
 
     return this
@@ -125,22 +349,56 @@ class ImageWriter extends EventEmitter {
    */
   abort () {
     if (this.source) {
-      this.emit('abort')
       this.source.destroy()
     }
+    this.emit('abort')
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @summary Cleanup after writing; close file descriptors & unmount
+   * @param {Function} callback - callback(error)
+   * @private
+   * @example
+   * writer._cleanup((error) => {
+   *   // ...
+   * })
+   */
+  _cleanup (callback) {
+    debug('state:cleanup')
+    fs.close(this.options.fd, (closeError) => {
+      debug('state:cleanup', closeError ? 'NOT OK' : 'OK')
+      if (!this.options.unmountOnSuccess) {
+        callback.call(this, closeError)
+        return
+      }
+
+      // Closing a file descriptor on a drive containing mountable
+      // partitions causes macOS to mount the drive. If we try to
+      // unmount too quickly, then the drive might get re-mounted
+      // right afterwards.
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        mountutils.unmountDisk(this.destinationDevice.device, (error) => {
+          debug('state:cleanup', error ? 'NOT OK' : 'OK')
+          callback.call(this, error)
+        })
+      }, UNMOUNT_ON_SUCCESS_TIMEOUT_MS)
+    })
   }
 
   /**
    * @summary Emits the `finish` event with state metadata
    * @private
    * @example
-   * this._emitFinish()
+   * this._finish()
    */
-  _emitFinish () {
-    this.emit('finish', {
-      bytesRead: this.bytesRead,
-      bytesWritten: this.bytesWritten,
-      checksum: this.checksum
+  _finish () {
+    this._cleanup(() => {
+      this.emit('finish', {
+        drive: this.destinationDevice,
+        bytesRead: this.bytesRead,
+        bytesWritten: this.bytesWritten,
+        checksum: this.checksum
+      })
     })
   }
 
@@ -216,9 +474,6 @@ class ImageWriter extends EventEmitter {
 
     const target = new BlockWriteStream({
       fd: options.fd,
-      path: options.path,
-      flags: options.flags,
-      mode: options.mode,
       autoClose: false
     })
 
@@ -296,9 +551,6 @@ class ImageWriter extends EventEmitter {
 
     const source = new BlockReadStream({
       fd: options.fd,
-      path: options.path,
-      flags: options.flags,
-      mode: options.mode,
       autoClose: false,
       start: 0,
       end: size