diff --git a/src/dolphin/_decorators.py b/src/dolphin/_decorators.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f68d97c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dolphin/_decorators.py
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+import functools
+import inspect
+import shutil
+import tempfile
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Callable, Optional
+
+from dolphin._log import get_log
+from dolphin._types import Filename
+
+logger = get_log(__name__)
+
+__all__ = [
+    "atomic_output",
+]
+
+
+def atomic_output(
+    function: Optional[Callable] = None,
+    output_arg: str = "output_file",
+    is_dir: bool = False,
+    scratch_dir: Optional[Filename] = None,
+) -> Callable:
+    """Use a temporary file/directory for the `output_arg` until the function finishes.
+
+    Decorator is used on a function which writes to an output file/directory in blocks.
+    If the function were interrupted, the file/directory would be partiall complete.
+
+    This decorator replaces the final output name with a temp file/dir, and then
+    renames the temp file/dir to the final name after the function finishes.
+
+    Note that when `is_dir=True`, `output_arg` can be a directory (if multiple files
+    are being written to). In this case, the entire directory is temporary, and
+    renamed after the function finishes.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    function : Optional[Callable]
+        Used if the decorator is called without any arguments (i.e. as
+        `@atomic_output` instead of `@atomic_output(output_arg=...)`)
+    output_arg : str, optional
+        The name of the argument to replace, by default 'output_file'
+    is_dir : bool, default = False
+        If True, the output argument is a directory, not a file
+    scratch_dir : Optional[Filename]
+        The directory to use for the temporary file, by default None
+        If None, uses the same directory as the final requested output.
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    Callable
+        The decorated function
+    """
+
+    def actual_decorator(func: Callable) -> Callable:
+        # Want to be able to use this decorator with or without arguments:
+        # https://stackoverflow.com/a/19017908/4174466
+        # Code adapted from the `@login_required` decorator in Django:
+        # https://github.com/django/django/blob/d254a54e7f65e83d8971bd817031bc6af32a7a46/django/contrib/auth/decorators.py#L43  # noqa
+        @functools.wraps(func)
+        def wrapper(*args, **kwargs) -> Any:
+            # Extract the output file path
+            if output_arg in kwargs:
+                final_out_name = kwargs[output_arg]
+            else:
+                sig = inspect.signature(func)
+                if output_arg in sig.parameters:
+                    final_out_name = sig.parameters[output_arg].default
+                else:
+                    raise ValueError(
+                        f"Argument {output_arg} not found in function {func.__name__}"
+                    )
+
+            final_path = Path(final_out_name)
+            if scratch_dir is None:
+                tmp_dir = final_path.parent
+            else:
+                tmp_dir = None
+
+            prefix = final_path.name
+            if is_dir:
+                # Create a temporary directory
+                temp_path = tempfile.mkdtemp(dir=tmp_dir, prefix=prefix)
+            else:
+                # Create a temporary file
+                _, temp_path = tempfile.mkstemp(dir=tmp_dir, prefix=prefix)
+            logger.debug("Writing to temp file %s instead of %s", temp_path, final_path)
+
+            try:
+                # Replace the output file path with the temp file
+                kwargs[output_arg] = temp_path
+                # Execute the original function
+                result = func(*args, **kwargs)
+                # Move the temp file to the final location
+                shutil.move(temp_path, final_path)
+
+                return result
+            finally:
+                logger.debug("Cleaning up temp file %s", temp_path)
+                if is_dir:
+                    shutil.rmtree(temp_path, ignore_errors=True)
+                else:
+                    Path(temp_path).unlink(missing_ok=True)
+
+        return wrapper
+
+    if function is not None:
+        # Decorator used without arguments
+        return actual_decorator(function)
+    # Decorator used with arguments
+    return actual_decorator