diff --git a/include/data.h b/include/data.h
index 067965f21..bd41e21af 100644
--- a/include/data.h
+++ b/include/data.h
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ typedef struct
   char   *induction_directory;
   char   *outfile_check_directory;
   uint    loopback;
-  char   *loopback_file;
+
   uint    restore;
   uint    restore_timer;
   uint    restore_disable;
@@ -177,8 +177,8 @@ typedef struct
   hashconfig_t *hashconfig;
 
   outfile_ctx_t *outfile_ctx;
-
   potfile_ctx_t *potfile_ctx;
+  loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx;
 
   #if defined (HAVE_HWMON)
   uint    gpu_temp_disable;
diff --git a/include/loopback.h b/include/loopback.h
index 127543b59..edd066009 100644
--- a/include/loopback.h
+++ b/include/loopback.h
@@ -6,4 +6,27 @@
 #ifndef _LOOPBACK_H
 #define _LOOPBACK_H
 
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <time.h>
+
+#define LOOPBACK        0
+#define LOOPBACK_FILE   "hashcat.loopback"
+
+typedef struct
+{
+  FILE *fp;
+  char *filename;
+
+} loopback_ctx_t;
+
+void loopback_init          (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx);
+void loopback_destroy       (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx);
+int  loopback_write_open    (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx, const char *induction_directory);
+void loopback_write_close   (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx);
+void loopback_format_plain  (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx, const u8 *plain_ptr, const unsigned int plain_len);
+void loopback_write_append  (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx, const u8 *plain_ptr, const unsigned int plain_len);
+void loopback_write_unlink  (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx);
+
 #endif // _LOOPBACK_H
diff --git a/src/data.c b/src/data.c
index 04a1129c6..ae1430fef 100644
--- a/src/data.c
+++ b/src/data.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "opencl.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 
 hc_global_data_t data;
diff --git a/src/hashcat.c b/src/hashcat.c
index 9b2f05c13..b9274eddb 100644
--- a/src/hashcat.c
+++ b/src/hashcat.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 #include "restore.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 #include "affinity.h"
 #include "bitmap.h"
@@ -72,7 +73,6 @@
 #include "version.h"
 #include "benchmark.h"
 #include "outfile_check.h"
-#include "loopback.h"
 #include "weak_hash.h"
 #include "hash_management.h"
 #include "remove.h"
@@ -110,51 +110,6 @@ const int comptime = COMPTIME;
 // outfile_check
 #define OUTFILE_CHECK_TIMER     5
 
-// loopback
-#define LOOPBACK                0
-#define LOOPBACK_FILE           "hashcat.loopback"
-typedef struct
-{
-  FILE *fp;
-
-} loopback_ctx_t;
-void loopback_format_plain (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx, const unsigned char *plain_ptr, const uint plain_len)
-{
-  int needs_hexify = 0;
-
-  for (uint i = 0; i < plain_len; i++)
-  {
-    if (plain_ptr[i] < 0x20)
-    {
-      needs_hexify = 1;
-
-      break;
-    }
-
-    if (plain_ptr[i] > 0x7f)
-    {
-      needs_hexify = 1;
-
-      break;
-    }
-  }
-
-  if (needs_hexify == 1)
-  {
-    fprintf (loopback_ctx->fp, "$HEX[");
-
-    for (uint i = 0; i < plain_len; i++)
-    {
-      fprintf (loopback_ctx->fp, "%02x", plain_ptr[i]);
-    }
-
-    fprintf (loopback_ctx->fp, "]");
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    fwrite (plain_ptr, plain_len, 1, loopback_ctx->fp);
-  }
-}
 
 // weak_hash
 #define WEAK_HASH_THRESHOLD     100
@@ -479,7 +434,6 @@ static void check_checkpoint ()
 static void check_hash (hc_device_param_t *device_param, plain_t *plain)
 {
   uint  quiet      = data.quiet;
-  uint  loopback   = data.loopback;
   uint  debug_mode = data.debug_mode;
   char *debug_file = data.debug_file;
 
@@ -742,24 +696,13 @@ static void check_hash (hc_device_param_t *device_param, plain_t *plain)
     }
   }
 
-  // loopback
+  // if enabled, update also the loopback file
 
-  if (loopback)
+  loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx = data.loopback_ctx;
+
+  if (loopback_ctx->fp)
   {
-    char *loopback_file = data.loopback_file;
-
-    loopback_ctx_t loopback_ctx;
-
-    loopback_ctx.fp = fopen (loopback_file, "ab");
-
-    if (loopback_ctx.fp != NULL)
-    {
-      loopback_format_plain (&loopback_ctx, plain_ptr, plain_len);
-
-      fputc ('\n', loopback_ctx.fp);
-
-      fclose (loopback_ctx.fp);
-    }
+    loopback_write_append (loopback_ctx, plain_ptr, plain_len);
   }
 
   // (rule) debug mode
@@ -5111,14 +5054,6 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 
   data.induction_directory = induction_directory;
 
-  /**
-   * loopback
-   */
-
-  size_t loopback_size = strlen (session_dir) + 1 + session_size + strlen (LOOPBACK_FILE) + 12;
-
-  char *loopback_file = (char *) mymalloc (loopback_size);
-
   /**
    * tuning db
    */
@@ -5600,6 +5535,16 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
       SUPPRESS_OUTPUT = 0;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * loopback
+     */
+
+    loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx = mymalloc (sizeof (loopback_ctx_t));
+
+    data.loopback_ctx = loopback_ctx;
+
+    loopback_init (loopback_ctx);
+
     /**
      * word len
      */
@@ -12226,23 +12171,6 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
           }
         }
 
-        /*
-         * Update loopback file
-         */
-
-        if (loopback == 1)
-        {
-          time_t now;
-
-          time (&now);
-
-          uint random_num = get_random_num (0, 9999);
-
-          snprintf (loopback_file, loopback_size - 1, "%s/%s.%d_%i", induction_directory, LOOPBACK_FILE, (int) now, random_num);
-
-          data.loopback_file = loopback_file;
-        }
-
         /*
          * Update dictionary statistic
          */
@@ -12252,6 +12180,15 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
           dictstat_write (dictstat_ctx);
         }
 
+        /**
+         * Update loopback file
+         */
+
+        if (loopback == 1)
+        {
+          loopback_write_open (loopback_ctx, induction_directory);
+        }
+
         /**
          * create autotune threads
          */
@@ -12430,6 +12367,15 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
           dictpos--;
         }
 
+        /**
+         * Update loopback file
+         */
+
+        if (loopback == 1)
+        {
+          loopback_write_close (loopback_ctx);
+        }
+
         time_t runtime_stop;
 
         time (&runtime_stop);
@@ -12835,6 +12781,8 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 
     dictstat_destroy (dictstat_ctx);
 
+    loopback_destroy (loopback_ctx);
+
     local_free (all_kernel_rules_cnt);
     local_free (all_kernel_rules_buf);
 
@@ -12910,12 +12858,6 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 
   tuning_db_destroy (tuning_db);
 
-  // loopback
-
-  local_free (loopback_file);
-
-  if (loopback == 1) unlink (loopback_file);
-
   // induction directory
 
   if (induction_dir == NULL)
diff --git a/src/hlfmt.c b/src/hlfmt.c
index f65f70774..60d4ff6ad 100644
--- a/src/hlfmt.c
+++ b/src/hlfmt.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "restore.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 #include "hlfmt.h"
 
diff --git a/src/hwmon.c b/src/hwmon.c
index 262901358..8e6cf2548 100644
--- a/src/hwmon.c
+++ b/src/hwmon.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "thread.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 
 hc_thread_mutex_t mux_hwmon;
diff --git a/src/logfile.c b/src/logfile.c
index af1c03862..8ade8229e 100644
--- a/src/logfile.c
+++ b/src/logfile.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include "restore.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 #include "logfile.h"
 
diff --git a/src/loopback.c b/src/loopback.c
index f33111804..0ddbd6234 100644
--- a/src/loopback.c
+++ b/src/loopback.c
@@ -4,4 +4,105 @@
  */
 
 #include "common.h"
+#include "types_int.h"
+#include "memory.h"
+#include "logging.h"
+#include "shared.h"
 #include "loopback.h"
+
+void loopback_init (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx)
+{
+  loopback_ctx->fp = NULL;
+
+  loopback_ctx->filename = (char *) mymalloc (HCBUFSIZ_TINY);
+}
+
+void loopback_destroy (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx)
+{
+  myfree (loopback_ctx->filename);
+}
+
+int loopback_write_open (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx, const char *induction_directory)
+{
+  time_t now;
+
+  time (&now);
+
+  const uint random_num = get_random_num (0, 9999);
+
+  snprintf (loopback_ctx->filename, HCBUFSIZ_TINY - 1, "%s/%s.%d_%u", induction_directory, LOOPBACK_FILE, (int) now, random_num);
+
+  loopback_ctx->fp = fopen (loopback_ctx->filename, "ab");
+
+  if (loopback_ctx->fp == NULL)
+  {
+    log_error ("ERROR: %s: %s", loopback_ctx->filename, strerror (errno));
+
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+void loopback_write_unlink (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx)
+{
+  if (loopback_ctx->filename == NULL) return;
+
+  unlink (loopback_ctx->filename);
+}
+
+void loopback_write_close (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx)
+{
+  if (loopback_ctx->fp == NULL) return;
+
+  fclose (loopback_ctx->fp);
+}
+
+void loopback_format_plain (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx, const u8 *plain_ptr, const unsigned int plain_len)
+{
+  int needs_hexify = 0;
+
+  for (uint i = 0; i < plain_len; i++)
+  {
+    if (plain_ptr[i] < 0x20)
+    {
+      needs_hexify = 1;
+
+      break;
+    }
+
+    if (plain_ptr[i] > 0x7f)
+    {
+      needs_hexify = 1;
+
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (needs_hexify == 1)
+  {
+    fprintf (loopback_ctx->fp, "$HEX[");
+
+    for (uint i = 0; i < plain_len; i++)
+    {
+      fprintf (loopback_ctx->fp, "%02x", plain_ptr[i]);
+    }
+
+    fprintf (loopback_ctx->fp, "]");
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    fwrite (plain_ptr, plain_len, 1, loopback_ctx->fp);
+  }
+}
+
+void loopback_write_append (loopback_ctx_t *loopback_ctx, const u8 *plain_ptr, const unsigned int plain_len)
+{
+  FILE *fp = loopback_ctx->fp;
+
+  loopback_format_plain (loopback_ctx, plain_ptr, plain_len);
+
+  fputc ('\n', fp);
+
+  fflush (fp);
+}
diff --git a/src/mpsp.c b/src/mpsp.c
index b62327ba5..6b9043c09 100644
--- a/src/mpsp.c
+++ b/src/mpsp.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "restore.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 //#include "shared.h"
 
diff --git a/src/opencl.c b/src/opencl.c
index ed3da5988..59586f18e 100644
--- a/src/opencl.c
+++ b/src/opencl.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "restore.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 
 extern hc_global_data_t data;
diff --git a/src/restore.c b/src/restore.c
index 072bd48dc..3bcb8c781 100644
--- a/src/restore.c
+++ b/src/restore.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "restore.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 
 extern hc_global_data_t data;
diff --git a/src/rp_cpu.c b/src/rp_cpu.c
index 1f13c2b9a..ddb1298b9 100644
--- a/src/rp_cpu.c
+++ b/src/rp_cpu.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "restore.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 #include "shared.h"
 #include "rp_cpu.h"
diff --git a/src/status.c b/src/status.c
index 2ef9e64fb..c62f45b47 100644
--- a/src/status.c
+++ b/src/status.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "interface.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 //#include "shared.h"
 #include "status.h"
diff --git a/src/stdout.c b/src/stdout.c
index 64ce84ec7..4bc794134 100644
--- a/src/stdout.c
+++ b/src/stdout.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "restore.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 #include "stdout.h"
 
diff --git a/src/thread.c b/src/thread.c
index e0db0ab17..776f8a237 100644
--- a/src/thread.c
+++ b/src/thread.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "restore.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "status.h"
 #include "data.h"
 
diff --git a/src/wordlist.c b/src/wordlist.c
index 43ec968d7..bb70983bd 100644
--- a/src/wordlist.c
+++ b/src/wordlist.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "restore.h"
 #include "outfile.h"
 #include "potfile.h"
+#include "loopback.h"
 #include "data.h"
 #include "wordlist.h"