diff --git a/cli/src/main/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/GenerateVersionsYaml.kt b/cli/src/main/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/GenerateVersionsYaml.kt
index f88db5bf..b11d5300 100644
--- a/cli/src/main/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/GenerateVersionsYaml.kt
+++ b/cli/src/main/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/GenerateVersionsYaml.kt
@@ -6,10 +6,9 @@ import io.github.cdsap.projectgenerator.model.Versions
 import java.io.File
 
 class GenerateVersionsYaml {
-    fun generate() {
-        val file = File("versions.yaml")
-        file.writeText(render())
-        if (file.exists()) println("file versions.yaml created ")
+    fun generate(outputFile: File = File("versions.yaml")) {
+        outputFile.writeText(render())
+        if (outputFile.exists()) println("file ${outputFile.name} created ")
     }
 
     internal fun render(versions: Versions = Versions(), gradle: Gradle = Gradle.latest()): String {
diff --git a/cli/src/main/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/Main.kt b/cli/src/main/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/Main.kt
index 4c85fbb9..6dbb04a9 100644
--- a/cli/src/main/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/Main.kt
+++ b/cli/src/main/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/Main.kt
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import com.github.ajalt.clikt.parameters.types.choice
 import com.github.ajalt.clikt.parameters.types.file
 import com.github.ajalt.clikt.parameters.types.int
 import io.github.cdsap.projectgenerator.model.*
+import java.io.File
 
 fun main(args: Array<String>) {
     ProjectReportCli()
@@ -89,6 +90,6 @@ class GenerateProjects : CliktCommand(name = "generate-project") {
 
 class GenerateYaml : CliktCommand(name = "generate-yaml-versions") {
     override fun run() {
-        GenerateVersionsYaml().generate()
+        GenerateVersionsYaml().generate(File("versions.yaml"))
     }
 }
diff --git a/cli/src/test/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/GenerateVersionsYamlTest.kt b/cli/src/test/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/GenerateVersionsYamlTest.kt
index 480a3a26..bf1d78b2 100644
--- a/cli/src/test/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/GenerateVersionsYamlTest.kt
+++ b/cli/src/test/kotlin/io/github/cdsap/projectgenerator/cli/GenerateVersionsYamlTest.kt
@@ -2,11 +2,18 @@ package io.github.cdsap.projectgenerator.cli
 
 import io.github.cdsap.projectgenerator.model.Gradle
 import io.github.cdsap.projectgenerator.model.Versions
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.io.TempDir
+import java.io.File
+import java.nio.file.Path
 
 class GenerateVersionsYamlTest {
 
+    @TempDir
+    lateinit var tempDir: Path
+
     @Test
     fun `render includes key defaults and plugin sections`() {
         val versions = Versions()
@@ -34,4 +41,15 @@ class GenerateVersionsYamlTest {
         assertTrue(yaml.contains("id: ${rootPlugin.id}"))
         assertTrue(yaml.contains("version: ${rootPlugin.version}"))
     }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `generate writes rendered yaml to explicit output file`() {
+        val outputFile = File(tempDir.toFile(), "versions.yaml")
+        val generator = GenerateVersionsYaml()
+
+        generator.generate(outputFile)
+
+        assertTrue(outputFile.exists())
+        assertEquals(generator.render(), outputFile.readText())
+    }
 }