diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index f8a9a045a75..96191833fe1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ jobs:
           submodules: true
       - uses: actions-rs/toolchain@v1
         with:
-          toolchain: nightly
+          toolchain: nightly-2022-03-16
           target: ${{ matrix.target }}
           override: true
       - uses: Swatinem/rust-cache@v1
diff --git a/examples/extension.rs b/examples/extension.rs
index c2299028be5..70b9e076029 100644
--- a/examples/extension.rs
+++ b/examples/extension.rs
@@ -38,11 +38,13 @@ fn write_ipc<W: Write + Seek>(writer: W, array: impl Array + 'static) -> Result<
     let schema = vec![Field::new("a", array.data_type().clone(), false)].into();
 
     let options = write::WriteOptions { compression: None };
-    let mut writer = write::FileWriter::try_new(writer, &schema, None, options)?;
+    let mut writer = write::FileWriter::new(writer, schema, None, options);
 
     let batch = Chunk::try_new(vec![Arc::new(array) as Arc<dyn Array>])?;
 
+    writer.start()?;
     writer.write(&batch, None)?;
+    writer.finish()?;
 
     Ok(writer.into_inner())
 }
diff --git a/examples/ipc_file_write.rs b/examples/ipc_file_write.rs
index 3bd64981724..a1e4e43e2ec 100644
--- a/examples/ipc_file_write.rs
+++ b/examples/ipc_file_write.rs
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@ use arrow2::datatypes::{DataType, Field, Schema};
 use arrow2::error::Result;
 use arrow2::io::ipc::write;
 
-fn write_batches(path: &str, schema: &Schema, columns: &[Chunk<Arc<dyn Array>>]) -> Result<()> {
+fn write_batches(path: &str, schema: Schema, columns: &[Chunk<Arc<dyn Array>>]) -> Result<()> {
     let file = File::create(path)?;
 
     let options = write::WriteOptions { compression: None };
-    let mut writer = write::FileWriter::try_new(file, schema, None, options)?;
+    let mut writer = write::FileWriter::new(file, schema, None, options);
 
+    writer.start()?;
     for columns in columns {
         writer.write(columns, None)?
     }
@@ -37,6 +38,6 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let batch = Chunk::try_new(vec![Arc::new(a) as Arc<dyn Array>, Arc::new(b)])?;
 
     // write it
-    write_batches(file_path, &schema, &[batch])?;
+    write_batches(file_path, schema, &[batch])?;
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/io/ipc/write/writer.rs b/src/io/ipc/write/writer.rs
index 7c3527931de..467e9fefd8f 100644
--- a/src/io/ipc/write/writer.rs
+++ b/src/io/ipc/write/writer.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ use crate::chunk::Chunk;
 use crate::datatypes::*;
 use crate::error::{ArrowError, Result};
 
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+enum State {
+    None,
+    Started,
+    Finished,
+}
+
 /// Arrow file writer
 pub struct FileWriter<W: Write> {
     /// The object to write to
@@ -31,47 +38,49 @@ pub struct FileWriter<W: Write> {
     /// Record blocks that will be written as part of the IPC footer
     record_blocks: Vec<arrow_format::ipc::Block>,
     /// Whether the writer footer has been written, and the writer is finished
-    finished: bool,
+    state: State,
     /// Keeps track of dictionaries that have been written
     dictionary_tracker: DictionaryTracker,
 }
 
 impl<W: Write> FileWriter<W> {
-    /// Try create a new writer, with the schema written as part of the header
+    /// Creates a new [`FileWriter`] and writes the header to `writer`
     pub fn try_new(
-        mut writer: W,
+        writer: W,
         schema: &Schema,
         ipc_fields: Option<Vec<IpcField>>,
         options: WriteOptions,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
-        // write magic to header
-        writer.write_all(&ARROW_MAGIC[..])?;
-        // create an 8-byte boundary after the header
-        writer.write_all(&[0, 0])?;
-        // write the schema, set the written bytes to the schema
+        let mut slf = Self::new(writer, schema.clone(), ipc_fields, options);
+        slf.start()?;
+
+        Ok(slf)
+    }
 
+    /// Creates a new [`FileWriter`].
+    pub fn new(
+        writer: W,
+        schema: Schema,
+        ipc_fields: Option<Vec<IpcField>>,
+        options: WriteOptions,
+    ) -> Self {
         let ipc_fields = if let Some(ipc_fields) = ipc_fields {
             ipc_fields
         } else {
             default_ipc_fields(&schema.fields)
         };
-        let encoded_message = EncodedData {
-            ipc_message: schema_to_bytes(schema, &ipc_fields),
-            arrow_data: vec![],
-        };
 
-        let (meta, data) = write_message(&mut writer, encoded_message)?;
-        Ok(Self {
+        Self {
             writer,
             options,
-            schema: schema.clone(),
+            schema,
             ipc_fields,
-            block_offsets: meta + data + 8,
+            block_offsets: 0,
             dictionary_blocks: vec![],
             record_blocks: vec![],
-            finished: false,
+            state: State::None,
             dictionary_tracker: DictionaryTracker::new(true),
-        })
+        }
     }
 
     /// Consumes itself into the inner writer
@@ -79,17 +88,40 @@ impl<W: Write> FileWriter<W> {
         self.writer
     }
 
+    /// Writes the header and first (schema) message to the file.
+    /// # Errors
+    /// Errors if the file has been started or has finished.
+    pub fn start(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        if self.state != State::None {
+            return Err(ArrowError::oos("The IPC file can only be started once"));
+        }
+        // write magic to header
+        self.writer.write_all(&ARROW_MAGIC[..])?;
+        // create an 8-byte boundary after the header
+        self.writer.write_all(&[0, 0])?;
+        // write the schema, set the written bytes to the schema
+
+        let encoded_message = EncodedData {
+            ipc_message: schema_to_bytes(&self.schema, &self.ipc_fields),
+            arrow_data: vec![],
+        };
+
+        let (meta, data) = write_message(&mut self.writer, encoded_message)?;
+        self.block_offsets += meta + data + 8; // 8 <=> arrow magic + 2 bytes for alignment
+        self.state = State::Started;
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     /// Writes [`Chunk`] to the file
     pub fn write(
         &mut self,
         columns: &Chunk<Arc<dyn Array>>,
         ipc_fields: Option<&[IpcField]>,
     ) -> Result<()> {
-        if self.finished {
-            return Err(ArrowError::Io(std::io::Error::new(
-                std::io::ErrorKind::UnexpectedEof,
-                "Cannot write to a finished file".to_string(),
-            )));
+        if self.state != State::Started {
+            return Err(ArrowError::oos(
+                "The IPC file must be started before it can be written to. Call `start` before `write`",
+            ));
         }
 
         let ipc_fields = if let Some(ipc_fields) = ipc_fields {
@@ -132,6 +164,12 @@ impl<W: Write> FileWriter<W> {
 
     /// Write footer and closing tag, then mark the writer as done
     pub fn finish(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        if self.state != State::Started {
+            return Err(ArrowError::oos(
+                "The IPC file must be started before it can be finished. Call `start` before `finish`",
+            ));
+        }
+
         // write EOS
         write_continuation(&mut self.writer, 0)?;
 
@@ -151,7 +189,7 @@ impl<W: Write> FileWriter<W> {
             .write_all(&(footer_data.len() as i32).to_le_bytes())?;
         self.writer.write_all(&ARROW_MAGIC)?;
         self.writer.flush()?;
-        self.finished = true;
+        self.state = State::Finished;
 
         Ok(())
     }