diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 6a58876bd..d8363d38b 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ pub mod write;
 pub use streaming_decompression::fallible_streaming_iterator;
 pub use streaming_decompression::FallibleStreamingIterator;
 
+const HEADER_SIZE: u64 = PARQUET_MAGIC.len() as u64;
 const FOOTER_SIZE: u64 = 8;
 const PARQUET_MAGIC: [u8; 4] = [b'P', b'A', b'R', b'1'];
 
diff --git a/src/read/metadata.rs b/src/read/metadata.rs
index b57358f26..6f166c1d0 100644
--- a/src/read/metadata.rs
+++ b/src/read/metadata.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use parquet_format_async_temp::FileMetaData as TFileMetaData;
 use super::super::{metadata::FileMetaData, DEFAULT_FOOTER_READ_SIZE, FOOTER_SIZE, PARQUET_MAGIC};
 
 use crate::error::{Error, Result};
+use crate::HEADER_SIZE;
 
 pub(super) fn metadata_len(buffer: &[u8], len: usize) -> i32 {
     i32::from_le_bytes(buffer[len - 8..len - 4].try_into().unwrap())
@@ -41,9 +42,9 @@ fn stream_len(seek: &mut impl Seek) -> std::result::Result<u64, std::io::Error>
 pub fn read_metadata<R: Read + Seek>(reader: &mut R) -> Result<FileMetaData> {
     // check file is large enough to hold footer
     let file_size = stream_len(reader)?;
-    if file_size < FOOTER_SIZE {
+    if file_size < HEADER_SIZE + FOOTER_SIZE {
         return Err(general_err!(
-            "Invalid Parquet file. Size is smaller than footer"
+            "Invalid Parquet file. Size is smaller than header + footer"
         ));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/read/stream.rs b/src/read/stream.rs
index 4c4c5e58f..5e4c4108c 100644
--- a/src/read/stream.rs
+++ b/src/read/stream.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use parquet_format_async_temp::FileMetaData as TFileMetaData;
 use super::super::{metadata::FileMetaData, DEFAULT_FOOTER_READ_SIZE, FOOTER_SIZE, PARQUET_MAGIC};
 use super::metadata::metadata_len;
 use crate::error::{Error, Result};
+use crate::HEADER_SIZE;
 
 async fn stream_len(
     seek: &mut (impl AsyncSeek + std::marker::Unpin),
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ pub async fn read_metadata<R: AsyncRead + AsyncSeek + Send + std::marker::Unpin>
     let file_size = stream_len(reader).await?;
 
     // check file is large enough to hold footer
-    if file_size < FOOTER_SIZE {
+    if file_size < HEADER_SIZE + FOOTER_SIZE {
         return Err(general_err!(
             "Invalid Parquet file. Size is smaller than footer"
         ));
diff --git a/src/write/file.rs b/src/write/file.rs
index 36c4560ef..ecb276a5b 100644
--- a/src/write/file.rs
+++ b/src/write/file.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ use super::page::PageWriteSpec;
 use super::{row_group::write_row_group, RowGroupIter, WriteOptions};
 
 pub use crate::metadata::KeyValue;
+use crate::write::State;
 
 pub(super) fn start_file<W: Write>(writer: &mut W) -> Result<u64> {
     writer.write_all(&PARQUET_MAGIC)?;
@@ -52,6 +53,8 @@ pub struct FileWriter<W: Write> {
     offset: u64,
     row_groups: Vec<RowGroup>,
     page_specs: Vec<Vec<Vec<PageWriteSpec>>>,
+    /// Used to store the current state for writing the file
+    state: State,
 }
 
 // Accessors
@@ -83,13 +86,24 @@ impl<W: Write> FileWriter<W> {
             offset: 0,
             row_groups: vec![],
             page_specs: vec![],
+            state: State::Initialised,
         }
     }
 
-    /// Writes the header of the file
-    pub fn start(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
-        self.offset = start_file(&mut self.writer)? as u64;
-        Ok(())
+    /// Writes the header of the file.
+    ///
+    /// This is automatically called by [`Self::write`] if not called following [`Self::new`].
+    ///
+    /// # Errors
+    /// Returns an error if data has been written to the file.
+    fn start(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        if self.offset == 0 {
+            self.offset = start_file(&mut self.writer)? as u64;
+            self.state = State::Started;
+            Ok(())
+        } else {
+            Err(Error::General("Start cannot be called twice".to_string()))
+        }
     }
 
     /// Writes a row group to the file.
@@ -101,9 +115,7 @@ impl<W: Write> FileWriter<W> {
         E: std::error::Error,
     {
         if self.offset == 0 {
-            return Err(Error::General(
-                "You must call `start` before writing the first row group".to_string(),
-            ));
+            self.start()?;
         }
         let ordinal = self.row_groups.len();
         let (group, specs, size) = write_row_group(
@@ -119,8 +131,16 @@ impl<W: Write> FileWriter<W> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    /// Writes the footer of the parquet file. Returns the total size of the file.
+    /// Writes the footer of the parquet file. Returns the total size of the file and the
+    /// underlying writer.
     pub fn end(&mut self, key_value_metadata: Option<Vec<KeyValue>>) -> Result<u64> {
+        if self.offset == 0 {
+            self.start()?;
+        }
+
+        if self.state != State::Started {
+            return Err(Error::General("End cannot be called twice".to_string()));
+        }
         // compute file stats
         let num_rows = self.row_groups.iter().map(|group| group.num_rows).sum();
 
@@ -176,6 +196,7 @@ impl<W: Write> FileWriter<W> {
         );
 
         let len = end_file(&mut self.writer, metadata)?;
+        self.state = State::Finished;
         Ok(self.offset + len)
     }
 
diff --git a/src/write/mod.rs b/src/write/mod.rs
index e9e6dce57..6fdb4fe14 100644
--- a/src/write/mod.rs
+++ b/src/write/mod.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,14 @@ pub enum Version {
     V2,
 }
 
+/// Used to recall the state of the parquet writer - whether sync or async.
+#[derive(PartialEq)]
+enum State {
+    Initialised,
+    Started,
+    Finished,
+}
+
 impl From<Version> for i32 {
     fn from(version: Version) -> Self {
         match version {
diff --git a/src/write/stream.rs b/src/write/stream.rs
index 37160e5f5..a398edece 100644
--- a/src/write/stream.rs
+++ b/src/write/stream.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use parquet_format_async_temp::{
     FileMetaData, RowGroup,
 };
 
+use crate::write::State;
 use crate::{
     error::{Error, Result},
     metadata::{KeyValue, SchemaDescriptor},
@@ -52,6 +53,8 @@ pub struct FileStreamer<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> {
 
     offset: u64,
     row_groups: Vec<RowGroup>,
+    /// Used to store the current state for writing the file
+    state: State,
 }
 
 // Accessors
@@ -82,13 +85,24 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> FileStreamer<W> {
             created_by,
             offset: 0,
             row_groups: vec![],
+            state: State::Initialised,
         }
     }
 
-    /// Writes the header of the file
-    pub async fn start(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
-        self.offset = start_file(&mut self.writer).await? as u64;
-        Ok(())
+    /// Writes the header of the file.
+    ///
+    /// This is automatically called by [`Self::write`] if not called following [`Self::new`].
+    ///
+    /// # Errors
+    /// Returns an error if data has been written to the file.
+    async fn start(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        if self.offset == 0 {
+            self.offset = start_file(&mut self.writer).await? as u64;
+            self.state = State::Started;
+            Ok(())
+        } else {
+            Err(Error::General("Start cannot be called twice".to_string()))
+        }
     }
 
     /// Writes a row group to the file.
@@ -98,9 +112,7 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> FileStreamer<W> {
         E: std::error::Error,
     {
         if self.offset == 0 {
-            return Err(Error::General(
-                "You must call `start` before writing the first row group".to_string(),
-            ));
+            self.start().await?;
         }
         let (group, _specs, size) = write_row_group_async(
             &mut self.writer,
@@ -116,23 +128,35 @@ impl<W: AsyncWrite + Unpin + Send> FileStreamer<W> {
 
     /// Writes the footer of the parquet file. Returns the total size of the file and the
     /// underlying writer.
-    pub async fn end(mut self, key_value_metadata: Option<Vec<KeyValue>>) -> Result<(u64, W)> {
+    pub async fn end(&mut self, key_value_metadata: Option<Vec<KeyValue>>) -> Result<u64> {
+        if self.offset == 0 {
+            self.start().await?;
+        }
+
+        if self.state != State::Started {
+            return Err(Error::General("End cannot be called twice".to_string()));
+        }
         // compute file stats
         let num_rows = self.row_groups.iter().map(|group| group.num_rows).sum();
 
         let metadata = FileMetaData::new(
             self.options.version.into(),
-            self.schema.into_thrift(),
+            self.schema.clone().into_thrift(),
             num_rows,
-            self.row_groups,
+            self.row_groups.clone(),
             key_value_metadata,
-            self.created_by,
+            self.created_by.clone(),
             None,
             None,
             None,
         );
 
         let len = end_file(&mut self.writer, metadata).await?;
-        Ok((self.offset + len, self.writer))
+        Ok(self.offset + len)
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the underlying writer.
+    pub fn into_inner(self) -> W {
+        self.writer
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/it/write/indexes.rs b/tests/it/write/indexes.rs
index 891bc7cf7..545cf392b 100644
--- a/tests/it/write/indexes.rs
+++ b/tests/it/write/indexes.rs
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ fn write_file() -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
     let writer = Cursor::new(vec![]);
     let mut writer = FileWriter::new(writer, schema, options, None);
 
-    writer.start()?;
     writer.write(DynIter::new(columns))?;
     writer.end(None)?;
 
diff --git a/tests/it/write/mod.rs b/tests/it/write/mod.rs
index 1364c44bc..eccb0f589 100644
--- a/tests/it/write/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/it/write/mod.rs
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ fn test_column(column: &str, compression: CompressionOptions) -> Result<()> {
     let writer = Cursor::new(vec![]);
     let mut writer = FileWriter::new(writer, schema, options, None);
 
-    writer.start()?;
     writer.write(DynIter::new(columns))?;
     writer.end(None)?;
 
@@ -214,7 +213,6 @@ fn basic() -> Result<()> {
     let writer = Cursor::new(vec![]);
     let mut writer = FileWriter::new(writer, schema, options, None);
 
-    writer.start()?;
     writer.write(DynIter::new(columns))?;
     writer.end(None)?;
 
@@ -272,11 +270,10 @@ async fn test_column_async(column: &str) -> Result<()> {
     let writer = futures::io::Cursor::new(vec![]);
     let mut writer = FileStreamer::new(writer, schema, options, None);
 
-    writer.start().await?;
     writer.write(DynIter::new(columns)).await?;
-    let writer = writer.end(None).await?.1;
+    writer.end(None).await?;
 
-    let data = writer.into_inner();
+    let data = writer.into_inner().into_inner();
 
     let (result, statistics) = read_column_async(&mut futures::io::Cursor::new(data)).await?;
     assert_eq!(array, result);