diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8adf4941..a0359f18 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
   through a 'pry-local' config who, at times, acts as a 'pry-local store'. (#1096)
 * `rake pry` now accepts switches prefixed with `_` (e.g., `rake pry _v`)
 * Pagers now act like `IO`s and accept streaming output
-  * See `Pager.page` and `Pager.with_pager`
+  * See `_pry_.pager.page` and `_pry_.pager.opent`
 * The `Pry` class has been broken up into two smaller classes
   * `Pry` represents non-UI-specific session state, including the eval string
   * `Pry::REPL` controls the user-facing interface
diff --git a/lib/pry.rb b/lib/pry.rb
index 09306c9a..391cdf46 100644
--- a/lib/pry.rb
+++ b/lib/pry.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class Pry
 
   # The default print
   DEFAULT_PRINT = proc do |output, value, _pry_|
-    Pry::Pager.with_pager(output) do |pager|
+    _pry_.pager.open do |pager|
       pager.print _pry_.config.output_prefix
       Pry::ColorPrinter.pp(value, pager, Pry::Terminal.width! - 1)
     end
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands/cat.rb b/lib/pry/commands/cat.rb
index 357b8b12..8ca537fe 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands/cat.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands/cat.rb
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class Pry
                  FileFormatter.new(args.first, _pry_, opts).format
                end
 
-      stagger_output(output)
+      _pry_.pager.page output
     end
 
     def complete(search)
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands/help.rb b/lib/pry/commands/help.rb
index eb09e615..170c8cd7 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands/help.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands/help.rb
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class Pry
         end
       end
 
-      stagger_output(help_text.join("\n\n"))
+      _pry_.pager.page help_text.join("\n\n")
     end
 
     # Given a group name and an array of commands,
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ class Pry
     #
     # @param [Pry::Command] command
     def display_command(command)
-      stagger_output command.new.help
+      _pry_.pager.page command.new.help
     end
 
     # Find a subset of a hash that matches the user's search term.
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands/hist.rb b/lib/pry/commands/hist.rb
index 820680a3..75643843 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands/hist.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands/hist.rb
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class Pry
         @history = @history.with_line_numbers
       end
 
-      Pry::Pager.with_pager(output) do |pager|
+      _pry_.pager.open do |pager|
         @history.print_to_output(pager, _pry_.config.color)
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands/ls.rb b/lib/pry/commands/ls.rb
index 148b384e..9f0e68f2 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands/ls.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands/ls.rb
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class Pry
         :_pry_ => _pry_
       })
 
-      stagger_output(ls_entity.entities_table)
+      _pry_.pager.page ls_entity.entities_table
     end
 
     private
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands/pry_backtrace.rb b/lib/pry/commands/pry_backtrace.rb
index bac23514..6795aa32 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands/pry_backtrace.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands/pry_backtrace.rb
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ class Pry
     BANNER
 
     def process
-      stagger_output text.bold('Backtrace:') <<
-        "\n--\n" << _pry_.backtrace.join("\n")
+      _pry_.pager.page text.bold('Backtrace:') << "\n--\n" << _pry_.backtrace.join("\n")
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands/raise_up.rb b/lib/pry/commands/raise_up.rb
index 418d7c34..70ad0872 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands/raise_up.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands/raise_up.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class Pry
     BANNER
 
     def process
-      return stagger_output help if captures[0] =~ /(-h|--help)\b/
+      return _pry.pager.page help if captures[0] =~ /(-h|--help)\b/
       # Handle 'raise-up', 'raise-up "foo"', 'raise-up RuntimeError, 'farble' in a rubyesque manner
       target.eval("_pry_.raise_up#{captures[0]}")
     end
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands/ri.rb b/lib/pry/commands/ri.rb
index 49434994..d29c426d 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands/ri.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands/ri.rb
@@ -23,10 +23,14 @@ class Pry
         subclass = Class.new(RDoc::RI::Driver) # the hard way.
 
         subclass.class_eval do
+          def initialize(pager, opts)
+            @pager = pager
+            super opts
+          end
           def page
             paging_text = StringIO.new
             yield paging_text
-            Pry::Pager.page(paging_text.string)
+            @pager.page(paging_text.string)
           end
 
           def formatter(io)
@@ -42,7 +46,7 @@ class Pry
       end
 
       # Spin-up an RI insance.
-      ri = RDoc::RI::PryDriver.new :use_stdout => true, :interactive => false
+      ri = RDoc::RI::PryDriver.new _pry_.pager, :use_stdout => true, :interactive => false
 
       begin
         ri.display_names [spec]  # Get the documentation (finally!)
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands/show_info.rb b/lib/pry/commands/show_info.rb
index 8ee71d4e..92958cb4 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands/show_info.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands/show_info.rb
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class Pry
       end
 
       set_file_and_dir_locals(code_object.source_file)
-      stagger_output result
+      _pry_.pager.page result
     end
 
     # This method checks whether the `code_object` is a WrappedModule,
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands/watch_expression.rb b/lib/pry/commands/watch_expression.rb
index 447a161a..de514ad9 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands/watch_expression.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands/watch_expression.rb
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class Pry
       if expressions.empty?
         output.puts "No watched expressions"
       else
-        Pry::Pager.with_pager(output) do |pager|
+        _pry_.pager.open do |pager|
           pager.puts "Listing all watched expressions:"
           pager.puts ""
           expressions.each_with_index do |expr, index|
diff --git a/lib/pry/commands/whereami.rb b/lib/pry/commands/whereami.rb
index 68b41678..e7df0e0d 100644
--- a/lib/pry/commands/whereami.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/commands/whereami.rb
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ class Pry
       out = "\n#{text.bold('From:')} #{location}:\n\n" <<
         code.with_line_numbers(use_line_numbers?).with_marker(marker).highlighted(_pry_.config.color) << "\n"
 
-      stagger_output(out)
+      _pry_.pager.page out
     end
 
     private
diff --git a/lib/pry/helpers/base_helpers.rb b/lib/pry/helpers/base_helpers.rb
index b9f15fde..8b262dc4 100644
--- a/lib/pry/helpers/base_helpers.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/helpers/base_helpers.rb
@@ -108,20 +108,9 @@ class Pry
 
       # Send the given text through the best available pager (if Pry.config.pager is
       # enabled). Infers where to send the output if used as a mixin.
+      # DEPRECATED.
       def stagger_output(text, out = nil)
-        out ||= case
-                when respond_to?(:output)
-                  # Mixin.
-                  output
-                when Pry.respond_to?(:output)
-                  # Parent.
-                  Pry.config.output
-                else
-                  # Sys.
-                  $stdout
-                end
-
-        Pry::Pager.page(text, out)
+        Pry::Pager.new(Pry.config.pager, out || Pry.config.output).page text
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/pry/pager.rb b/lib/pry/pager.rb
index dae67f71..d245941e 100644
--- a/lib/pry/pager.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/pager.rb
@@ -3,16 +3,24 @@ require 'pry/terminal'
 # A pager is an `IO`-like object that accepts text and either prints it
 # immediately, prints it one page at a time, or streams it to an external
 # program to print one page at a time.
-module Pry::Pager
+class Pry::Pager
   class StopPaging < StandardError
   end
 
+  attr_reader :_pry_
+
+  def initialize(_pry_)
+    @_pry_ = _pry_
+  end
+
   # Send the given text through the best available pager (if `Pry.config.pager` is
   # enabled).
+  # If you want to send text through in chunks as you generate it, use `open` to
+  # get a writable object instead.
   # @param [String] text A piece of text to run through a pager.
   # @param [IO] output (`$stdout`) An object to send output to.
-  def self.page(text, output = $stdout)
-    with_pager(output) do |pager|
+  def page(text)
+    open do |pager|
       pager << text
     end
   end
@@ -20,28 +28,33 @@ module Pry::Pager
   # Yields a pager object (`NullPager`, `SimplePager`, or `SystemPager`).  All
   # pagers accept output with `#puts`, `#print`, `#write`, and `#<<`.
   # @param [IO] output (`$stdout`) An object to send output to.
-  def self.with_pager(output = $stdout)
-    pager = best_available(output)
+  def open
+    pager = best_available
     yield pager
   rescue StopPaging
   ensure
     pager.close if pager
   end
 
+  private
+
+  attr_reader :output
+  def enabled?; !!@enabled; end
+
   # Return an instance of the "best" available pager class -- `SystemPager` if
   # possible, `SimplePager` if `SystemPager` isn't available, and `NullPager`
   # if the user has disabled paging. All pagers accept output with `#puts`,
   # `#print`, `#write`, and `#<<`. You must call `#close` when you're done
   # writing output to a pager, and you must rescue `Pry::Pager::StopPaging`.
-  # These requirements can be avoided by using `.with_pager` instead.
+  # These requirements can be avoided by using `.open` instead.
   # @param [#<<] output ($stdout) An object to send output to.
-  def self.best_available(output)
-    if !Pry.config.pager
-      NullPager.new(output)
+  def best_available
+    if !_pry_.config.pager
+      NullPager.new(_pry_.config.output)
     elsif !SystemPager.available? || Pry::Helpers::BaseHelpers.jruby?
-      SimplePager.new(output)
+      SimplePager.new(_pry_.config.output)
     else
-      SystemPager.new(output)
+      SystemPager.new(_pry_.config.output)
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb b/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb
index cc9582b2..fbbdccdd 100644
--- a/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/pry_instance.rb
@@ -596,6 +596,13 @@ class Pry
     prompt_stack.size > 1 ? prompt_stack.pop : prompt
   end
 
+  # Returns the currently configured pager
+  # @example
+  #   _pry_.pager.page text
+  def pager
+    Pry::Pager.new(self)
+  end
+
   # Raise an exception out of Pry.
   #
   # See Kernel#raise for documentation of parameters.
diff --git a/lib/pry/test/helper.rb b/lib/pry/test/helper.rb
index d0976f59..8ddf1446 100644
--- a/lib/pry/test/helper.rb
+++ b/lib/pry/test/helper.rb
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ module PryTestHelpers
 
   def mock_command(cmd, args=[], opts={})
     output = StringIO.new
-    ret = cmd.new(opts.merge(:output => output)).call_safely(*args)
+    pry = Pry.new(output: output)
+    ret = cmd.new(opts.merge(pry_instance: pry, :output => output)).call_safely(*args)
     Struct.new(:output, :return).new(output.string, ret)
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/command_set_spec.rb b/spec/command_set_spec.rb
index ebd4963b..8e7eee38 100644
--- a/spec/command_set_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/command_set_spec.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ describe Pry::CommandSet do
     @ctx = {
       :target => binding,
       :command_set => @set,
-      :pry_instance => Pry.new
+      :pry_instance => Pry.new(output: StringIO.new)
     }
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/command_spec.rb b/spec/command_spec.rb
index 7ce34737..f493f14f 100644
--- a/spec/command_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/command_spec.rb
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ describe "Pry::Command" do
       :output => StringIO.new,
       :eval_string => "eval-string",
       :command_set => @set,
-      :pry_instance => Object.new
+      :pry_instance => Pry.new
     }
 
     it 'should capture lots of stuff from the hash passed to new before setup' do
diff --git a/spec/pry_output_spec.rb b/spec/pry_output_spec.rb
index 7c59e5f3..dc594003 100644
--- a/spec/pry_output_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/pry_output_spec.rb
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ describe Pry do
     it "should include the =>" do
       pry = Pry.new
       accumulator = StringIO.new
+      pry.config.output = accumulator
       pry.config.print.call(accumulator, [1], pry)
       accumulator.string.should == "=> \[1\]\n"
     end
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ describe Pry do
     it "should be able to change output_prefix" do
       pry = Pry.new
       accumulator = StringIO.new
+      pry.config.output = accumulator
       pry.config.output_prefix = "-> "
       pry.config.print.call(accumulator, [1], pry)
       accumulator.string.should == "-> \[1\]\n"
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@ describe Pry do
       pry = Pry.new
       accumulator = StringIO.new
       colorized   = CodeRay.scan("[1]", :ruby).term
+      pry.config.output = accumulator
       pry.config.print.call(accumulator, [1], pry)
       accumulator.string.should == "=> #{colorized}\n"
     end
@@ -84,6 +87,7 @@ describe Pry do
         "\e[1;31mFoo\e[0m"
       end
       accumulator = StringIO.new
+      pry.config.output = accumulator
       pry.config.print.call(accumulator, f, pry)
       # We add an extra \e[0m to prevent color leak
       accumulator.string.should == "=> \e[1;31mFoo\e[0m\e[0m\n"