diff --git a/include/tpax/tpax.h b/include/tpax/tpax.h
index fa685c3..b811987 100644
--- a/include/tpax/tpax.h
+++ b/include/tpax/tpax.h
@@ -184,8 +184,11 @@ tpax_api int  tpax_output_error_vector      (const struct tpax_driver_ctx *);
 tpax_api int  tpax_output_error_record      (const struct tpax_driver_ctx *, const struct tpax_error_info *);
 
 /* meta interfaces */
-tpax_api int  tpax_meta_init_ustar_header   (const struct tpax_driver_ctx *, const char *, const struct stat *,
-                                             const char *, struct tpax_ustar_header *);
+tpax_api int  tpax_meta_init_ustar_header   (const char * pathname, const struct stat *,
+                                             const char * linkname, struct tpax_ustar_header *);
+
+tpax_api int  tpax_meta_init_rustar_header  (const char * pathname, const struct stat *,
+                                             const char * linkname, struct tpax_ustar_header *);
 
 /* low-level interfaces */
 tpax_api int  tpax_io_create_memory_snapshot(const struct tpax_driver_ctx *, int, const char *,
diff --git a/src/logic/tpax_archive_write.c b/src/logic/tpax_archive_write.c
index a881bd9..f01bb7b 100644
--- a/src/logic/tpax_archive_write.c
+++ b/src/logic/tpax_archive_write.c
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ static int tpax_archive_write_impl(
 	int                             fdcwd,
 	int                             fdout)
 {
+	int                             ret;
 	struct tpax_unit_ctx *          uctx;
 	struct tpax_ustar_header        uhdr;
 	const struct stat *             st;
@@ -210,9 +211,14 @@ static int tpax_archive_write_impl(
 	dpos = hpos + sizeof(uhdr);
 
 	/* header */
-	if (tpax_meta_init_ustar_header(
-			dctx,apath,st,
-			slnk,&uhdr) < 0)
+	if (dctx->cctx->drvflags & TPAX_DRIVER_WRITE_FORMAT_RUSTAR) {
+		ret = tpax_meta_init_rustar_header(apath,st,slnk,&uhdr);
+
+	} else if (dctx->cctx->drvflags & TPAX_DRIVER_WRITE_FORMAT_USTAR) {
+		ret = tpax_meta_init_ustar_header(apath,st,slnk,&uhdr);
+	}
+
+	if (ret < 0)
 		return tpax_archive_write_ret(
 			TPAX_NESTED_ERROR(dctx),
 			dctx,uctx);
diff --git a/src/meta/tpax_init_ustar_header.c b/src/meta/tpax_init_ustar_header.c
index 2479e28..5078344 100644
--- a/src/meta/tpax_init_ustar_header.c
+++ b/src/meta/tpax_init_ustar_header.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <errno.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <grp.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
@@ -30,12 +31,12 @@ static void tpax_octal_write(char * ch, ssize_t len, uint64_t val)
 	}
 }
 
-int tpax_meta_init_ustar_header(
-	const struct tpax_driver_ctx *  dctx,
+static int tpax_meta_init_ustar_header_impl(
 	const char *                    path,
 	const struct stat *             st,
 	const char *                    linkname,
-	struct tpax_ustar_header *      uhdr)
+	struct tpax_ustar_header *      uhdr,
+	bool                            frustar)
 {
 	size_t		len;
 	const char *	cap;
@@ -140,7 +141,7 @@ int tpax_meta_init_ustar_header(
 	tpax_octal_write(uhdr->u_mode,ssizeof(uhdr->u_mode),st->st_mode & TPAX_USTAR_MODE_MASK);
 
 	/* u_uid, u_gid, u_uname, u_gname */
-	if (dctx->cctx->drvflags & TPAX_DRIVER_WRITE_FORMAT_RUSTAR) {
+	if (frustar) {
 		tpax_octal_write(uhdr->u_uid,ssizeof(uhdr->u_uid),0);
 		tpax_octal_write(uhdr->u_gid,ssizeof(uhdr->u_gid),0);
 	} else {
@@ -216,3 +217,21 @@ int tpax_meta_init_ustar_header(
 	/* all done; caller may now change REGFILE to HARDLINK */
 	return 0;
 }
+
+int tpax_meta_init_ustar_header(
+	const char *                    path,
+	const struct stat *             st,
+	const char *                    linkname,
+	struct tpax_ustar_header *      uhdr)
+{
+	return tpax_meta_init_ustar_header_impl(path,st,linkname,uhdr,false);
+}
+
+int tpax_meta_init_rustar_header(
+	const char *                    path,
+	const struct stat *             st,
+	const char *                    linkname,
+	struct tpax_ustar_header *      uhdr)
+{
+	return tpax_meta_init_ustar_header_impl(path,st,linkname,uhdr,true);
+}