diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1a46015..0bf0df3 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "prettier": "^2.8.8",
+    "typescript": "^5.0.4",
     "vitest": "^0.31.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/changelord.js b/src/changelord.js
index 7d23d56..a45c4ab 100755
--- a/src/changelord.js
+++ b/src/changelord.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import yaml from "yaml";
 import fs from "fs-extra";
 import consola from "consola";
 import u from "@yanick/updeep-remeda";
+import { once } from "remeda";
 
 import print from "./command/print.js";
 import init from "./command/init.js";
@@ -20,48 +21,53 @@ import git_gather from "./command/git-gather.js";
 consola.raw = (...args) => console.log(...args);
 
 yargs(hideBin(process.argv))
-    .middleware((config) => {
-        config.consola = consola;
-        config.changelog = () =>
-            fs.readFile(config.source, "utf-8").then(yaml.parse);
-        config.next_release = next_release.bind(config);
-        config.latest_version = latest_version.bind(config);
-        return config;
-    })
-    .middleware((argv) => {
-        argv.add_to_next = async (entry) => {
-            const changelog = yaml.parse(await fs.readFile(argv.source, "utf-8"));
+  .middleware((config) => {
+    config.consola = consola;
+    config.changelog = once(() =>
+      fs.readFile(config.source, "utf-8").then(yaml.parse)
+    );
+    config.save_changelog = async (changelog) => {
+      if (!changelog) changelog = await config.changelog();
+      return fs.writeFile(config.source, yaml.stringify(changelog));
+    };
+    config.next_release = next_release.bind(config);
+    config.latest_version = latest_version.bind(config);
+    return config;
+  })
+  .middleware((argv) => {
+    argv.add_to_next = async (entry) => {
+      const changelog = yaml.parse(await fs.readFile(argv.source, "utf-8"));
 
-            let next = changelog.releases.find(u.matches({ version: "NEXT" }));
-            if (!next) {
-                next = { version: "NEXT", changes: [] };
-                changelog.releases.unshift(next);
-            }
+      let next = changelog.releases.find(u.matches({ version: "NEXT" }));
+      if (!next) {
+        next = { version: "NEXT", changes: [] };
+        changelog.releases.unshift(next);
+      }
 
-            if (Object.keys(entry).length === 1) {
-                entry = entry.desc;
-            }
+      if (Object.keys(entry).length === 1) {
+        entry = entry.desc;
+      }
 
-            next.changes.push(entry);
+      next.changes.push(entry);
 
-            return fs.writeFile(argv.source, yaml.stringify(changelog));
-        };
-    })
-    .default("source", join(process.cwd(), "CHANGELOG.yml"))
-    .describe("source", "changelog source")
-    .command(init)
-    .command(add)
-    .command(print)
-    .command(cut)
-    .command(schema)
-    .command(upcoming)
-    .command({
-        ...upcoming,
-        command: "next",
-        desc: 'alias for "upcoming"',
-    })
-    .command(latest)
-    .command(git_gather)
-    .strictCommands()
-    .help()
-    .parse();
+      return fs.writeFile(argv.source, yaml.stringify(changelog));
+    };
+  })
+  .default("source", join(process.cwd(), "CHANGELOG.yml"))
+  .describe("source", "changelog source")
+  .command(init)
+  .command(add)
+  .command(print)
+  .command(cut)
+  .command(schema)
+  .command(upcoming)
+  .command({
+    ...upcoming,
+    command: "next",
+    desc: 'alias for "upcoming"',
+  })
+  .command(latest)
+  .command(git_gather)
+  .strictCommands()
+  .help()
+  .parse();
diff --git a/src/command/cut.js b/src/command/cut.js
index 6b9c4f3..a3669ed 100644
--- a/src/command/cut.js
+++ b/src/command/cut.js
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import u from "@yanick/updeep-remeda";
 import semverInc from "semver/functions/inc.js";
 import { simpleGit } from "simple-git";
 
+import { base_next_version } from "../utils.js";
+
 const code_churn = async (previous_version) => {
   previous_version = previous_version
     ? "v" + previous_version.version
@@ -14,7 +16,8 @@ const code_churn = async (previous_version) => {
 
 const handler = async (config) => {
   config.consola.start("cutting the next version...");
-  const changelog = yaml.parse(await fs.readFile(config.source, "utf-8"));
+
+  const changelog = await config.changelog();
 
   const next = changelog.releases.find(u.matches({ version: "NEXT" }));
 
@@ -40,7 +43,7 @@ const handler = async (config) => {
     next.changes.map(({ type }) => type_to_level(type))
   );
 
-  if (changelog.project.with_stats) {
+  if (changelog.project?.with_stats) {
     next.changes.push({
       type: "stats",
       desc: "code churn:" + (await code_churn(previous_version)),
@@ -52,10 +55,13 @@ const handler = async (config) => {
     bumper
   );
 
+  // add a new NEXT
+  changelog.releases.unshift(base_next_version);
+
   if (config.dry) {
     config.consola.info("running in dry mode, not saving\n", next);
   } else {
-    await fs.writeFile(config.source, yaml.stringify(changelog));
+    await config.save_changelog(changelog);
   }
 
   config.consola.success(`version ${next.version} is cut!`);
diff --git a/src/command/cut.test.js b/src/command/cut.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..194c645
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/command/cut.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import { test, expect, vi } from "vitest";
+import cut from "./cut.js";
+
+test("add a new NEXT", async () => {
+  const changelog = {
+    releases: [{ version: "NEXT", changes: [] }, { version: "1.0.0" }],
+  };
+
+  const noop = () => {};
+  const config = {
+    consola: {
+      start: noop,
+      success: noop,
+    },
+    changelog: () => changelog,
+    save_changelog: noop,
+  };
+
+  await cut.handler(config);
+
+  expect(changelog.releases[0].version).toBe("NEXT");
+  expect(changelog.releases).toHaveLength(3);
+});
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6a5dca1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+export const base_next_version = {
+  version: "NEXT",
+  changes: [],
+};
+
+Object.freeze(base_next_version);