diff --git a/fixtures/flight/server/handler.server.js b/fixtures/flight/server/handler.server.js
index f695f0366e70a..e9cd851255e07 100644
--- a/fixtures/flight/server/handler.server.js
+++ b/fixtures/flight/server/handler.server.js
@@ -20,11 +20,8 @@ module.exports = function(req, res) {
         const App = m.default.default || m.default;
         res.setHeader('Access-Control-Allow-Origin', '*');
         const moduleMap = JSON.parse(data);
-        const {startWriting} = renderToNodePipe(
-          React.createElement(App),
-          moduleMap
-        );
-        startWriting(res);
+        const {pipe} = renderToNodePipe(React.createElement(App), moduleMap);
+        pipe(res);
       }
     );
   });
diff --git a/fixtures/ssr/server/render.js b/fixtures/ssr/server/render.js
index 63a795718cc7b..9beb68111d0d7 100644
--- a/fixtures/ssr/server/render.js
+++ b/fixtures/ssr/server/render.js
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ export default function render(url, res) {
     console.error('Fatal', error);
   });
   let didError = false;
-  const {startWriting, abort} = renderToNodePipe(<App assets={assets} />, {
+  const {pipe, abort} = renderToNodePipe(<App assets={assets} />, {
     onCompleteShell() {
       // If something errored before we started streaming, we set the error code appropriately.
       res.statusCode = didError ? 500 : 200;
       res.setHeader('Content-type', 'text/html');
-      startWriting(res);
+      pipe(res);
     },
     onError(x) {
       didError = true;
diff --git a/fixtures/ssr2/server/render.js b/fixtures/ssr2/server/render.js
index aa17e1121b0e0..97ef239183491 100644
--- a/fixtures/ssr2/server/render.js
+++ b/fixtures/ssr2/server/render.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ module.exports = function render(url, res) {
   });
   let didError = false;
   const data = createServerData();
-  const {startWriting, abort} = renderToNodePipe(
+  const {pipe, abort} = renderToNodePipe(
     <DataProvider data={data}>
       <App assets={assets} />
     </DataProvider>,
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ module.exports = function render(url, res) {
         // If something errored before we started streaming, we set the error code appropriately.
         res.statusCode = didError ? 500 : 200;
         res.setHeader('Content-type', 'text/html');
-        startWriting(res);
+        pipe(res);
       },
       onError(x) {
         didError = true;
diff --git a/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzServer-test.js b/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzServer-test.js
index bc5d127c35184..a42589d8ab1d8 100644
--- a/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzServer-test.js
+++ b/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzServer-test.js
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     };
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <div>
           <div>
             <Suspense fallback={<Text text="Loading..." />}>
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           </div>
         </div>,
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual(
       <div>
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     }
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <App isClient={false} />,
 
         {
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           },
         },
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(loggedErrors).toEqual([]);
 
@@ -355,14 +355,14 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     });
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <div>
           <Suspense fallback={<Text text="Loading..." />}>
             {lazyElement}
           </Suspense>
         </div>,
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual(<div>Loading...</div>);
     await act(async () => {
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     }
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <App isClient={false} />,
 
         {
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           },
         },
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(loggedErrors).toEqual([]);
 
@@ -439,14 +439,14 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
   // @gate experimental
   it('should asynchronously load the suspense boundary', async () => {
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <div>
           <Suspense fallback={<Text text="Loading..." />}>
             <AsyncText text="Hello World" />
           </Suspense>
         </div>,
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual(<div>Loading...</div>);
     await act(async () => {
@@ -472,8 +472,8 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     }
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
-      startWriting(writable);
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
 
     // We're still showing a fallback.
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
 
     // We originally suspend the boundary and start streaming the loading state.
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <App />,
 
         {
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           },
         },
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
 
     // We're still showing a fallback.
@@ -627,10 +627,10 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
 
     // We originally suspend the boundary and start streaming the loading state.
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <App showMore={false} />,
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
 
     const root = ReactDOM.createRoot(container, {hydrate: true});
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     let controls;
     await act(async () => {
       controls = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
-      controls.startWriting(writable);
+      controls.pipe(writable);
     });
 
     // We're still showing a fallback.
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     };
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         // We use two nested boundaries to flush out coverage of an old reentrancy bug.
         <Suspense fallback="Loading...">
           <Suspense fallback={<Text text="Loading A..." />}>
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           identifierPrefix: 'A_',
           onCompleteShell() {
             writableA.write('<div id="container-A">');
-            startWriting(writableA);
+            pipe(writableA);
             writableA.write('</div>');
           },
         },
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     });
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <Suspense fallback={<Text text="Loading B..." />}>
           <Text text="This will show B: " />
           <div>
@@ -781,7 +781,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           identifierPrefix: 'B_',
           onCompleteShell() {
             writableB.write('<div id="container-B">');
-            startWriting(writableB);
+            pipe(writableB);
             writableB.write('</div>');
           },
         },
@@ -867,8 +867,8 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     }
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
-      startWriting(writable);
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
 
     expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual(
@@ -955,8 +955,8 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     }
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
-      startWriting(writable);
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
 
     expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual(
@@ -1009,14 +1009,14 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     }
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <App />,
 
         {
           namespaceURI: 'http://www.w3.org/2000/svg',
           onCompleteShell() {
             writable.write('<svg>');
-            startWriting(writable);
+            pipe(writable);
             writable.write('</svg>');
           },
         },
@@ -1096,8 +1096,8 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
 
     try {
       await act(async () => {
-        const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<A />);
-        startWriting(writable);
+        const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<A />);
+        pipe(writable);
       });
 
       expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual(
@@ -1195,7 +1195,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     }
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <TestProvider ctx="A">
           <div>
             <Suspense fallback={[<Text text="Loading: " />, <TestConsumer />]}>
@@ -1207,7 +1207,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           </div>
         </TestProvider>,
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual(
       <div>
@@ -1253,7 +1253,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     }
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <div>
           <PrintA />
           <div>
@@ -1269,7 +1269,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           <PrintA />
         </div>,
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual(
       <div>
@@ -1315,7 +1315,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
 
     const loggedErrors = [];
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <div>
           <PrintA />
           <div>
@@ -1342,7 +1342,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           },
         },
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(loggedErrors.length).toBe(1);
     expect(loggedErrors[0].message).toEqual('A0.1.1');
@@ -1385,7 +1385,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           },
         },
       );
-      controls.startWriting(writable);
+      controls.pipe(writable);
     });
 
     // We're still showing a fallback.
@@ -1436,7 +1436,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
   // @gate experimental
   it('should be able to abort the fallback if the main content finishes first', async () => {
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <Suspense fallback={<Text text="Loading Outer" />}>
           <div>
             <Suspense
@@ -1451,7 +1451,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           </div>
         </Suspense>,
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(getVisibleChildren(container)).toEqual('Loading Outer');
     // We should have received a partial segment containing the a partial of the fallback.
@@ -1533,10 +1533,10 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     await jest.runAllTimers();
 
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <App isClient={false} />,
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
 
     // Nothing is output since root has a suspense with avoidedThisFallback that hasn't resolved
@@ -1647,7 +1647,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
 
     const loggedErrors = [];
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <Suspense fallback="Loading...">
           <App />
         </Suspense>,
@@ -1658,7 +1658,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           },
         },
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(Scheduler).toHaveYielded(['server']);
 
@@ -1730,7 +1730,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
 
     const loggedErrors = [];
     await act(async () => {
-      const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+      const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
         <Suspense fallback="Loading...">
           <App />
         </Suspense>,
@@ -1741,7 +1741,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
           },
         },
       );
-      startWriting(writable);
+      pipe(writable);
     });
     expect(Scheduler).toHaveYielded(['server']);
 
@@ -1816,8 +1816,8 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
       }
 
       await act(async () => {
-        const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
-        startWriting(writable);
+        const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
+        pipe(writable);
       });
       expect(Scheduler).toHaveYielded(['Yay!']);
 
@@ -1897,8 +1897,8 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
       }
 
       await act(async () => {
-        const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
-        startWriting(writable);
+        const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
+        pipe(writable);
       });
       expect(Scheduler).toHaveYielded(['Yay!']);
 
@@ -1969,8 +1969,8 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
       }
 
       await act(async () => {
-        const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
-        startWriting(writable);
+        const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<App />);
+        pipe(writable);
       });
       expect(Scheduler).toHaveYielded(['Yay!']);
 
diff --git a/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzServerNode-test.js b/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzServerNode-test.js
index f422a91e29e38..dc9d515736d1a 100644
--- a/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzServerNode-test.js
+++ b/packages/react-dom/src/__tests__/ReactDOMFizzServerNode-test.js
@@ -59,10 +59,8 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
   // @gate experimental
   it('should call renderToNodePipe', () => {
     const {writable, output} = getTestWritable();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
-      <div>hello world</div>,
-    );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<div>hello world</div>);
+    pipe(writable);
     jest.runAllTimers();
     expect(output.result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`"<div>hello world</div>"`);
   });
@@ -70,12 +68,12 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
   // @gate experimental
   it('should emit DOCTYPE at the root of the document', () => {
     const {writable, output} = getTestWritable();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
       <html>
         <body>hello world</body>
       </html>,
     );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
     jest.runAllTimers();
     expect(output.result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(
       `"<!DOCTYPE html><html><body>hello world</body></html>"`,
@@ -83,17 +81,15 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
   });
 
   // @gate experimental
-  it('should start writing after startWriting', () => {
+  it('should start writing after pipe', () => {
     const {writable, output} = getTestWritable();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
-      <div>hello world</div>,
-    );
+    const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(<div>hello world</div>);
     jest.runAllTimers();
     // First we write our header.
     output.result +=
       '<!doctype html><html><head><title>test</title><head><body>';
     // Then React starts writing.
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
     expect(output.result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(
       `"<!doctype html><html><head><title>test</title><head><body><div>hello world</div>"`,
     );
@@ -112,7 +108,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     }
     let isCompleteCalls = 0;
     const {writable, output} = getTestWritable();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
       <div>
         <Suspense fallback="Loading">
           <Wait />
@@ -141,7 +137,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     output.result +=
       '<!doctype html><html><head><title>test</title><head><body>';
     // Then React starts writing.
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
     expect(output.result).toMatchInlineSnapshot(
       `"<!doctype html><html><head><title>test</title><head><body><div><!--$-->Done<!-- --><!--/$--></div>"`,
     );
@@ -151,7 +147,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
   it('should error the stream when an error is thrown at the root', async () => {
     const reportedErrors = [];
     const {writable, output, completed} = getTestWritable();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
       <div>
         <Throw />
       </div>,
@@ -164,7 +160,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     );
 
     // The stream is errored once we start writing.
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
 
     await completed;
 
@@ -178,7 +174,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
   it('should error the stream when an error is thrown inside a fallback', async () => {
     const reportedErrors = [];
     const {writable, output, completed} = getTestWritable();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
       <div>
         <Suspense fallback={<Throw />}>
           <InfiniteSuspend />
@@ -191,7 +187,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
         },
       },
     );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
 
     await completed;
 
@@ -204,7 +200,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
   it('should not error the stream when an error is thrown inside suspense boundary', async () => {
     const reportedErrors = [];
     const {writable, output, completed} = getTestWritable();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
       <div>
         <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading</div>}>
           <Throw />
@@ -217,7 +213,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
         },
       },
     );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
 
     await completed;
 
@@ -239,12 +235,12 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
     function Content() {
       return 'Hi';
     }
-    const {startWriting} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
       <Suspense fallback={<Fallback />}>
         <Content />
       </Suspense>,
     );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
 
     await completed;
 
@@ -257,7 +253,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
   it('should be able to complete by aborting even if the promise never resolves', async () => {
     let isCompleteCalls = 0;
     const {writable, output, completed} = getTestWritable();
-    const {startWriting, abort} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe, abort} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
       <div>
         <Suspense fallback={<div>Loading</div>}>
           <InfiniteSuspend />
@@ -270,7 +266,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
         },
       },
     );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
 
     jest.runAllTimers();
 
@@ -290,7 +286,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
   it('should be able to complete by abort when the fallback is also suspended', async () => {
     let isCompleteCalls = 0;
     const {writable, output, completed} = getTestWritable();
-    const {startWriting, abort} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe, abort} = ReactDOMFizzServer.renderToNodePipe(
       <div>
         <Suspense fallback="Loading">
           <Suspense fallback={<InfiniteSuspend />}>
@@ -305,7 +301,7 @@ describe('ReactDOMFizzServer', () => {
         },
       },
     );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
 
     jest.runAllTimers();
 
diff --git a/packages/react-dom/src/server/ReactDOMFizzServerNode.js b/packages/react-dom/src/server/ReactDOMFizzServerNode.js
index 5d381c268f0f5..9b4b74666b182 100644
--- a/packages/react-dom/src/server/ReactDOMFizzServerNode.js
+++ b/packages/react-dom/src/server/ReactDOMFizzServerNode.js
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ type Controls = {|
   // Cancel any pending I/O and put anything remaining into
   // client rendered mode.
   abort(): void,
-  startWriting(destination: Writable): void,
+  pipe<T: Writable>(destination: T): T,
 |};
 
 function createRequestImpl(children: ReactNodeList, options: void | Options) {
@@ -64,13 +64,16 @@ function renderToNodePipe(
   let hasStartedFlowing = false;
   startWork(request);
   return {
-    startWriting(destination) {
+    pipe<T: Writable>(destination: T): T {
       if (hasStartedFlowing) {
-        return;
+        throw new Error(
+          'React currently only supports piping to one writable stream',
+        );
       }
       hasStartedFlowing = true;
       startFlowing(request, destination);
       destination.on('drain', createDrainHandler(destination, request));
+      return destination;
     },
     abort() {
       abort(request);
diff --git a/packages/react-server-dom-webpack/src/ReactFlightDOMServerNode.js b/packages/react-server-dom-webpack/src/ReactFlightDOMServerNode.js
index 192db0fd61cb4..e0103bd1ed15b 100644
--- a/packages/react-server-dom-webpack/src/ReactFlightDOMServerNode.js
+++ b/packages/react-server-dom-webpack/src/ReactFlightDOMServerNode.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ type Options = {
 };
 
 type Controls = {|
-  startWriting(destination: Writable): void,
+  pipe<T: Writable>(destination: T): T,
 |};
 
 function renderToNodePipe(
@@ -42,13 +42,16 @@ function renderToNodePipe(
   let hasStartedFlowing = false;
   startWork(request);
   return {
-    startWriting(destination) {
+    pipe<T: Writable>(destination: T): T {
       if (hasStartedFlowing) {
-        return;
+        throw new Error(
+          'React currently only supports piping to one writable stream',
+        );
       }
       hasStartedFlowing = true;
       startFlowing(request, destination);
       destination.on('drain', createDrainHandler(destination, request));
+      return destination;
     },
   };
 }
diff --git a/packages/react-server-dom-webpack/src/__tests__/ReactFlightDOM-test.js b/packages/react-server-dom-webpack/src/__tests__/ReactFlightDOM-test.js
index b158b96cd11e8..a129334507569 100644
--- a/packages/react-server-dom-webpack/src/__tests__/ReactFlightDOM-test.js
+++ b/packages/react-server-dom-webpack/src/__tests__/ReactFlightDOM-test.js
@@ -113,11 +113,8 @@ describe('ReactFlightDOM', () => {
     }
 
     const {writable, readable} = getTestStream();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
-      <App />,
-      webpackMap,
-    );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    const {pipe} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(<App />, webpackMap);
+    pipe(writable);
     const response = ReactServerDOMReader.createFromReadableStream(readable);
     await waitForSuspense(() => {
       const model = response.readRoot();
@@ -166,11 +163,11 @@ describe('ReactFlightDOM', () => {
     }
 
     const {writable, readable} = getTestStream();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
       <RootModel />,
       webpackMap,
     );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
     const response = ReactServerDOMReader.createFromReadableStream(readable);
 
     const container = document.createElement('div');
@@ -204,11 +201,11 @@ describe('ReactFlightDOM', () => {
     }
 
     const {writable, readable} = getTestStream();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
       <RootModel />,
       webpackMap,
     );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
     const response = ReactServerDOMReader.createFromReadableStream(readable);
 
     const container = document.createElement('div');
@@ -240,11 +237,11 @@ describe('ReactFlightDOM', () => {
     }
 
     const {writable, readable} = getTestStream();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
       <RootModel />,
       webpackMap,
     );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    pipe(writable);
     const response = ReactServerDOMReader.createFromReadableStream(readable);
 
     const container = document.createElement('div');
@@ -375,16 +372,12 @@ describe('ReactFlightDOM', () => {
     }
 
     const {writable, readable} = getTestStream();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
-      model,
-      webpackMap,
-      {
-        onError(x) {
-          reportedErrors.push(x);
-        },
+    const {pipe} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(model, webpackMap, {
+      onError(x) {
+        reportedErrors.push(x);
       },
-    );
-    startWriting(writable);
+    });
+    pipe(writable);
     const response = ReactServerDOMReader.createFromReadableStream(readable);
 
     const container = document.createElement('div');
@@ -490,11 +483,11 @@ describe('ReactFlightDOM', () => {
     const root = ReactDOM.createRoot(container);
 
     const stream1 = getTestStream();
-    const {startWriting} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
       <App color="red" />,
       webpackMap,
     );
-    startWriting(stream1.writable);
+    pipe(stream1.writable);
     const response1 = ReactServerDOMReader.createFromReadableStream(
       stream1.readable,
     );
@@ -518,11 +511,11 @@ describe('ReactFlightDOM', () => {
     inputB.value = 'goodbye';
 
     const stream2 = getTestStream();
-    const {startWriting: startWriting2} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
+    const {pipe: pipe2} = ReactServerDOMWriter.renderToNodePipe(
       <App color="blue" />,
       webpackMap,
     );
-    startWriting2(stream2.writable);
+    pipe2(stream2.writable);
     const response2 = ReactServerDOMReader.createFromReadableStream(
       stream2.readable,
     );