diff --git a/cmd/kaf/produce.go b/cmd/kaf/produce.go
index 3bec358..8ed7cce 100644
--- a/cmd/kaf/produce.go
+++ b/cmd/kaf/produce.go
@@ -175,37 +175,6 @@ var produceCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		}
 
 		for data := range out {
-			if protoType != "" {
-				if dynamicMessage := reg.MessageForType(protoType); dynamicMessage != nil {
-					err = dynamicMessage.UnmarshalJSON(data)
-					if err != nil {
-						errorExit("Failed to parse input JSON as proto type %v: %v", protoType, err)
-					}
-
-					pb, err := pb.Marshal(dynamicMessage)
-					if err != nil {
-						errorExit("Failed to marshal proto: %v", err)
-					}
-
-					data = pb
-				} else {
-					errorExit("Failed to load payload proto type")
-				}
-			} else if avroSchemaID != -1 {
-				avro, err := schemaCache.EncodeMessage(avroSchemaID, data)
-				if err != nil {
-					errorExit("Failed to encode avro value", err)
-				}
-				data = avro
-			}
-
-			var ts time.Time
-			t, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339, timestampFlag)
-			if err != nil {
-				ts = time.Now()
-			} else {
-				ts = t
-			}
 
 			for i := 0; i < repeatFlag; i++ {
 
@@ -230,12 +199,50 @@ var produceCmd = &cobra.Command{
 					input = buf.Bytes()
 				}
 
+				// Encode to..something
+
+				var marshaledInput []byte
+
+				if protoType != "" {
+					if dynamicMessage := reg.MessageForType(protoType); dynamicMessage != nil {
+						err = dynamicMessage.UnmarshalJSON(input)
+						if err != nil {
+							errorExit("Failed to parse input JSON as proto type %v: %v", protoType, err)
+						}
+
+						pb, err := pb.Marshal(dynamicMessage)
+						if err != nil {
+							errorExit("Failed to marshal proto: %v", err)
+						}
+
+						marshaledInput = pb
+					} else {
+						errorExit("Failed to load payload proto type")
+					}
+				} else if avroSchemaID != -1 {
+					avro, err := schemaCache.EncodeMessage(avroSchemaID, data)
+					if err != nil {
+						errorExit("Failed to encode avro value", err)
+					}
+					marshaledInput = avro
+				} else {
+					marshaledInput = input
+				}
+
+				var ts time.Time
+				t, err := time.Parse(time.RFC3339, timestampFlag)
+				if err != nil {
+					ts = time.Now()
+				} else {
+					ts = t
+				}
+
 				msg := &sarama.ProducerMessage{
 					Topic:     args[0],
 					Key:       key,
 					Headers:   headers,
 					Timestamp: ts,
-					Value:     sarama.ByteEncoder(input),
+					Value:     sarama.ByteEncoder(marshaledInput),
 				}
 				if partitionFlag != -1 {
 					msg.Partition = partitionFlag