diff --git a/cmd/stfs/cmd/operation_initialize.go b/cmd/stfs/cmd/operation_initialize.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f7d835b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/stfs/cmd/operation_initialize.go
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/pojntfx/stfs/internal/check"
+	"github.com/pojntfx/stfs/internal/keyext"
+	"github.com/pojntfx/stfs/internal/logging"
+	"github.com/pojntfx/stfs/pkg/config"
+	"github.com/pojntfx/stfs/pkg/keys"
+	"github.com/pojntfx/stfs/pkg/mtio"
+	"github.com/pojntfx/stfs/pkg/operations"
+	"github.com/pojntfx/stfs/pkg/persisters"
+	"github.com/pojntfx/stfs/pkg/tape"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
+)
+
+var operationInitializeCmd = &cobra.Command{
+	Use:     "initialize",
+	Aliases: []string{"ini", "i", "init"},
+	Short:   "Truncate and initalize a file or directory",
+	PreRunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		if err := viper.BindPFlags(cmd.PersistentFlags()); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if err := check.CheckCompressionLevel(viper.GetString(compressionLevelFlag)); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if err := check.CheckKeyAccessible(viper.GetString(encryptionFlag), viper.GetString(recipientFlag)); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		return check.CheckKeyAccessible(viper.GetString(signatureFlag), viper.GetString(identityFlag))
+	},
+	RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+		pubkey, err := keyext.ReadKey(viper.GetString(encryptionFlag), viper.GetString(recipientFlag))
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		recipient, err := keys.ParseRecipient(viper.GetString(encryptionFlag), pubkey)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		privkey, err := keyext.ReadKey(viper.GetString(signatureFlag), viper.GetString(identityFlag))
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		identity, err := keys.ParseSignerIdentity(viper.GetString(signatureFlag), privkey, viper.GetString(passwordFlag))
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		mt := mtio.MagneticTapeIO{}
+		tm := tape.NewTapeManager(
+			viper.GetString(driveFlag),
+			mt,
+			viper.GetInt(recordSizeFlag),
+			true,
+		)
+
+		metadataPersister := persisters.NewMetadataPersister(viper.GetString(metadataFlag))
+		if err := metadataPersister.Open(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		ops := operations.NewOperations(
+			config.BackendConfig{
+				GetWriter:   tm.GetWriter,
+				CloseWriter: tm.Close,
+
+				GetReader:   tm.GetReader,
+				CloseReader: tm.Close,
+
+				MagneticTapeIO: mt,
+			},
+			config.MetadataConfig{
+				Metadata: metadataPersister,
+			},
+
+			config.PipeConfig{
+				Compression: viper.GetString(compressionFlag),
+				Encryption:  viper.GetString(encryptionFlag),
+				Signature:   viper.GetString(signatureFlag),
+				RecordSize:  viper.GetInt(recordSizeFlag),
+			},
+			config.CryptoConfig{
+				Recipient: recipient,
+				Identity:  identity,
+				Password:  viper.GetString(passwordFlag),
+			},
+
+			logging.NewCSVLogger().PrintHeaderEvent,
+		)
+
+		return ops.Initialize("/", os.ModePerm, viper.GetString(compressionLevelFlag))
+	},
+}
+
+func init() {
+	operationInitializeCmd.PersistentFlags().IntP(recordSizeFlag, "z", 20, "Amount of 512-bit blocks per record")
+	operationInitializeCmd.PersistentFlags().StringP(compressionLevelFlag, "l", config.CompressionLevelBalancedKey, fmt.Sprintf("Compression level to use (default %v, available are %v)", config.CompressionLevelBalancedKey, config.KnownCompressionLevels))
+	operationInitializeCmd.PersistentFlags().StringP(recipientFlag, "r", "", "Path to public key of recipient to encrypt for")
+	operationInitializeCmd.PersistentFlags().StringP(identityFlag, "i", "", "Path to private key to sign with")
+	operationInitializeCmd.PersistentFlags().StringP(passwordFlag, "p", "", "Password for the private key")
+
+	viper.AutomaticEnv()
+
+	operationCmd.AddCommand(operationInitializeCmd)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/operations/archive.go b/pkg/operations/archive.go
index 3505347..5ba63ee 100644
--- a/pkg/operations/archive.go
+++ b/pkg/operations/archive.go
@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@ func (o *Operations) Archive(
 	o.diskOperationLock.Lock()
 	defer o.diskOperationLock.Unlock()
 
+	return o.archive(getSrc, compressionLevel, overwrite, initializing)
+}
+
+func (o *Operations) archive(
+	getSrc func() (config.FileConfig, error),
+	compressionLevel string,
+	overwrite bool,
+	initializing bool,
+) ([]*tar.Header, error) {
+
 	writer, err := o.backend.GetWriter()
 	if err != nil {
 		return []*tar.Header{}, err
diff --git a/pkg/operations/initialize.go b/pkg/operations/initialize.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e4ccc1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/operations/initialize.go
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+package operations
+
+import (
+	"archive/tar"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"os/user"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strconv"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/pojntfx/stfs/pkg/config"
+)
+
+func (o *Operations) Initialize(
+	name string,
+	perm os.FileMode,
+	compressionLevel string,
+) error {
+	o.diskOperationLock.Lock()
+	defer o.diskOperationLock.Unlock()
+
+	usr, err := user.Current()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	gid, err := strconv.Atoi(usr.Gid)
+	if err != nil {
+		// Some OSes like i.e. Windows don't support numeric GIDs, so use 0 instead
+		gid = 0
+	}
+
+	uid, err := strconv.Atoi(usr.Uid)
+	if err != nil {
+		// Some OSes like i.e. Windows don't support numeric UIDs, so use 0 instead
+		uid = 0
+	}
+
+	groups, err := usr.GroupIds()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	gname := ""
+	if len(groups) >= 1 {
+		gname = groups[0]
+	}
+
+	typeflag := tar.TypeDir
+
+	hdr := &tar.Header{
+		Typeflag: byte(typeflag),
+
+		Name: name,
+
+		Mode:  int64(perm),
+		Uid:   uid,
+		Gid:   gid,
+		Uname: usr.Username,
+		Gname: gname,
+
+		ModTime: time.Now(),
+	}
+
+	done := false
+	if _, err := o.archive(
+		func() (config.FileConfig, error) {
+			// Exit after the first write
+			if done {
+				return config.FileConfig{}, io.EOF
+			}
+			done = true
+
+			return config.FileConfig{
+				GetFile: nil, // Not required as we never replace
+				Info:    hdr.FileInfo(),
+				Path:    filepath.ToSlash(name),
+				Link:    filepath.ToSlash(hdr.Linkname),
+			}, nil
+		},
+		compressionLevel,
+		true,
+		true,
+	); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}