diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eba8c3a..fb352b6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ class SignupOp < ::Subroutine::Op
 
   outputs :user
   outputs :business, type: Business # validate that output type is an instance of Business
+  outputs :heavy_operation, lazy: true # delay the execution of the output until accessed
 
   protected
 
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ class SignupOp < ::Subroutine::Op
 
     output :user, u
     output :business, b
+    output :heavy_operation, -> { some_heavy_operation }
   end
 
   def create_user!
@@ -41,7 +43,11 @@ class SignupOp < ::Subroutine::Op
 
   def create_business!(owner)
     Business.create!(company_name: company_name, owner: owner)
-   end
+  end
+
+  def some_heavy_operation
+    # ...
+  end
 
   def deliver_welcome_email(u)
     UserMailer.welcome(u.id).deliver_later
diff --git a/lib/subroutine/outputs.rb b/lib/subroutine/outputs.rb
index 0320090..f9a1d20 100644
--- a/lib/subroutine/outputs.rb
+++ b/lib/subroutine/outputs.rb
@@ -10,11 +10,27 @@ module Outputs
 
     extend ActiveSupport::Concern
 
+    class LazyExecutor
+      def initialize(value)
+        @value_block = value
+        @executed = false
+      end
+
+      def value
+        return @value if @executed
+        @value = @value_block.respond_to?(:call) ? @value_block.call : @value
+        @executed = true
+        @value
+      end
+
+      def executed?
+        @executed
+      end
+    end
+
     included do
       class_attribute :output_configurations
       self.output_configurations = {}
-
-      attr_reader :outputs
     end
 
     module ClassMethods
@@ -39,20 +55,42 @@ def setup_outputs
       @outputs = {} # don't do with_indifferent_access because it will turn provided objects into with_indifferent_access objects, which may not be the desired behavior
     end
 
+    def outputs
+      unless @outputs_executed
+        @outputs.each_pair do |key, value|
+          @outputs[key] = value.is_a?(LazyExecutor) ? value.value : value
+        end
+        @outputs_executed = true
+      end
+
+      @outputs
+    end
+
     def output(name, value)
       name = name.to_sym
       unless output_configurations.key?(name)
         raise ::Subroutine::Outputs::UnknownOutputError, name
       end
 
-      outputs[name] = value
+      @outputs[name] = output_configurations[name].lazy? ? LazyExecutor.new(value) : value
     end
 
     def get_output(name)
       name = name.to_sym
       raise ::Subroutine::Outputs::UnknownOutputError, name unless output_configurations.key?(name)
 
-      outputs[name]
+      output = @outputs[name]
+      unless output.is_a?(LazyExecutor)
+        output
+      else
+        # if its not executed, validate the type
+        unless output.executed?
+          @outputs[name] = output.value
+          ensure_output_type_valid!(name)
+        end
+
+        @outputs[name]
+      end
     end
 
     def validate_outputs!
@@ -60,21 +98,27 @@ def validate_outputs!
         if config.required? && !output_provided?(name)
           raise ::Subroutine::Outputs::OutputNotSetError, name
         end
-        unless valid_output_type?(name)
-          name = name.to_sym
-          raise ::Subroutine::Outputs::InvalidOutputTypeError.new(
-            name: name,
-            actual_type: outputs[name].class,
-            expected_type: output_configurations[name][:type]
-          )
+        unless output_configurations[name].lazy?
+          ensure_output_type_valid!(name)
         end
       end
     end
 
+    def ensure_output_type_valid!(name)
+      return if valid_output_type?(name)
+
+      name = name.to_sym
+      raise ::Subroutine::Outputs::InvalidOutputTypeError.new(
+        name: name,
+        actual_type: @outputs[name].class,
+        expected_type: output_configurations[name][:type]
+      )
+    end
+
     def output_provided?(name)
       name = name.to_sym
 
-      outputs.key?(name)
+      @outputs.key?(name)
     end
 
     def valid_output_type?(name)
@@ -84,9 +128,9 @@ def valid_output_type?(name)
 
       output_configuration = output_configurations[name]
       return true unless output_configuration[:type]
-      return true if !output_configuration.required? && outputs[name].nil?
+      return true if !output_configuration.required? && @outputs[name].nil?
 
-      outputs[name].is_a?(output_configuration[:type])
+      @outputs[name].is_a?(output_configuration[:type])
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/subroutine/outputs/configuration.rb b/lib/subroutine/outputs/configuration.rb
index 01626c8..30af9a8 100644
--- a/lib/subroutine/outputs/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/subroutine/outputs/configuration.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,10 @@ def self.from(field_name, options)
         end
       end
 
-      DEFAULT_OPTIONS = { required: true }.freeze
+      DEFAULT_OPTIONS = {
+        required: true,
+        lazy: false
+      }.freeze
 
       attr_reader :output_name
 
@@ -28,6 +31,10 @@ def required?
         !!config[:required]
       end
 
+      def lazy?
+        !!config[:lazy]
+      end
+
       def inspect
         "#<#{self.class}:#{object_id} name=#{output_name} config=#{config.inspect}>"
       end
diff --git a/test/subroutine/outputs_test.rb b/test/subroutine/outputs_test.rb
index 28d7380..0502f0c 100644
--- a/test/subroutine/outputs_test.rb
+++ b/test/subroutine/outputs_test.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,20 @@ def perform
       end
     end
 
+    class LazyOutputOp < ::Subroutine::Op
+      outputs :foo, lazy: true
+      outputs :baz, lazy: true, type: String
+
+      def perform
+        output :foo, -> { call_me }
+        output :baz, -> { call_baz }
+      end
+
+      def call_me; end
+
+      def call_baz; end
+    end
+
     class MissingOutputSetOp < ::Subroutine::Op
       outputs :foo
       def perform
@@ -99,5 +113,50 @@ def test_it_raises_an_error_if_output_is_set_to_nil_when_there_is_type_validatio
         op.submit
       end
     end
+
+    ################
+    # lazy outputs #
+    ################
+
+    def test_it_does_not_call_lazy_output_values_if_not_accessed
+      op = LazyOutputOp.new
+      op.expects(:call_me).never
+      op.submit!
+    end
+
+    def test_it_calls_lazy_output_values_if_accessed
+      op = LazyOutputOp.new
+      op.expects(:call_me).once
+      op.submit!
+      op.foo
+    end
+
+    def test_it_validates_type_when_lazy_output_is_accessed
+      op = LazyOutputOp.new
+      op.expects(:call_baz).once.returns("a string")
+      op.submit!
+      assert_silent do
+        op.baz
+      end
+    end
+
+    def test_it_raises_error_on_invalid_type_when_lazy_output_is_accessed
+      op = LazyOutputOp.new
+      op.expects(:call_baz).once.returns(10)
+      op.submit!
+      error = assert_raises(Subroutine::Outputs::InvalidOutputTypeError) do
+        op.baz
+      end
+      assert_match(/Invalid output type for 'baz' expected String but got Integer/, error.message)
+    end
+
+    def test_it_returns_outputs
+      op = LazyOutputOp.new
+      op.expects(:call_me).once.returns(1)
+      op.expects(:call_baz).once.returns("a string")
+      op.submit!
+      assert_equal({ foo: 1, baz: "a string" }, op.outputs)
+    end
+
   end
 end