diff --git a/capa/features/extractors/__init__.py b/capa/features/extractors/__init__.py
index b44adbc6..85d1bd49 100644
--- a/capa/features/extractors/__init__.py
+++ b/capa/features/extractors/__init__.py
@@ -39,6 +39,15 @@ class FeatureExtractor(object):
         #
         super(FeatureExtractor, self).__init__()
 
+    @abc.abstractmethod
+    def get_base_address(self):
+        """
+        fetch the preferred load address at which the sample was analyzed.
+
+        returns: int
+        """
+        raise NotImplemented
+
     @abc.abstractmethod
     def extract_file_features(self):
         """
diff --git a/capa/features/extractors/ida/__init__.py b/capa/features/extractors/ida/__init__.py
index 378a5c90..5091fb34 100644
--- a/capa/features/extractors/ida/__init__.py
+++ b/capa/features/extractors/ida/__init__.py
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ class IdaFeatureExtractor(FeatureExtractor):
     def __init__(self):
         super(IdaFeatureExtractor, self).__init__()
 
+    def get_base_address(self):
+        return idaapi.get_imagebase()
+
     def extract_file_features(self):
         for feature, va in capa.features.extractors.ida.file.extract_features():
             yield feature, va
diff --git a/capa/features/extractors/viv/__init__.py b/capa/features/extractors/viv/__init__.py
index 1e27083d..82950418 100644
--- a/capa/features/extractors/viv/__init__.py
+++ b/capa/features/extractors/viv/__init__.py
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ class VivisectFeatureExtractor(FeatureExtractor):
         self.vw = vw
         self.path = path
 
+    def get_base_address(self):
+        # assume there is only one file loaded into the vw
+        return list(self.vw.filemeta.values())[0]["imagebase"]
+
     def extract_file_features(self):
         for feature, va in capa.features.extractors.viv.file.extract_features(self.vw, self.path):
             yield feature, va
diff --git a/capa/ida/helpers/__init__.py b/capa/ida/helpers/__init__.py
index 7a230000..06997137 100644
--- a/capa/ida/helpers/__init__.py
+++ b/capa/ida/helpers/__init__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 import logging
+import datetime
 
 import idc
 import idaapi
+import idautils
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("capa")
 
@@ -48,3 +50,17 @@ def get_func_start_ea(ea):
     """ """
     f = idaapi.get_func(ea)
     return f if f is None else f.start_ea
+
+
+def collect_metadata():
+    return {
+        "timestamp": datetime.datetime.now().isoformat(),
+        # "argv" is not relevant here
+        "sample": {
+            "md5": idautils.GetInputFileMD5(),
+            # "sha1" not easily accessible
+            "sha256": idaapi.retrieve_input_file_sha256(),
+            "path": idaapi.get_input_file_path(),
+        },
+        "analysis": {"format": idaapi.get_file_type_name(), "extractor": "ida",},
+    }
diff --git a/capa/ida/ida_capa_explorer.py b/capa/ida/ida_capa_explorer.py
index 004e9a96..6ecf6404 100644
--- a/capa/ida/ida_capa_explorer.py
+++ b/capa/ida/ida_capa_explorer.py
@@ -363,12 +363,8 @@ class CapaExplorerForm(idaapi.PluginForm):
 
         logger.info("analysis completed.")
 
-        doc = capa.render.convert_capabilities_to_result_document(rules, capabilities)
-
-        import json
-
-        with open("C:\\Users\\spring\\Desktop\\hmm.json", "w") as twitter_data_file:
-            json.dump(doc, twitter_data_file, indent=4, sort_keys=True, cls=capa.render.CapaJsonObjectEncoder)
+        meta = capa.ida.helpers.collect_metadata()
+        doc = capa.render.convert_capabilities_to_result_document(meta, rules, capabilities)
 
         self.model_data.render_capa_doc(doc)
         self.render_capa_doc_summary(doc)
diff --git a/capa/main.py b/capa/main.py
index 34264ede..ee582724 100644
--- a/capa/main.py
+++ b/capa/main.py
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@ capa - detect capabilities in programs.
 """
 import os
 import sys
+import hashlib
 import logging
 import os.path
+import datetime
 import collections
 
 import tqdm
@@ -320,6 +322,36 @@ def get_rules(rule_path):
     return rules
 
 
+def collect_metadata(argv, path, format, extractor):
+    md5 = hashlib.md5()
+    sha1 = hashlib.sha1()
+    sha256 = hashlib.sha256()
+
+    with open(path, "rb") as f:
+        buf = f.read()
+
+    md5.update(buf)
+    sha1.update(buf)
+    sha256.update(buf)
+
+    return {
+        "timestamp": datetime.datetime.now().isoformat(),
+        "version": capa.version.__version__,
+        "argv": argv,
+        "sample": {
+            "md5": md5.hexdigest(),
+            "sha1": sha1.hexdigest(),
+            "sha256": sha256.hexdigest(),
+            "path": os.path.normpath(path),
+        },
+        "analysis": {
+            "format": format,
+            "extractor": extractor.__class__.__name__,
+            "base_address": extractor.get_base_address(),
+        },
+    }
+
+
 def main(argv=None):
     if argv is None:
         argv = sys.argv[1:]
@@ -420,9 +452,11 @@ def main(argv=None):
         taste = f.read(8)
 
     if (args.format == "freeze") or (args.format == "auto" and capa.features.freeze.is_freeze(taste)):
+        format = "freeze"
         with open(args.sample, "rb") as f:
             extractor = capa.features.freeze.load(f.read())
     else:
+        format = args.format
         try:
             extractor = get_extractor(args.sample, args.format)
         except UnsupportedFormatError:
@@ -446,6 +480,8 @@ def main(argv=None):
             logger.error("-" * 80)
             return -1
 
+    meta = collect_metadata(argv, args.sample, format, extractor)
+
     capabilities = find_capabilities(rules, extractor)
 
     if has_file_limitation(rules, capabilities):
@@ -460,13 +496,13 @@ def main(argv=None):
     # renderers should use coloring and assume it will be stripped out if necessary.
     colorama.init()
     if args.json:
-        print(capa.render.render_json(rules, capabilities))
+        print(capa.render.render_json(meta, rules, capabilities))
     elif args.vverbose:
-        print(capa.render.render_vverbose(rules, capabilities))
+        print(capa.render.render_vverbose(meta, rules, capabilities))
     elif args.verbose:
-        print(capa.render.render_verbose(rules, capabilities))
+        print(capa.render.render_verbose(meta, rules, capabilities))
     else:
-        print(capa.render.render_default(rules, capabilities))
+        print(capa.render.render_default(meta, rules, capabilities))
     colorama.deinit()
 
     logger.info("done.")
@@ -475,11 +511,12 @@ def main(argv=None):
 
 
 def ida_main():
+    import capa.ida.helpers
+    import capa.features.extractors.ida
+
     logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)
     logging.getLogger().setLevel(logging.INFO)
 
-    import capa.ida.helpers
-
     if not capa.ida.helpers.is_supported_file_type():
         return -1
 
@@ -500,18 +537,15 @@ def ida_main():
         logger.debug("default rule path (source method): %s", rules_path)
 
     rules = get_rules(rules_path)
-    import capa.rules
-
     rules = capa.rules.RuleSet(rules)
 
-    import capa.features.extractors.ida
-
     capabilities = find_capabilities(rules, capa.features.extractors.ida.IdaFeatureExtractor())
 
     if has_file_limitation(rules, capabilities, is_standalone=False):
         capa.ida.helpers.inform_user_ida_ui("capa encountered warnings during analysis")
 
-    render_capabilities_default(rules, capabilities)
+    meta = capa.ida.helpers.collect_metadata()
+    print(capa.render.render_default(meta, rules, capabilities))
 
 
 def is_runtime_ida():
diff --git a/capa/render/__init__.py b/capa/render/__init__.py
index 2dabb022..5b625217 100644
--- a/capa/render/__init__.py
+++ b/capa/render/__init__.py
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ def convert_match_to_result_document(rules, capabilities, result):
     return doc
 
 
-def convert_capabilities_to_result_document(rules, capabilities):
+def convert_capabilities_to_result_document(meta, rules, capabilities):
     """
     convert the given rule set and capabilities result to a common, Python-native data structure.
     this format can be directly emitted to JSON, or passed to the other `render_*` routines
@@ -187,22 +187,29 @@ def convert_capabilities_to_result_document(rules, capabilities):
 
     ```json
     {
-      $rule-name: {
-        "meta": {...copied from rule.meta...},
-        "matches: {
-          $address: {...match details...},
-          ...
-        }
-      },
-      ...
+      "meta": {...},
+      "rules: {
+        $rule-name: {
+          "meta": {...copied from rule.meta...},
+          "matches: {
+            $address: {...match details...},
+            ...
+          }
+        },
+        ...
+      }
     }
     ```
 
     Args:
+      meta (Dict[str, Any]):
       rules (RuleSet):
       capabilities (Dict[str, List[Tuple[int, Result]]]):
     """
-    doc = {}
+    doc = {
+        "meta": meta,
+        "rules": {},
+    }
 
     for rule_name, matches in capabilities.items():
         rule = rules[rule_name]
@@ -210,7 +217,7 @@ def convert_capabilities_to_result_document(rules, capabilities):
         if rule.meta.get("capa/subscope-rule"):
             continue
 
-        doc[rule_name] = {
+        doc["rules"][rule_name] = {
             "meta": dict(rule.meta),
             "source": rule.definition,
             "matches": {
@@ -221,35 +228,37 @@ def convert_capabilities_to_result_document(rules, capabilities):
     return doc
 
 
-def render_vverbose(rules, capabilities):
+def render_vverbose(meta, rules, capabilities):
     # there's an import loop here
     # if capa.render imports capa.render.vverbose
     # and capa.render.vverbose import capa.render (implicitly, as a submodule)
     # so, defer the import until routine is called, breaking the import loop.
     import capa.render.vverbose
 
-    doc = convert_capabilities_to_result_document(rules, capabilities)
+    doc = convert_capabilities_to_result_document(meta, rules, capabilities)
     return capa.render.vverbose.render_vverbose(doc)
 
 
-def render_verbose(rules, capabilities):
+def render_verbose(meta, rules, capabilities):
     # break import loop
     import capa.render.verbose
 
-    doc = convert_capabilities_to_result_document(rules, capabilities)
+    doc = convert_capabilities_to_result_document(meta, rules, capabilities)
     return capa.render.verbose.render_verbose(doc)
 
 
-def render_default(rules, capabilities):
+def render_default(meta, rules, capabilities):
     # break import loop
     import capa.render.verbose
     import capa.render.default
 
-    doc = convert_capabilities_to_result_document(rules, capabilities)
+    doc = convert_capabilities_to_result_document(meta, rules, capabilities)
     return capa.render.default.render_default(doc)
 
 
 class CapaJsonObjectEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
+    """JSON encoder that emits Python sets as sorted lists"""
+
     def default(self, obj):
         if isinstance(obj, (list, dict, int, float, bool, type(None))) or isinstance(obj, six.string_types):
             return json.JSONEncoder.default(self, obj)
@@ -260,7 +269,7 @@ class CapaJsonObjectEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
             return json.JSONEncoder.default(self, obj)
 
 
-def render_json(rules, capabilities):
+def render_json(meta, rules, capabilities):
     return json.dumps(
-        convert_capabilities_to_result_document(rules, capabilities), cls=CapaJsonObjectEncoder, sort_keys=True,
+        convert_capabilities_to_result_document(meta, rules, capabilities), cls=CapaJsonObjectEncoder, sort_keys=True,
     )
diff --git a/capa/render/default.py b/capa/render/default.py
index a93bdda7..c46ef0cf 100644
--- a/capa/render/default.py
+++ b/capa/render/default.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import tabulate
 
 import capa.render.utils as rutils
 
+tabulate.PRESERVE_WHITESPACE = True
+
 
 def width(s, character_count):
     """pad the given string to at least `character_count`"""
@@ -14,6 +16,19 @@ def width(s, character_count):
         return s
 
 
+def render_meta(doc, ostream):
+    rows = [(rutils.bold("Capa Report for"), rutils.bold(doc["meta"]["sample"]["md5"]),)]
+
+    for k in ("timestamp", "version"):
+        rows.append((width(k, 22), width(doc["meta"][k], 60)))
+
+    for k in ("path", "md5"):
+        rows.append((k, doc["meta"]["sample"][k]))
+
+    ostream.write(tabulate.tabulate(rows, tablefmt="psql"))
+    ostream.write("\n")
+
+
 def render_capabilities(doc, ostream):
     """
     example::
@@ -90,8 +105,10 @@ def render_attack(doc, ostream):
 
 
 def render_default(doc):
-    ostream = six.StringIO()
+    ostream = rutils.StringIO()
 
+    render_meta(doc, ostream)
+    ostream.write("\n")
     render_attack(doc, ostream)
     ostream.write("\n")
     render_capabilities(doc, ostream)
diff --git a/capa/render/utils.py b/capa/render/utils.py
index 670c1bcf..6ef1e854 100644
--- a/capa/render/utils.py
+++ b/capa/render/utils.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def hex(n):
 def capability_rules(doc):
     """enumerate the rules in (namespace, name) order that are 'capability' rules (not lib/subscope/disposition/etc)."""
     for (_, _, rule) in sorted(
-        map(lambda rule: (rule["meta"].get("namespace", ""), rule["meta"]["name"], rule), doc.values())
+        map(lambda rule: (rule["meta"].get("namespace", ""), rule["meta"]["name"], rule), doc["rules"].values())
     ):
         if rule["meta"].get("lib"):
             continue
diff --git a/capa/render/verbose.py b/capa/render/verbose.py
index cf13402f..24e9cd3c 100644
--- a/capa/render/verbose.py
+++ b/capa/render/verbose.py
@@ -23,6 +23,21 @@ import capa.render.utils as rutils
 def render_verbose(doc):
     ostream = rutils.StringIO()
 
+    rows = [(rutils.bold("Capa Report for"), rutils.bold(doc["meta"]["sample"]["md5"]),)]
+    for k in ("timestamp", "version"):
+        rows.append((k, doc["meta"][k]))
+
+    for k in ("path", "md5", "sha1", "sha256"):
+        rows.append((k, doc["meta"]["sample"][k]))
+
+    for k in ("format", "extractor"):
+        rows.append((k.replace("_", " "), doc["meta"]["analysis"][k]))
+
+    rows.append(("base address", rutils.hex(doc["meta"]["analysis"]["base_address"])))
+
+    ostream.writeln(tabulate.tabulate(rows, tablefmt="plain"))
+    ostream.write("\n")
+
     for rule in rutils.capability_rules(doc):
         count = len(rule["matches"])
         if count == 1:
@@ -43,7 +58,7 @@ def render_verbose(doc):
             rows.append((key, v))
 
         if rule["meta"]["scope"] != capa.rules.FILE_SCOPE:
-            locations = doc[rule["meta"]["name"]]["matches"].keys()
+            locations = doc["rules"][rule["meta"]["name"]]["matches"].keys()
             rows.append(("matches", "\n".join(map(rutils.hex, locations))))
 
         ostream.writeln(tabulate.tabulate(rows, tablefmt="plain"))
diff --git a/capa/render/vverbose.py b/capa/render/vverbose.py
index a0182b11..2fe96367 100644
--- a/capa/render/vverbose.py
+++ b/capa/render/vverbose.py
@@ -141,6 +141,22 @@ def render_match(ostream, match, indent=0, mode=MODE_SUCCESS):
 def render_vverbose(doc):
     ostream = rutils.StringIO()
 
+    rows = [(rutils.bold("Capa Report for"), rutils.bold(doc["meta"]["sample"]["md5"]),)]
+    for k in ("timestamp", "version"):
+        rows.append((k, doc["meta"][k]))
+
+    for k in ("path", "md5", "sha1", "sha256"):
+        rows.append((k, doc["meta"]["sample"][k]))
+
+    for k in ("format", "extractor"):
+        rows.append((k.replace("_", " "), doc["meta"]["analysis"][k]))
+
+    rows.append(("base address", rutils.hex(doc["meta"]["analysis"]["base_address"])))
+
+    ostream.writeln(rutils.bold("Capa Report for " + doc["meta"]["sample"]["md5"]))
+    ostream.writeln(tabulate.tabulate(rows, tablefmt="plain"))
+    ostream.write("\n")
+
     for rule in rutils.capability_rules(doc):
         count = len(rule["matches"])
         if count == 1:
@@ -165,7 +181,7 @@ def render_vverbose(doc):
         ostream.writeln(tabulate.tabulate(rows, tablefmt="plain"))
 
         if rule["meta"]["scope"] == capa.rules.FILE_SCOPE:
-            matches = list(doc[rule["meta"]["name"]]["matches"].values())
+            matches = list(doc["rules"][rule["meta"]["name"]]["matches"].values())
             if len(matches) != 1:
                 # i think there should only ever be one match per file-scope rule,
                 # because we do the file-scope evaluation a single time.
@@ -174,7 +190,7 @@ def render_vverbose(doc):
                 raise RuntimeError("unexpected file scope match count: " + len(matches))
             render_match(ostream, matches[0], indent=0)
         else:
-            for location, match in sorted(doc[rule["meta"]["name"]]["matches"].items()):
+            for location, match in sorted(doc["rules"][rule["meta"]["name"]]["matches"].items()):
                 ostream.write(rule["meta"]["scope"])
                 ostream.write(" @ ")
                 ostream.writeln(rutils.hex(location))
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 84ea4f26..3522e8e2 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ setuptools.setup(
     entry_points={"console_scripts": ["capa=capa.main:main",]},
     include_package_data=True,
     install_requires=requirements,
-    extras_require={"dev": ["pytest", "pytest-sugar", "pycodestyle", "black", "isort"]},
+    extras_require={
+        "dev": ["pytest", "pytest-sugar", "pytest-instafail", "pytest-cov", "pycodestyle", "black", "isort"]
+    },
     zip_safe=False,
     keywords="capa",
     classifiers=[