diff --git a/pyquarantine/cli.py b/pyquarantine/cli.py
index 79e7fc0..461d5f5 100644
--- a/pyquarantine/cli.py
+++ b/pyquarantine/cli.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #
 
 import argparse
+import json
 import logging
 import logging.handlers
 import sys
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ def print_table(columns, rows):
 
 def list_quarantines(quarantines, args):
     if args.batch:
-        print("\n".join([q.name for q in quarantines]))
+        print("\n".join([q["name"] for q in quarantines]))
     else:
         qlist = []
         for q in quarantines:
@@ -280,8 +281,14 @@ def delete(quarantines, args):
 
 def get(quarantines, args):
     storage = _get_quarantine(quarantines, args.quarantine, args.debug).storage
-    _, msg = storage.get_mail(args.quarantine_id)
-    print(msg.as_string())
+    data = storage.get_mail_bytes(args.quarantine_id)
+    sys.stdout.buffer.write(data)
+
+
+def metadata(quarantines, args):
+    storage = _get_quarantine(quarantines, args.quarantine, args.debug).storage
+    metadata = storage.get_metadata(args.quarantine_id)
+    print(json.dumps(metadata))
 
 
 class StdErrFilter(logging.Filter):
@@ -462,6 +469,17 @@ def main():
         metavar="ID",
         help="Quarantine ID.")
     quarantine_get_parser.set_defaults(func=get)
+    # quarantine metadata command
+    quarantine_metadata_parser = quarantine_subparsers.add_parser(
+        "metadata",
+        description="Get metadata of email from quarantine.",
+        help="Get metadata of email from quarantine",
+        formatter_class=formatter_class)
+    quarantine_metadata_parser.add_argument(
+        "quarantine_id",
+        metavar="ID",
+        help="Quarantine ID.")
+    quarantine_metadata_parser.set_defaults(func=metadata)
 
     # whitelist command group
     whitelist_parser = subparsers.add_parser(
diff --git a/pyquarantine/storage.py b/pyquarantine/storage.py
index 0dc0b17..c696513 100644
--- a/pyquarantine/storage.py
+++ b/pyquarantine/storage.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import os
 
 from calendar import timegm
 from datetime import datetime
-from email import message_from_binary_file
+from email import message_from_bytes
 from email.policy import SMTPUTF8
 from glob import glob
 from time import gmtime
@@ -80,10 +80,10 @@ class FileMailStorage(BaseMailStorage):
         super().__init__(original, metadata, metavar, pretend)
         # check if directory exists and is writable
         if not os.path.isdir(directory) or \
-                not os.access(directory, os.W_OK):
+                not os.access(directory, os.R_OK):
             raise RuntimeError(
                 f"directory '{directory}' does not exist or is "
-                f"not writable")
+                f"not readable")
         self.directory = directory
         try:
             self.mode = int(mode, 8) if mode is not None else None
@@ -346,18 +346,23 @@ class FileMailStorage(BaseMailStorage):
             else:
                 self._save_metafile(metafile, metadata)
 
+    def get_mail_bytes(self, storage_id):
+        _, datafile = self._get_file_paths(storage_id)
+        try:
+            with open(datafile, "rb") as fh:
+                data = fh.read()
+        except IOError as e:
+            raise RuntimeError(f"unable to open email data file: {e}")
+        return data
+
     def get_mail(self, storage_id):
         super().get_mail(storage_id)
 
         metadata = self.get_metadata(storage_id)
-        _, datafile = self._get_file_paths(storage_id)
-        try:
-            with open(datafile, "rb") as fh:
-                msg = message_from_binary_file(
-                    fh, _class=MilterMessage, policy=SMTPUTF8.clone(
-                        refold_source='none'))
-        except IOError as e:
-            raise RuntimeError(f"unable to open email data file: {e}")
+        msg = message_from_bytes(
+            self.get_mail_bytes(storage_id),
+            _class=MilterMessage,
+            policy=SMTPUTF8.clone(refold_source='none'))
         return (metadata, msg)