diff --git a/src/xenia/base/cvar.cc b/src/xenia/base/cvar.cc
index 2f48c6c46..cd85c7a68 100644
--- a/src/xenia/base/cvar.cc
+++ b/src/xenia/base/cvar.cc
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ void ParseLaunchArguments(int& argc, char**& argv,
 
     auto result = options.parse(argc, argv);
     if (result.count("help")) {
+      xe::AttachConsole();
       if (xe::has_console_attached()) {
         PrintHelpAndExit();
       } else {
@@ -88,6 +89,7 @@ void ParseLaunchArguments(int& argc, char**& argv,
       }
     }
   } catch (const cxxopts::OptionException& e) {
+    xe::AttachConsole();
     if (xe::has_console_attached()) {
       std::cout << e.what() << std::endl;
       PrintHelpAndExit();
diff --git a/src/xenia/base/main.h b/src/xenia/base/main.h
index 792fee5d6..324abfe71 100644
--- a/src/xenia/base/main.h
+++ b/src/xenia/base/main.h
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ namespace xe {
 // Returns true if there is a user-visible console attached to receive stdout.
 bool has_console_attached();
 
+void AttachConsole();
+
 // Extern defined by user code. This must be present for the application to
 // launch.
 struct EntryInfo {
diff --git a/src/xenia/base/main_posix.cc b/src/xenia/base/main_posix.cc
index 1e5e9e526..8d14f9219 100644
--- a/src/xenia/base/main_posix.cc
+++ b/src/xenia/base/main_posix.cc
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ namespace xe {
 
 bool has_console_attached() { return true; }
 
+void AttachConsole() {}
+
 }  // namespace xe
 
 extern "C" int main(int argc, char** argv) {
diff --git a/src/xenia/base/main_win.cc b/src/xenia/base/main_win.cc
index 6cf80b7ae..6cbf8c9ae 100644
--- a/src/xenia/base/main_win.cc
+++ b/src/xenia/base/main_win.cc
@@ -50,10 +50,6 @@ bool has_shell_environment_variable() {
 }
 
 void AttachConsole() {
-  if (!cvars::enable_console) {
-    return;
-  }
-
   bool has_console = ::AttachConsole(ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS) == TRUE;
   if (!has_console || !has_shell_environment_variable()) {
     // We weren't launched from a console, so just return.
@@ -145,7 +141,9 @@ int Main() {
 
   // Attach a console so we can write output to stdout. If the user hasn't
   // redirected output themselves it'll pop up a window.
-  xe::AttachConsole();
+  if (cvars::enable_console) {
+    xe::AttachConsole();
+  }
 
   // Setup COM on the main thread.
   // NOTE: this may fail if COM has already been initialized - that's OK.