diff --git a/Console/CMakeLists.txt b/Console/CMakeLists.txt
index a67180fa85..5cb28cffa4 100644
--- a/Console/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Console/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -27,3 +27,8 @@ add_library(RetroConsole
 
 install(TARGETS RetroConsole  DESTINATION lib)
 
+add_application(ConsoleTest
+	ConsoleTest.cc
+	)
+target_link_libraries(ConsoleTest RetroConsole)
+
diff --git a/Console/Console.cc b/Console/Console.cc
index cdb002f257..dc309974d5 100644
--- a/Console/Console.cc
+++ b/Console/Console.cc
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "MacUtils.h"
 #include "Events.h"
 #include "Fonts.h"
+#include "Processes.h"
 
 #include <algorithm>
 
@@ -30,7 +31,9 @@ Console *Console::currentInstance = NULL;
 
 Console::Console(GrafPtr port, Rect r)
 	: consolePort(port), bounds(r), dirtyRect()
-{  
+{
+	if(currentInstance == NULL)
+		currentInstance = (Console*) -1;
 	PortSetter setport(consolePort);
 	
 	InsetRect(&bounds, 2,2);
@@ -42,7 +45,9 @@ Console::Console(GrafPtr port, Rect r)
 	
 	rows = (bounds.bottom - bounds.top) / cellSizeY;
 	cols = (bounds.right - bounds.left) / cellSizeX;
+
 	chars = std::vector<char>(rows*cols, ' ');
+
 	onscreen = chars;
 
 	cursorX = cursorY = 0;
diff --git a/Console/Console.h b/Console/Console.h
index a976820f1e..b14d5d0089 100644
--- a/Console/Console.h
+++ b/Console/Console.h
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ namespace Retro
 		std::string ReadLine();
 
 		static Console *currentInstance;
+
+		short GetRows() const { return rows; }
+		short GetCols() const { return cols; }
 	private:
 		GrafPtr consolePort;
 		Rect bounds;
diff --git a/Console/ConsoleTest.cc b/Console/ConsoleTest.cc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6bf0741000
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Console/ConsoleTest.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#include "Console.h"
+#include <string.h>
+
+namespace Retro
+{
+	void InitConsole();
+}
+
+int main()
+{
+	Retro::InitConsole();
+	const char *s = "Hello, world.\n";
+	Retro::Console::currentInstance->write(s, strlen(s));
+	Retro::Console::currentInstance->ReadLine();
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/Console/InitConsole.cc b/Console/InitConsole.cc
index d3161ec5bd..6f5112fe12 100644
--- a/Console/InitConsole.cc
+++ b/Console/InitConsole.cc
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ extern "C" ssize_t _consolewrite(int fd, const void *buf, size_t count)
 {
 	if(!Console::currentInstance)
 		InitConsole();
+	if(Console::currentInstance == (Console*)-1)
+		return 0;
 
 	Console::currentInstance->write((const char*)buf, count);
 	return count;
@@ -72,6 +74,8 @@ extern "C" ssize_t _consoleread(int fd, void *buf, size_t count)
 {
 	if(!Console::currentInstance)
 		InitConsole();
+	if(Console::currentInstance == (Console*)-1)
+		return 0;
 
 	static std::string consoleBuf;
 	if(consoleBuf.size() == 0)