diff --git a/src/dedicated/i_system.c b/src/dedicated/i_system.c
index 1a1db8fb3..e5e6aa2cd 100644
--- a/src/dedicated/i_system.c
+++ b/src/dedicated/i_system.c
@@ -999,20 +999,8 @@ static void I_GetConsoleEvents(void)
 static void I_StartupConsole(void)
 {
 	HANDLE ci, co;
-	const INT32 ded = M_CheckParm("-dedicated");
-	BOOL gotConsole = FALSE;
-	if (M_CheckParm("-console") || ded)
-		gotConsole = AllocConsole();
-#ifdef _DEBUG
-	else if (M_CheckParm("-noconsole") && !ded)
-#else
-	else if (!M_CheckParm("-console") && !ded)
-#endif
-	{
-		FreeConsole();
-		gotConsole = FALSE;
-	}
-
+	BOOL gotConsole = AllocConsole();
+	consolevent = !M_CheckParm("-noconsole");
 	if (gotConsole)
 	{
 		SetConsoleTitleA("SRB2 Console");
@@ -1040,12 +1028,7 @@ static inline void I_ShutdownConsole(void){}
 static void I_GetConsoleEvents(void){}
 static inline void I_StartupConsole(void)
 {
-#ifdef _DEBUG
 	consolevent = !M_CheckParm("-noconsole");
-#else
-	consolevent = M_CheckParm("-console");
-#endif
-
 	framebuffer = M_CheckParm("-framebuffer");
 
 	if (framebuffer)