diff --git a/src/win32/i_system.cpp b/src/win32/i_system.cpp
index c21768f1fe..ef56c7050a 100644
--- a/src/win32/i_system.cpp
+++ b/src/win32/i_system.cpp
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ extern bool ConWindowHidden;
 // PUBLIC DATA DEFINITIONS -------------------------------------------------
 
 CVAR (String, queryiwad_key, "shift", CVAR_GLOBALCONFIG|CVAR_ARCHIVE);
+CVAR (Bool, con_debugoutput, false, 0);
 
 double PerfToSec, PerfToMillisec;
 UINT TimerPeriod;
@@ -1053,29 +1054,30 @@ static TArray<FString> bufferedConsoleStuff;
 
 void I_PrintStr(const char *cp)
 {
-#ifdef _DEBUG
-	// Strip out any color escape sequences before writing to debug output
-	char * copy = new char[strlen(cp)+1];
-	const char * srcp = cp;
-	char * dstp = copy;
-
-	while (*srcp != 0)
+	if (con_debugoutput)
 	{
-		if (*srcp!=0x1c && *srcp!=0x1d && *srcp!=0x1e && *srcp!=0x1f)
-		{
-			*dstp++=*srcp++;
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			if (srcp[1]!=0) srcp+=2;
-			else break;
-		}
-	}
-	*dstp=0;
+		// Strip out any color escape sequences before writing to debug output
+		char * copy = new char[strlen(cp)+1];
+		const char * srcp = cp;
+		char * dstp = copy;
 
-	OutputDebugStringA(copy);
-	delete [] copy;
-#endif // _DEBUG
+		while (*srcp != 0)
+		{
+			if (*srcp!=0x1c && *srcp!=0x1d && *srcp!=0x1e && *srcp!=0x1f)
+			{
+				*dstp++=*srcp++;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				if (srcp[1]!=0) srcp+=2;
+				else break;
+			}
+		}
+		*dstp=0;
+
+		OutputDebugStringA(copy);
+		delete [] copy;
+	}
 
 	if (ConWindowHidden)
 	{