diff --git a/src/common/2d/v_draw.h b/src/common/2d/v_draw.h
index 53794b6010..7b1dfa9b69 100644
--- a/src/common/2d/v_draw.h
+++ b/src/common/2d/v_draw.h
@@ -247,13 +247,11 @@ int GetUIScale(F2DDrawer* drawer, int altval);
 int GetConScale(F2DDrawer* drawer, int altval);
 
 EXTERN_CVAR(Int, uiscale);
+EXTERN_CVAR(Int, con_scale);
 
 inline int active_con_scale(F2DDrawer *drawer)
 {
-	// this sets the threshold for upscaling the console font to 2560 x 1440.
-	int vscale = drawer->GetHeight() / 720;
-	int hscale = drawer->GetWidth() / 1280;
-	return max(1, min(vscale, hscale));
+	return GetConScale(drawer, con_scale);
 }
 
 #ifdef DrawText
diff --git a/src/common/console/c_console.cpp b/src/common/console/c_console.cpp
index bb7018a139..fb7fe077d2 100644
--- a/src/common/console/c_console.cpp
+++ b/src/common/console/c_console.cpp
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ static GameAtExit *ExitCmdList;
 static char *work = NULL;
 static int worklen = 0;
 
+CUSTOM_CVAR(Int, con_scale, 0, CVAR_ARCHIVE)
+{
+	if (self < 0) self = 0;
+}
+
 CUSTOM_CVAR(Float, con_alpha, 0.75f, CVAR_ARCHIVE)
 {
 	if (self < 0.f) self = 0.f;
diff --git a/src/gameconfigfile.cpp b/src/gameconfigfile.cpp
index 21f29c58ce..17898f3ae3 100644
--- a/src/gameconfigfile.cpp
+++ b/src/gameconfigfile.cpp
@@ -374,6 +374,8 @@ void FGameConfigFile::DoGlobalSetup ()
 				if (var != NULL) var->ResetToDefault();
 				var = FindCVar("hud_althudscale", NULL);
 				if (var != NULL) var->ResetToDefault();
+				var = FindCVar("con_scale", NULL);
+				if (var != NULL) var->ResetToDefault();
 				var = FindCVar("con_scaletext", NULL);
 				if (var != NULL) var->ResetToDefault();
 				var = FindCVar("uiscale", NULL);
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt b/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt
index 00c8d977a1..095c0c3c94 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt
+++ b/wadsrc/static/menudef.txt
@@ -1081,6 +1081,7 @@ OptionMenu "ScalingOptions" protected
 	// These will need a new control type.
 	StaticText "$SCALEMNU_OVERRIDE", 1
 	ScaleSlider "$SCALEMNU_MESSAGES", 			"con_scaletext", 0.0, 8.0, 1.0, "$SCALEMNU_USEUI"
+	ScaleSlider "$SCALEMNU_CONSOLE", 			"con_scale", 0.0, 8.0, 1.0, "$SCALEMNU_USEUI"
 	ScaleSlider "$SCALEMNU_STATBAR",			"st_scale", -1.0, 8.0, 1.0, "$SCALEMNU_USEUI", "$SCALEMNU_USEFS"
 	ScaleSlider "$SCALEMNU_HUD", 				"hud_scale", -1.0, 8.0, 1.0, "$SCALEMNU_USEUI", "$SCALEMNU_USEFS"
 	ScaleSlider "$SCALEMNU_ALTHUD",				"hud_althudscale", 0.0, 8.0, 1.0, "$SCALEMNU_USEUI"