diff --git a/sugar/browser/browser.py b/sugar/browser/browser.py
index f67f4a46..2ad61318 100755
--- a/sugar/browser/browser.py
+++ b/sugar/browser/browser.py
@@ -355,9 +355,8 @@ class BrowserShell(dbus.service.Object):
 		self.__browsers.append(browser)
 		browser.activity_connect_to_shell()
 
-if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] == "--console":
-	sys.stdout = LogWriter("Web")
-	sys.stderr = LogWriter("Web")
+log_writer = LogWriter("Web")
+log_writer.start()
 
 gtk.rc_parse(sugar.env.get_data_file('browser.rc'))
 
diff --git a/sugar/chat/chat.py b/sugar/chat/chat.py
index 0a165fd2..02b05681 100755
--- a/sugar/chat/chat.py
+++ b/sugar/chat/chat.py
@@ -696,17 +696,11 @@ class ChatShell(dbus.service.Object):
 	def send_text_message(self, message):
 		self._group_chat.send_text_message(message)
 
+log_writer = LogWriter("Chat")
+log_writer.start()
 
-def main():
-	if len(sys.argv) > 1 and sys.argv[1] == "--console":
-		sys.stdout = LogWriter("Chat")
-		sys.stderr = LogWriter("Chat")
-
-	ChatShell.get_instance().open_group_chat()
-	try:
-		gtk.main()
-	except KeyboardInterrupt:
-		pass
-
-if __name__ == "__main__":
-	main()
+ChatShell.get_instance().open_group_chat()
+try:
+	gtk.main()
+except KeyboardInterrupt:
+	pass
diff --git a/sugar/session/LogWriter.py b/sugar/session/LogWriter.py
index 92cbf652..7c6be751 100644
--- a/sugar/session/LogWriter.py
+++ b/sugar/session/LogWriter.py
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+import os
+import sys
+
 import dbus
 
 class LogWriter:
@@ -7,6 +10,11 @@ class LogWriter:
 		proxy_obj = bus.get_object('com.redhat.Sugar.Logger', '/com/redhat/Sugar/Logger')
 		self._logger = dbus.Interface(proxy_obj, 'com.redhat.Sugar.Logger')
 
+	def start(self):
+		if os.environ.has_key('SUGAR_USE_CONSOLE'):
+			sys.stdout = self
+			sys.stderr = self
+
 	def write(self, s):
 		try:
 			self._logger.log(self._application, s)
diff --git a/sugar/session/session.py b/sugar/session/session.py
index 4d57a208..96ed29e1 100644
--- a/sugar/session/session.py
+++ b/sugar/session/session.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import gtk
 from sugar.shell import shell
 from sugar import env
 
-def start(console):
+def start():
 	shell.main()
 
 	activities = []
@@ -34,8 +34,6 @@ def start(console):
 
 	for activity in activities:
 		args = [ 'python', '-m', activity ]
-		if console:
-			args.append('--console')
 		os.spawnvp(os.P_NOWAIT, 'python', args)
 
 	try:
diff --git a/sugar/sugar b/sugar/sugar
index c1c42525..f6340894 100755
--- a/sugar/sugar
+++ b/sugar/sugar
@@ -68,11 +68,12 @@ else:
 append_to_python_path(os.path.expanduser('~/.sugar/activities'))
 
 if console:
+	os.environ['SUGAR_USE_CONSOLE'] = 'yes'
 	print 'Redirecting output to the console, press ctrl+d to open it.'
 	
 from sugar.session import session
 
-session.start(console)
+session.start()
 
 if dbus_daemon_pid:
 	stop_dbus(dbus_daemon_pid)