diff --git a/src/platform/platform.h b/src/platform/platform.h
index c3bcc90ae4..84b772dbaf 100644
--- a/src/platform/platform.h
+++ b/src/platform/platform.h
@@ -204,6 +204,7 @@ datetime64 platform_get_datetime_now_utc();
 	#undef GetMessage
 
 	void platform_windows_open_console();
+	void platform_windows_close_console();
 	int windows_get_registry_install_info(rct2_install_info *installInfo, char *source, char *font, uint8 charset);
 	HWND windows_get_window_handle();
 	void platform_setup_file_associations();
diff --git a/src/platform/shared.c b/src/platform/shared.c
index f71e61ecc5..a52b16014b 100644
--- a/src/platform/shared.c
+++ b/src/platform/shared.c
@@ -639,6 +639,10 @@ void platform_free()
 
 	platform_close_window();
 	SDL_Quit();
+
+#ifdef __WINDOWS__
+	platform_windows_close_console();
+#endif
 }
 
 void platform_start_text_input(utf8* buffer, int max_length)
diff --git a/src/platform/windows.c b/src/platform/windows.c
index 7722b5b93d..4a8585dfb1 100644
--- a/src/platform/windows.c
+++ b/src/platform/windows.c
@@ -42,8 +42,9 @@
 // The name of the mutex used to prevent multiple instances of the game from running
 #define SINGLE_INSTANCE_MUTEX_NAME "RollerCoaster Tycoon 2_GSKMUTEX"
 
-utf8 _userDataDirectoryPath[MAX_PATH] = { 0 };
-utf8 _openrctDataDirectoryPath[MAX_PATH] = { 0 };
+static utf8 _userDataDirectoryPath[MAX_PATH] = { 0 };
+static utf8 _openrctDataDirectoryPath[MAX_PATH] = { 0 };
+static bool _consoleIsAttached = false;
 
 utf8 **windows_get_command_line_args(int *outNumArgs);
 
@@ -146,12 +147,23 @@ __declspec(dllexport) int StartOpenRCT(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInsta
 void platform_windows_open_console()
 {
 	if (!AttachConsole(ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS)) {
-		AllocConsole();
+		if (!AllocConsole()) {
+			return;
+		}
 	}
 
 	freopen("CONIN$", "r", stdin);
 	freopen("CONOUT$", "w", stdout);
 	freopen("CONOUT$", "w", stderr);
+	_consoleIsAttached = true;
+}
+
+void platform_windows_close_console()
+{
+	if (_consoleIsAttached) {
+		_consoleIsAttached = false;
+		FreeConsole();
+	}
 }
 
 utf8 **windows_get_command_line_args(int *outNumArgs)