diff --git a/src/App/Application.cpp b/src/App/Application.cpp
index 967bf5bcb2..1120475074 100644
--- a/src/App/Application.cpp
+++ b/src/App/Application.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 # endif
 # include <boost/program_options.hpp>
 # include <boost/date_time/posix_time/posix_time.hpp>
+# include <boost/scope_exit.hpp>
 # include <chrono>
 # include <random>
 #endif
@@ -2420,11 +2421,6 @@ void processProgramOptions(const variables_map& vm, std::map<std::string,std::st
         throw Base::ProgramInformation(str.str());
     }
 
-    if (vm.count("console")) {
-        mConfig["Console"] = "1";
-        mConfig["RunMode"] = "Cmd";
-    }
-
     if (vm.count("module-path")) {
         vector<string> Mods = vm["module-path"].as< vector<string> >();
         string temp;
@@ -2599,7 +2595,17 @@ void Application::initConfig(int argc, char ** argv)
     }
 
     variables_map vm;
-    parseProgramOptions(argc, argv, mConfig["ExeName"], vm);
+    {
+        BOOST_SCOPE_EXIT_ALL(&) {
+            // console-mode needs to be set (if possible) also in case parseProgramOptions
+            // throws, as it's needed when reporting such exceptions
+            if (vm.count("console")) {
+                mConfig["Console"] = "1";
+                mConfig["RunMode"] = "Cmd";
+            }
+        };
+        parseProgramOptions(argc, argv, mConfig["ExeName"], vm);
+    }
 
     if (vm.count("keep-deprecated-paths")) {
         mConfig["KeepDeprecatedPaths"] = "1";
diff --git a/src/App/PreCompiled.h b/src/App/PreCompiled.h
index 57cafc2a35..66ec6e5a34 100644
--- a/src/App/PreCompiled.h
+++ b/src/App/PreCompiled.h
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@
 #include <boost/filesystem/exception.hpp>
 #include <boost/filesystem/operations.hpp>
 #include <boost/filesystem/path.hpp>
+#include <boost/scope_exit.hpp>
 
 #endif  //_PreComp_
 
diff --git a/src/Main/MainGui.cpp b/src/Main/MainGui.cpp
index be25becbef..80e0c5e8a2 100644
--- a/src/Main/MainGui.cpp
+++ b/src/Main/MainGui.cpp
@@ -95,6 +95,35 @@ private:
     FILE* file;
 };
 
+static void DisplayInfo(const QString& msg, bool preformatted = true)
+{
+    if (App::Application::Config()["Console"] == "1") {
+        std::cout << msg.toStdString();
+        return;
+    }
+
+    QString appName = QString::fromStdString(App::Application::Config()["ExeName"]);
+    QMessageBox msgBox;
+    msgBox.setIcon(QMessageBox::Information);
+    msgBox.setWindowTitle(appName);
+    msgBox.setDetailedText(msg);
+    msgBox.setText(preformatted ? QStringLiteral("<pre>%1</pre>").arg(msg) : msg);
+    msgBox.exec();
+}
+
+static void DisplayCritical(const QString& msg, bool preformatted = true)
+{
+    if (App::Application::Config()["Console"] == "1") {
+        std::cerr << msg.toStdString();
+        return;
+    }
+
+    QString appName = QString::fromStdString(App::Application::Config()["ExeName"]);
+    QString title = QObject::tr("Initialization of %1 failed").arg(appName);
+    QString text = preformatted ? QStringLiteral("<pre>%1</pre>").arg(msg) : msg;
+    QMessageBox::critical(nullptr, title, text);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char** argv)
 {
 #if defined(FC_OS_LINUX) || defined(FC_OS_BSD)
@@ -217,24 +246,14 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     }
     catch (const Base::UnknownProgramOption& e) {
         QApplication app(argc, argv);
-        QString appName = QString::fromLatin1(App::Application::Config()["ExeName"].c_str());
         QString msg = QString::fromLatin1(e.what());
-        QString s = QLatin1String("<pre>") + msg + QLatin1String("</pre>");
-        QMessageBox::critical(nullptr, appName, s);
+        DisplayCritical(msg);
         exit(1);
     }
     catch (const Base::ProgramInformation& e) {
         QApplication app(argc, argv);
-        QString appName = QString::fromLatin1(App::Application::Config()["ExeName"].c_str());
         QString msg = QString::fromUtf8(e.what());
-        QString s = QLatin1String("<pre>") + msg + QLatin1String("</pre>");
-
-        QMessageBox msgBox;
-        msgBox.setIcon(QMessageBox::Information);
-        msgBox.setWindowTitle(appName);
-        msgBox.setDetailedText(msg);
-        msgBox.setText(s);
-        msgBox.exec();
+        DisplayInfo(msg);
         exit(0);
     }
     catch (const Base::Exception& e) {
@@ -261,9 +280,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
                 "\nPlease contact the application's support team for more information.\n\n");
         }
 
-        QMessageBox::critical(nullptr,
-                              QObject::tr("Initialization of %1 failed").arg(appName),
-                              msg);
+        DisplayCritical(msg, false);
         exit(100);
     }
     catch (...) {
@@ -274,9 +291,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
             QObject::tr("Unknown runtime error occurred while initializing %1.\n\n"
                         "Please contact the application's support team for more information.\n\n")
                 .arg(appName);
-        QMessageBox::critical(nullptr,
-                              QObject::tr("Initialization of %1 failed").arg(appName),
-                              msg);
+        DisplayCritical(msg, false);
         exit(101);
     }