diff --git a/collects/compiler/doc.txt b/collects/compiler/doc.txt
index e0b69bde11..85bdc6fc55 100644
--- a/collects/compiler/doc.txt
+++ b/collects/compiler/doc.txt
@@ -470,18 +470,23 @@ _embedr-sig.ss_ library provides the signature, _compiler:embed^_.
               icons in the ".ico" file
 
       _'creator_ (Mac OS X) - provides a 4-character string to use as
-              the application signature.
+              the application signature
 
       _'file-types_ (Mac OS X) - provides a list of association lists,
               one for each type of file handled by the application;
               each association is a 2-element list, where the first (key)
               element is a string recognized by Finder, and the second
               element is a plist value (see doc.tx in the "xml" collection);
-              see plt/collects/drscheme/drscheme.filetypes for an example.
+              see plt/collects/drscheme/drscheme.filetypes for an example
 
       -'resource-files_ (Mac OS X) - extra files to copy into the
               "Resources" directory of the generated executable
 
+      _'subsystem_ (Windows) - a symbol, either 'console for a console
+              application or 'windows for a consoleless application;
+              the default is 'console for a MzScheme-based application
+              and 'windows for a MrEd-based application
+
       _'forget-exe?_ (Windows, Mac OS X) - a boolean; #t for a launcher
               (see `launcher?' below) does not preserve the original
               executable name for `(find-system-path 'exec-file)'; the
diff --git a/collects/compiler/embed-unit.ss b/collects/compiler/embed-unit.ss
index e8da04ec55..365c9ba89f 100644
--- a/collects/compiler/embed-unit.ss
+++ b/collects/compiler/embed-unit.ss
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 	   (lib "moddep.ss" "syntax")
 	   (lib "plist.ss" "xml")
 	   "embed-sig.ss"
-	   "private/winicon.ss")
+	   "private/winicon.ss"
+           "private/winsubsys.ss")
 
   (provide compiler:embed@)
 
@@ -560,4 +561,8 @@
 			      (let ([m (and (eq? 'windows (system-type))
 					    (assq 'ico aux))])
 				(when m
-				  (install-icon dest-exe (cdr m))))))))))))))))))
+				  (install-icon dest-exe (cdr m))))
+			      (let ([m (and (eq? 'windows (system-type))
+					    (assq 'subsystem aux))])
+				(when m
+				  (set-subsystem dest-exe (cdr m))))))))))))))))))
diff --git a/src/mred/mred.cxx b/src/mred/mred.cxx
index d3976368aa..870d6505b9 100644
--- a/src/mred/mred.cxx
+++ b/src/mred/mred.cxx
@@ -84,7 +84,11 @@ int wx_in_terminal;
 #  define wx_in_terminal 0
 # endif
 #else
-#define wx_in_terminal 0
+# ifdef wx_msw
+static int wx_in_terminal = 0;
+# else
+#  define wx_in_terminal 0
+# endif
 #endif
 
 #ifdef OS_X
@@ -3452,6 +3456,16 @@ void wxCreateApp(void)
 #ifdef wx_mac
     wxmac_reg_globs();
 #endif
+#ifdef wx_msw
+  {
+    HANDLE h;
+    h = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
+    if (h && (h != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
+        && (GetFileType(h) != FILE_TYPE_UNKNOWN)) {
+      wx_in_terminal = 1;
+    }
+  }
+#endif
 
     wxREGGLOB(orig_ps_setup);
     wxREGGLOB(q_callbacks);