diff --git a/indra/newview/llappviewerwin32.cpp b/indra/newview/llappviewerwin32.cpp
index b5a185a0c..133e97aea 100644
--- a/indra/newview/llappviewerwin32.cpp
+++ b/indra/newview/llappviewerwin32.cpp
@@ -351,26 +351,48 @@ void create_console()
 	// redirect unbuffered STDOUT to the console
 	l_std_handle = (long)GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
 	h_con_handle = _open_osfhandle(l_std_handle, _O_TEXT);
-	fp = _fdopen( h_con_handle, "w" );
-	*stdout = *fp;
-	setvbuf( stdout, NULL, _IONBF, 0 );
+	if (h_con_handle == -1)
+	{
+		llwarns << "create_console() failed to open stdout handle" << llendl;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		fp = _fdopen( h_con_handle, "w" );
+		*stdout = *fp;
+		setvbuf( stdout, NULL, _IONBF, 0 );
+	}
 
 	// redirect unbuffered STDIN to the console
 	l_std_handle = (long)GetStdHandle(STD_INPUT_HANDLE);
 	h_con_handle = _open_osfhandle(l_std_handle, _O_TEXT);
-	fp = _fdopen( h_con_handle, "r" );
-	*stdin = *fp;
-	setvbuf( stdin, NULL, _IONBF, 0 );
+	if (h_con_handle == -1)
+	{
+		llwarns << "create_console() failed to open stdin handle" << llendl;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		fp = _fdopen( h_con_handle, "r" );
+		*stdin = *fp;
+		setvbuf( stdin, NULL, _IONBF, 0 );
+	}
 
 	// redirect unbuffered STDERR to the console
 	l_std_handle = (long)GetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE);
 	h_con_handle = _open_osfhandle(l_std_handle, _O_TEXT);
-	fp = _fdopen( h_con_handle, "w" );
-	*stderr = *fp;
-	setvbuf( stderr, NULL, _IOFBF, 1024 );  //Assigning a buffer improves speed a LOT, esp on vista/win7
-											//_IOLBF is borked.
+	if (h_con_handle == -1)
+	{
+		llwarns << "create_console() failed to open stderr handle" << llendl;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		fp = _fdopen( h_con_handle, "w" );
+		*stderr = *fp;
+		setvbuf( stderr, NULL, _IOFBF, 1024 );  //Assigning a buffer improves speed a LOT, esp on vista/win7
+												//_IOLBF is borked.
+	}
 }
 
+
 LLAppViewerWin32::LLAppViewerWin32(const char* cmd_line) :
     mCmdLine(cmd_line)
 {