diff --git a/templates/cpp-template-default/proj.win32/main.cpp b/templates/cpp-template-default/proj.win32/main.cpp
index 09df3c0489..ae97b09606 100644
--- a/templates/cpp-template-default/proj.win32/main.cpp
+++ b/templates/cpp-template-default/proj.win32/main.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,19 @@ int WINAPI _tWinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPTSTR lpCmdL
     UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(hPrevInstance);
     UNREFERENCED_PARAMETER(lpCmdLine);
 
+    // create the application instance
+#ifdef USE_WIN32_CONSOLE
+    AllocConsole();
+    freopen("CONIN$", "r", stdin);
+    freopen("CONOUT$", "w", stdout);
+    freopen("CONOUT$", "w", stderr);
+#endif
+
     // create the application instance
     AppDelegate app;
-    return Application::getInstance()->run();
+    int ret = Application::getInstance()->run();
+
+#ifdef USE_WIN32_CONSOLE
+    FreeConsole();
+#endif
 }