diff --git a/src/actions/actions-base.cpp b/src/actions/actions-base.cpp
index 016287170e09027f4c6b944751c24bd529f19744..fe174546dd42389c1eb8452387a358602d1c0260 100644
--- a/src/actions/actions-base.cpp
+++ b/src/actions/actions-base.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,37 @@
 #include "file.h"                 // dpi convert method
 #include "io/resource.h"
 
+// capture
+#include <iostream>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <iterator>
+class CaptureStdout {
+ public:
+  CaptureStdout(std::string filename) { 
+    auto it = std::remove_if(filename.begin(),filename.end(),
+        [](const char x) {return !std::isalpha(static_cast<unsigned char>(x)) && !std::isdigit(static_cast<unsigned char>(x));});
+    filename.erase(it,filename.end());
+    _filename.append(G_DIR_SEPARATOR_S);
+    _filename += filename;
+    _stdout = std::cout.rdbuf();
+    std::cout.rdbuf(_out.rdbuf());
+  }
+  ~CaptureStdout() { 
+    std::ofstream outfile;
+    outfile.open(_filename, std::ios::in | std::ios::trunc);
+    outfile << _out.str();
+    outfile.close();
+    std::cout.rdbuf(_stdout);
+    std::cout << _out.str() << std::endl;
+ }
+ private:
+  std::streambuf *_stdout;
+  std::ostringstream _out;
+  std::string _filename = Glib::get_tmp_dir();
+};
+
+CaptureStdout *capture = nullptr;
+
 void
 print_inkscape_version()
 {
@@ -133,6 +164,23 @@ query_all_recurse (SPObject *o)
     }
 }
 
+void
+uncapture_cout()
+{
+    if (capture) {
+        delete capture;
+        capture = nullptr;
+    }
+}
+
+void
+capture_cout(const Glib::VariantBase& value)
+{
+    uncapture_cout();
+    Glib::Variant<Glib::ustring> s = Glib::VariantBase::cast_dynamic<Glib::Variant<Glib::ustring> >(value);
+    capture = new CaptureStdout(s.get());
+}
+
 void
 query_all(InkscapeApplication* app)
 {
@@ -192,6 +240,9 @@ std::vector<std::vector<Glib::ustring>> raw_data_base =
     {"app.debug-info",                N_("Debug Info"),              "Base",       N_("Print debugging information and exit")              },
     {"app.system-data-directory",     N_("System Directory"),        "Base",       N_("Print system data directory and exit")              },
     {"app.user-data-directory",       N_("User Directory"),          "Base",       N_("Print user data directory and exit")                },
+    {"app.capture-cout",              N_("Capture cout to file"),    "Base",       N_("Capture cout to file")                              },
+    {"app.uncapture-cout",            N_("Uncapture cout"),          "Base",       N_("Uncapture cout'")                                   },
+
     {"app.action-list",               N_("List Actions"),            "Base",       N_("Print a list of actions and exit")                  },
     {"app.vacuum-defs",               N_("Clean up Document"),       "Base",       N_("Remove unused definitions (gradients, etc.)")       },
     {"app.quit",                      N_("Quit"),                    "Base",       N_("Quit Inkscape, check for data loss")                },
@@ -213,6 +264,7 @@ void
 add_actions_base(InkscapeApplication* app)
 {
     auto *gapp = app->gio_app();
+    Glib::VariantType String(Glib::VARIANT_TYPE_STRING);
 
     // Note: "radio" actions are just an easy way to set type without using templating.
     // clang-format off
@@ -220,10 +272,13 @@ add_actions_base(InkscapeApplication* app)
     gapp->add_action(               "debug-info",                                          sigc::ptr_fun(&print_debug_info)                       );
     gapp->add_action(               "system-data-directory",                               sigc::ptr_fun(&print_system_data_directory)            );
     gapp->add_action(               "user-data-directory",                                 sigc::ptr_fun(&print_user_data_directory)              );
+    gapp->add_action_with_parameter("capture-cout",  String,                               sigc::ptr_fun(&capture_cout)                           );
+    gapp->add_action(               "uncapture-cout",                                      sigc::ptr_fun(&uncapture_cout)                         );
     gapp->add_action(               "action-list",        sigc::mem_fun(*app, &InkscapeApplication::print_action_list)                            );
     gapp->add_action(               "vacuum-defs",        sigc::bind<InkscapeApplication*>(sigc::ptr_fun(&vacuum_defs),               app)        );
     gapp->add_action(               "quit",               sigc::mem_fun(*app, &InkscapeApplication::on_quit)                                      );
-    gapp->add_action(               "quit-immediate",     sigc::mem_fun(*app, &InkscapeApplication::on_quit_immediate)                            );
+    gapp->add_action(               "quit-immediate",     sigc::mem_fun(*app, &InkscapeApplication::on_quit_immediate)  
+                           );
 
     gapp->add_action_radio_integer( "open-page",                                           sigc::ptr_fun(&pdf_page),                             0);
     gapp->add_action_radio_string(  "convert-dpi-method",                                  sigc::ptr_fun(&convert_dpi_method),              "none");