diff --git a/src/ConsoleStatCalc.cc b/src/ConsoleStatCalc.cc
index d1093148..df5fe404 100644
--- a/src/ConsoleStatCalc.cc
+++ b/src/ConsoleStatCalc.cc
@@ -229,7 +229,8 @@ void printProgressSummary
 } // namespace
 
 ConsoleStatCalc::ConsoleStatCalc(time_t summaryInterval, bool humanReadable):
-  summaryInterval_(summaryInterval)
+  summaryInterval_(summaryInterval),
+  readoutVisibility_(true)
 {
   if(humanReadable) {
     sizeFormatter_.reset(new AbbrevSizeFormatter());
@@ -276,7 +277,11 @@ ConsoleStatCalc::calculateStat(const DownloadEngine* e)
                            sizeFormatter);
       std::cout << "\n";
     }
-
+  }
+  if(!readoutVisibility_) {
+    return;
+  }
+  if(e->getRequestGroupMan()->countRequestGroup() > 0) {
     SharedHandle<RequestGroup> firstRequestGroup =
       e->getRequestGroupMan()->getRequestGroup(0);
 
diff --git a/src/ConsoleStatCalc.h b/src/ConsoleStatCalc.h
index d13f34fe..dd134e43 100644
--- a/src/ConsoleStatCalc.h
+++ b/src/ConsoleStatCalc.h
@@ -62,12 +62,18 @@ private:
   time_t summaryInterval_;
 
   SharedHandle<SizeFormatter> sizeFormatter_;
+  bool readoutVisibility_;
 public:
   ConsoleStatCalc(time_t summaryInterval, bool humanReadable = true);
 
   virtual ~ConsoleStatCalc() {}
 
   virtual void calculateStat(const DownloadEngine* e);
+
+  void setReadoutVisibility(bool visibility)
+  {
+    readoutVisibility_ = visibility;
+  }
 };
 
 typedef SharedHandle<ConsoleStatCalc> ConsoleStatCalcHandle;
diff --git a/src/OptionHandlerFactory.cc b/src/OptionHandlerFactory.cc
index 59555e6e..b3030154 100644
--- a/src/OptionHandlerFactory.cc
+++ b/src/OptionHandlerFactory.cc
@@ -561,6 +561,14 @@ OptionHandlers OptionHandlerFactory::createOptionHandlers()
     op->hide();
     handlers.push_back(op);
   }
+  {
+    SharedHandle<OptionHandler> op(new BooleanOptionHandler
+                                   (PREF_SHOW_CONSOLE_READOUT,
+                                    TEXT_SHOW_CONSOLE_READOUT,
+                                    A2_V_TRUE));
+    op->addTag(TAG_ADVANCED);
+    handlers.push_back(op);
+  }
   {
     SharedHandle<OptionHandler> op(new NumberOptionHandler
                                    (PREF_STOP,
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 6b9fefbc..81e5391a 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -94,8 +94,11 @@ SharedHandle<StatCalc> getStatCalc(const SharedHandle<Option>& op)
   if(op->getAsBool(PREF_QUIET)) {
     statCalc.reset(new NullStatCalc());
   } else {
-    statCalc.reset(new ConsoleStatCalc(op->getAsInt(PREF_SUMMARY_INTERVAL),
-                                       op->getAsBool(PREF_HUMAN_READABLE)));
+    SharedHandle<ConsoleStatCalc> impl
+      (new ConsoleStatCalc(op->getAsInt(PREF_SUMMARY_INTERVAL),
+                           op->getAsBool(PREF_HUMAN_READABLE)));
+    impl->setReadoutVisibility(op->getAsBool(PREF_SHOW_CONSOLE_READOUT));
+    statCalc = impl;
   }
   return statCalc;
 }
diff --git a/src/prefs.cc b/src/prefs.cc
index bf251e69..b3e968f4 100644
--- a/src/prefs.cc
+++ b/src/prefs.cc
@@ -218,6 +218,8 @@ const std::string PREF_MAX_DOWNLOAD_RESULT("max-download-result");
 const std::string PREF_RETRY_WAIT("retry-wait");
 // value: string
 const std::string PREF_ASYNC_DNS_SERVER("async-dns-server");
+// value: true | false
+const std::string PREF_SHOW_CONSOLE_READOUT("show-console-readout");
 
 /**
  * FTP related preferences
diff --git a/src/prefs.h b/src/prefs.h
index 92978444..e007cd68 100644
--- a/src/prefs.h
+++ b/src/prefs.h
@@ -222,6 +222,8 @@ extern const std::string PREF_MAX_DOWNLOAD_RESULT;
 extern const std::string PREF_RETRY_WAIT;
 // value: string
 extern const std::string PREF_ASYNC_DNS_SERVER;
+// value: true | false
+extern const std::string PREF_SHOW_CONSOLE_READOUT;
 
 /**
  * FTP related preferences
diff --git a/src/usage_text.h b/src/usage_text.h
index fb49c2ef..28a387bb 100644
--- a/src/usage_text.h
+++ b/src/usage_text.h
@@ -780,3 +780,5 @@
   _(" --xml-rpc-listen-all[=true|false] Deprecated. Use --rpc-listen-all instead.")
 #define TEXT_XML_RPC_LISTEN_PORT                                        \
   _(" --xml-rpc-listen-port=PORT   Deprecated. Use --rpc-listen-port instead.")
+#define TEXT_SHOW_CONSOLE_READOUT                                       \
+  _(" --show-console-readout[=true|false] Show console readout.")