diff --git a/cmdline.c b/cmdline.c
index 812b71e7..99a46b5f 100644
--- a/cmdline.c
+++ b/cmdline.c
@@ -130,10 +130,15 @@ SeatPromptResult cmdline_get_passwd_input(
     return SPR_OK;
 }
 
+static void cmdline_report_unavailable(const char *p)
+{
+    cmdline_error("option \"%s\" not available in this tool", p);
+}
+
 static bool cmdline_check_unavailable(int flag, const char *p)
 {
     if (cmdline_tooltype & flag) {
-        cmdline_error("option \"%s\" not available in this tool", p);
+        cmdline_report_unavailable(p);
         return true;
     }
     return false;
@@ -906,6 +911,15 @@ int cmdline_process_param(const char *p, char *value,
         conf_set_str(conf, CONF_proxy_telnet_command, value);
     }
 
+    if (!strcmp(p, "-batch")) {
+        RETURN(1);
+        SAVEABLE(0);
+        if (!console_set_batch_mode(true)) {
+            cmdline_report_unavailable(p);
+            return ret;
+        }
+    }
+
 #ifdef _WINDOWS
     /*
      * Cross-tool options only available on Windows.
diff --git a/console.c b/console.c
index 78c2da1b..c817c85e 100644
--- a/console.c
+++ b/console.c
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ const SeatDialogPromptDescriptions *console_prompt_descriptions(Seat *seat)
 
 bool console_batch_mode = false;
 
+bool console_set_batch_mode(bool newvalue)
+{
+    console_batch_mode = newvalue;
+    return true;
+}
+
 /*
  * Error message and/or fatal exit functions, all based on
  * console_print_error_msg which the platform front end provides.
diff --git a/pscp.c b/pscp.c
index d5ac8845..d240ddd6 100644
--- a/pscp.c
+++ b/pscp.c
@@ -2298,8 +2298,6 @@ int psftp_main(int argc, char *argv[])
             version();
         } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-ls") == 0) {
             list = true;
-        } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-batch") == 0) {
-            console_batch_mode = true;
         } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-unsafe") == 0) {
             scp_unsafe_mode = true;
         } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-sftp") == 0) {
diff --git a/psftp.c b/psftp.c
index bf8782d3..e8ef3ea4 100644
--- a/psftp.c
+++ b/psftp.c
@@ -2836,8 +2836,6 @@ int psftp_main(int argc, char *argv[])
         } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-V") == 0 ||
                    strcmp(argv[i], "--version") == 0) {
             version();
-        } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-batch") == 0) {
-            console_batch_mode = true;
         } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-b") == 0 && i + 1 < argc) {
             mode = 1;
             batchfile = argv[++i];
diff --git a/putty.h b/putty.h
index e5691bca..7927277b 100644
--- a/putty.h
+++ b/putty.h
@@ -2562,6 +2562,7 @@ bool have_ssh_host_key(const char *host, int port, const char *keytype);
  * that aren't equivalents to things in windlg.c et al.
  */
 extern bool console_batch_mode, console_antispoof_prompt;
+extern bool console_set_batch_mode(bool);
 SeatPromptResult console_get_userpass_input(prompts_t *p);
 bool is_interactive(void);
 void console_print_error_msg(const char *prefix, const char *msg);
@@ -2627,6 +2628,7 @@ extern const unsigned cmdline_tooltype;
     X(TOOLTYPE_HOST_ARG_FROM_LAUNCHABLE_LOAD)   \
     X(TOOLTYPE_PORT_ARG)                        \
     X(TOOLTYPE_NO_VERBOSE_OPTION)               \
+    X(TOOLTYPE_GUI)                             \
     /* end of list */
 #define BITFLAG_INDEX(val) val ## _bitflag_index,
 enum { TOOLTYPE_LIST(BITFLAG_INDEX) };
diff --git a/stubs/no-console.c b/stubs/no-console.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b7a3ef75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stubs/no-console.c
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+/*
+ * Stub functions for when console.c is not linked into a program.
+ */
+
+#include "putty.h"
+
+bool console_set_batch_mode(bool newvalue)
+{
+    return false;
+}
diff --git a/unix/CMakeLists.txt b/unix/CMakeLists.txt
index d4de28df..2ea1416c 100644
--- a/unix/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/unix/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ if(GTK_FOUND)
     main-gtk-simple.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-gss.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-ca-config.c
+    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-console.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c
     pty.c)
   be_list(pterm pterm)
@@ -152,6 +153,7 @@ if(GTK_FOUND)
       ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-cmdline.c
       ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-gss.c
       ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-ca-config.c
+      ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-console.c
       ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c
       pty.c)
     be_list(ptermapp pterm)
@@ -162,7 +164,8 @@ if(GTK_FOUND)
 
   add_executable(putty
     putty.c
-    main-gtk-simple.c)
+    main-gtk-simple.c
+    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-console.c)
   be_list(putty PuTTY SSH SERIAL OTHERBACKENDS)
   target_link_libraries(putty
     guiterminal eventloop sshclient otherbackends settings
@@ -176,7 +179,8 @@ if(GTK_FOUND)
     add_executable(puttyapp
       putty.c
       main-gtk-application.c
-      ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-cmdline.c)
+      ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-cmdline.c
+      ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-console.c)
     be_list(puttyapp PuTTY SSH SERIAL OTHERBACKENDS)
     target_link_libraries(puttyapp
       guiterminal eventloop sshclient otherbackends settings
@@ -189,6 +193,7 @@ if(GTK_FOUND)
     main-gtk-simple.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-gss.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-ca-config.c
+    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-console.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-rand.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nocproxy.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c)
diff --git a/unix/plink.c b/unix/plink.c
index c1738e10..3f7f7bd8 100644
--- a/unix/plink.c
+++ b/unix/plink.c
@@ -735,8 +735,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             --argc, ++argv;
         } else if (ret == 1) {
             continue;
-        } else if (!strcmp(p, "-batch")) {
-            console_batch_mode = true;
         } else if (!strcmp(p, "-s")) {
             /* Save status to write to conf later. */
             use_subsystem = true;
diff --git a/windows/CMakeLists.txt b/windows/CMakeLists.txt
index 1d50a91c..b6f9ab1c 100644
--- a/windows/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/windows/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ add_executable(putty
   window.c
   putty.c
   help.c
+  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-console.c
   putty.rc)
 be_list(putty PuTTY SSH SERIAL OTHERBACKENDS)
 add_dependencies(putty generated_licence_h)
@@ -119,6 +120,7 @@ add_executable(puttytel
   help.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-gss.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-ca-config.c
+  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-console.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-rand.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nocproxy.c
   ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c
@@ -161,6 +163,7 @@ if(HAVE_CONPTY)
     conpty.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-gss.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-ca-config.c
+    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-console.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/stubs/no-rand.c
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/proxy/nosshproxy.c
     pterm.rc)
diff --git a/windows/plink.c b/windows/plink.c
index 48429ba2..a84f0e4b 100644
--- a/windows/plink.c
+++ b/windows/plink.c
@@ -340,8 +340,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
             --argc, ++argv;
         } else if (ret == 1) {
             continue;
-        } else if (!strcmp(p, "-batch")) {
-            console_batch_mode = true;
         } else if (!strcmp(p, "-s")) {
             /* Save status to write to conf later. */
             use_subsystem = true;