diff --git a/include/uv-private/uv-win.h b/include/uv-private/uv-win.h
index 8c1cf731..f45ce2b0 100644
--- a/include/uv-private/uv-win.h
+++ b/include/uv-private/uv-win.h
@@ -383,7 +383,6 @@ RB_HEAD(uv_timer_tree_s, uv_timer_s);
   union {                                                                     \
     struct {                                                                  \
       /* Used for readable TTY handles */                                     \
-      HANDLE output_handle;                                                   \
       HANDLE read_line_handle;                                                \
       uv_buf_t read_line_buffer;                                              \
       HANDLE read_raw_wait;                                                   \
diff --git a/src/win/tty.c b/src/win/tty.c
index 0cb40880..8575f4f7 100644
--- a/src/win/tty.c
+++ b/src/win/tty.c
@@ -90,7 +90,6 @@ void uv_console_init() {
 
 int uv_tty_init(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_tty_t* tty, uv_file fd, int readable) {
   HANDLE handle = INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE;
-  HANDLE output_handle = INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE;
   DWORD original_console_mode = 0;
   CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO screen_buffer_info;
 
@@ -107,41 +106,20 @@ int uv_tty_init(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_tty_t* tty, uv_file fd, int readable) {
       return -1;
     }
 
-    /* Both readable and writable handles need access to the console output. */
-    /* If the given fd is readable then we need to open the output handle */
-    /* separately. */
-    output_handle = CreateFileW(L"CONOUT$",
-                                GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,
-                                FILE_SHARE_READ | FILE_SHARE_WRITE,
-                                NULL,
-                                OPEN_EXISTING,
-                                0,
-                                NULL);
-    if (output_handle == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) {
-      uv__set_sys_error(loop, GetLastError());
-      return -1;
-    }
-
-    /* Obtain the screen buffer info with the output handle. */
-    if (!GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(output_handle, &screen_buffer_info)) {
-      uv__set_sys_error(loop, GetLastError());
-      CloseHandle(output_handle);
-      return -1;
-    }
-
   } else {
     /* Obtain the screen buffer info with the output handle. */
     if (!GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(handle, &screen_buffer_info)) {
       uv__set_sys_error(loop, GetLastError());
       return -1;
     }
+
+    /* Update the virtual window. We must hold the tty_output_lock because the */
+    /* virtual window state is shared between all uv_tty handles. */
+    EnterCriticalSection(&uv_tty_output_lock);
+    uv_tty_update_virtual_window(&screen_buffer_info);
+    LeaveCriticalSection(&uv_tty_output_lock);
   }
 
-  /* Update the virtual window. We must hold the tty_output_lock because the */
-  /* virtual window state is shared between all uv_tty handles. */
-  EnterCriticalSection(&uv_tty_output_lock);
-  uv_tty_update_virtual_window(&screen_buffer_info);
-  LeaveCriticalSection(&uv_tty_output_lock);
 
   uv_stream_init(loop, (uv_stream_t*) tty, UV_TTY);
   uv_connection_init((uv_stream_t*) tty);
@@ -152,7 +130,6 @@ int uv_tty_init(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_tty_t* tty, uv_file fd, int readable) {
 
   if (readable) {
     /* Initialize TTY input specific fields. */
-    tty->output_handle = output_handle;
     tty->original_console_mode = original_console_mode;
     tty->flags |= UV_HANDLE_TTY_READABLE;
     tty->read_line_handle = NULL;
@@ -1796,7 +1773,6 @@ void uv_tty_close(uv_tty_t* handle) {
   if (handle->flags & UV_HANDLE_TTY_READABLE) {
     /* Readable TTY handle */
     uv_tty_read_stop(handle);
-    CloseHandle(handle->output_handle);
   } else {
     /* Writable TTY handle */
     handle->flags |= UV_HANDLE_SHUTTING;