diff --git a/lib/extensions/input.py b/lib/extensions/input.py
index 251859c5a..21248dd9b 100644
--- a/lib/extensions/input.py
+++ b/lib/extensions/input.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ from ..svg import PIXELS_PER_MM, render_stitch_plan
 from ..svg.tags import INKSCAPE_LABEL
 from ..i18n import _
 from ..stitch_plan import StitchPlan
+from ..utils.io import save_stdout
 
 
 class Input(object):
@@ -25,6 +26,9 @@ class Input(object):
 
 
     def affect(self, args):
+        # libembroidery likes to dump a bunch of debugging stuff to stdout
+        save_stdout()
+
         embroidery_file = args[0]
         pattern = embPattern_create()
         embPattern_read(pattern, embroidery_file)
@@ -65,4 +69,4 @@ class Input(object):
         # Note: this is NOT the same as centering the design in the canvas!
         layer.set('transform', 'translate(%s,%s)' % (extents[0], extents[1]))
 
-        print etree.tostring(svg)
+        print >> sys.real_stdout, etree.tostring(svg)
diff --git a/lib/utils/io.py b/lib/utils/io.py
index 44d48c2ab..e5a246f3a 100644
--- a/lib/utils/io.py
+++ b/lib/utils/io.py
@@ -9,15 +9,13 @@ def save_stderr():
     sys.stderr_dup = os.dup(sys.stderr.fileno())
     sys.real_stderr = os.fdopen(sys.stderr_dup, 'w')
     os.dup2(null.fileno(), 2)
-    sys.stderr_backup = sys.stderr
     sys.stderr = StringIO()
 
 
 def restore_stderr():
-    sys.real_stderr.close()
     os.dup2(sys.stderr_dup, 2)
     sys.real_stderr.write(sys.stderr.getvalue())
-    sys.stderr = sys.stderr_backup
+    sys.stderr = sys.real_stderr
 
 # It's probably possible to generalize this code, but when I tried,
 # the result was incredibly unreadable.
@@ -26,12 +24,10 @@ def save_stdout():
     sys.stdout_dup = os.dup(sys.stdout.fileno())
     sys.real_stdout = os.fdopen(sys.stdout_dup, 'w')
     os.dup2(null.fileno(), 1)
-    sys.stdout_backup = sys.stdout
     sys.stdout = StringIO()
 
 
 def restore_stdout():
-    sys.real_stdout.close()
     os.dup2(sys.stdout_dup, 1)
     sys.real_stdout.write(sys.stdout.getvalue())
-    sys.stdout = sys.stdout_backup
+    sys.stdout = sys.real_stdout