diff --git a/ui/main.c b/ui/main.c
index 7950dd9..640b9be 100644
--- a/ui/main.c
+++ b/ui/main.c
@@ -53,9 +53,12 @@
 #include "goodfet.h"
 #include "input.h"
 
+#define OPT_NO_RC		0x01
+#define OPT_EMBEDDED		0x02
+
 struct cmdline_args {
 	const char		*driver_name;
-	int			no_rc;
+	int			flags;
 	struct device_args	devarg;
 };
 
@@ -120,6 +123,8 @@ static void usage(const char *progname)
 "        on the driver.\n"
 "    --version\n"
 "        Show copyright and version information.\n"
+"    --embedded\n"
+"        Run in embedded mode.\n"
 "\n"
 "Most drivers connect by default via USB, unless told otherwise via the\n"
 "-d option. By default, the first USB device found is opened.\n"
@@ -207,6 +212,7 @@ static int parse_cmdline_args(int argc, char **argv,
 		{"force-reset",		0, 0, 'R'},
 		{"allow-fw-update",	0, 0, 'A'},
 		{"require-fw-update",	1, 0, 'M'},
+		{"embedded",		0, 0, 'E'},
 		{NULL, 0, 0, 0}
 	};
 	int want_usb = 0;
@@ -224,6 +230,10 @@ static int parse_cmdline_args(int argc, char **argv,
 			}
 			break;
 
+		case 'E':
+			args->flags |= OPT_EMBEDDED;
+			break;
+
 		case 'A':
 			args->devarg.flags |= DEVICE_FLAG_DO_FWUPDATE;
 			break;
@@ -277,7 +287,7 @@ static int parse_cmdline_args(int argc, char **argv,
 			break;
 
 		case 'n':
-			args->no_rc = 1;
+			args->flags |= OPT_NO_RC;
 			break;
 
 		case 'P':
@@ -378,6 +388,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (input_module->init() < 0)
 		return -1;
 
+	output_set_embedded(args.flags & OPT_EMBEDDED);
+
 	if (sockets_init() < 0)
 		return -1;
 
@@ -392,7 +404,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	simio_init();
 
-	if (!args.no_rc)
+	if (!(args.flags & OPT_NO_RC))
 		process_rc_file();
 
 	/* Process commands */
diff --git a/ui/reader.c b/ui/reader.c
index 43dfae4..937866e 100644
--- a/ui/reader.c
+++ b/ui/reader.c
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ void reader_loop(void)
 			char tmpbuf[MAX_READER_LINE];
 			char *buf = tmpbuf;
 
+			printc_shell("ready\n");
 			if (input_module->read_command(tmpbuf, sizeof(tmpbuf)))
 				break;
 
@@ -146,6 +147,8 @@ void reader_loop(void)
 				memcpy(tmpbuf, repeat_buf, sizeof(tmpbuf));
 
 			ctrlc_clear();
+
+			printc_shell("busy\n");
 			do_command(buf, 1);
 
 			if (want_exit)
diff --git a/util/output.c b/util/output.c
index e5b901a..5dade7d 100644
--- a/util/output.c
+++ b/util/output.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 
 static capture_func_t capture_func;
 static void *capture_data;
+static int is_embedded_mode;
 
 #define LINEBUF_SIZE	4096
 
@@ -133,13 +134,18 @@ static void emit_ansi(const char *code, int len, int ansi_state, FILE *out)
  * be nul-terminated with no line-ending characters. Embedded ANSI
  * sequences are handled appropriately.
  */
-static void handle_line(const char *text, FILE *out)
+static void handle_line(const char *text, FILE *out, char sigil)
 {
 	const int want_color = opdb_get_boolean("color");
 	char cap_buf[LINEBUF_SIZE];
 	int cap_len = 0;
 	int ansi_state = 7;
 
+	if (is_embedded_mode) {
+		out = stdout;
+		fputc(sigil, out);
+	}
+
 	while (*text) {
 		int r;
 
@@ -180,7 +186,8 @@ static void handle_line(const char *text, FILE *out)
  * we're currently within an ANSI code, so pushing code fragments works
  * correctly.
  */
-static int write_text(struct linebuf *ob, const char *text, FILE *out)
+static int write_text(struct linebuf *ob, const char *text,
+		      FILE *out, char sigil)
 {
 	int count = 0;
 
@@ -192,7 +199,7 @@ static int write_text(struct linebuf *ob, const char *text, FILE *out)
 			ob->buf[ob->len] = 0;
 			ob->len = 0;
 			ob->ansi_mode = 0;
-			handle_line(ob->buf, out);
+			handle_line(ob->buf, out, sigil);
 		} else {
 			if (*text == 0x1b)
 				ob->ansi_mode = 1;
@@ -215,6 +222,7 @@ static int write_text(struct linebuf *ob, const char *text, FILE *out)
 static struct linebuf lb_normal;
 static struct linebuf lb_debug;
 static struct linebuf lb_error;
+static struct linebuf lb_shell;
 
 int printc(const char *fmt, ...)
 {
@@ -225,7 +233,7 @@ int printc(const char *fmt, ...)
 	vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 
-	return write_text(&lb_normal, buf, stdout);
+	return write_text(&lb_normal, buf, stdout, ':');
 }
 
 int printc_dbg(const char *fmt, ...)
@@ -240,7 +248,7 @@ int printc_dbg(const char *fmt, ...)
 	vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 
-	return write_text(&lb_debug, buf, stdout);
+	return write_text(&lb_debug, buf, stdout, '-');
 }
 
 int printc_err(const char *fmt, ...)
@@ -252,7 +260,27 @@ int printc_err(const char *fmt, ...)
 	vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 
-	return write_text(&lb_error, buf, stderr);
+	return write_text(&lb_error, buf, stderr, '!');
+}
+
+int printc_shell(const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	char buf[4096];
+	va_list ap;
+
+	if (!is_embedded_mode)
+		return 0;
+
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	vsnprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), fmt, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+
+	return write_text(&lb_shell, buf, stdout, '\\');
+}
+
+void output_set_embedded(int enable)
+{
+	is_embedded_mode = enable;
 }
 
 void pr_error(const char *prefix)
diff --git a/util/output.h b/util/output.h
index 7d1c7b9..b82fe67 100644
--- a/util/output.h
+++ b/util/output.h
@@ -33,9 +33,25 @@ int printc_dbg(const char *fmt, ...)
 	__attribute__((format (printf, 1, 2)));
 int printc_err(const char *fmt, ...)
 	__attribute__((format (printf, 1, 2)));
+int printc_shell(const char *fmt, ...)
+	__attribute__((format (printf, 1, 2)));
 
 void pr_error(const char *prefix);
 
+/* Enable embedded output mode. When enabled, all logical streams
+ * are sent to stdout (not stderr), and prefixed with the following
+ * sigils:
+ *
+ *   : normal
+ *   ! error
+ *   - debug
+ *   \ shell
+ *
+ * Additionally, ANSI codes are used for colourized output on Windows
+ * instead of changing the console text attributes.
+ */
+void output_set_embedded(int enable);
+
 /* Capture output. Capturing is started by calling capture_begin() with
  * a callback function. The callback is invoked for each line of output
  * printed to either stdout or stderr (output still goes to