diff --git a/src/catch2/internal/catch_output_redirect.cpp b/src/catch2/internal/catch_output_redirect.cpp
index 02f7c982..245e1376 100644
--- a/src/catch2/internal/catch_output_redirect.cpp
+++ b/src/catch2/internal/catch_output_redirect.cpp
@@ -5,142 +5,335 @@
 //        https://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
 
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: BSL-1.0
-#include <catch2/internal/catch_output_redirect.hpp>
+#include <catch2/internal/catch_compiler_capabilities.hpp>
 #include <catch2/internal/catch_enforce.hpp>
+#include <catch2/internal/catch_output_redirect.hpp>
+#include <catch2/internal/catch_platform.hpp>
+#include <catch2/internal/catch_reusable_string_stream.hpp>
 #include <catch2/internal/catch_stdstreams.hpp>
 
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <cstring>
+#include <iosfwd>
 #include <sstream>
 
-#if defined(CATCH_CONFIG_NEW_CAPTURE)
-    #if defined(_MSC_VER)
-    #include <io.h>      //_dup and _dup2
-    #define dup _dup
-    #define dup2 _dup2
-    #define fileno _fileno
-    #else
-    #include <unistd.h>  // dup and dup2
-    #endif
+#if defined( CATCH_CONFIG_NEW_CAPTURE )
+#    if defined( _MSC_VER )
+#        include <io.h> //_dup and _dup2
+#        define dup _dup
+#        define dup2 _dup2
+#        define fileno _fileno
+#    else
+#        include <unistd.h> // dup and dup2
+#    endif
 #endif
 
-
 namespace Catch {
 
-    RedirectedStream::RedirectedStream( std::ostream& originalStream, std::ostream& redirectionStream )
-    :   m_originalStream( originalStream ),
-        m_redirectionStream( redirectionStream ),
-        m_prevBuf( m_originalStream.rdbuf() )
-    {
-        m_originalStream.rdbuf( m_redirectionStream.rdbuf() );
-    }
+    namespace {
+        //! A no-op implementation, used if no reporter wants output
+        //! redirection.
+        class NoopRedirect : public OutputRedirect {
+            void activateImpl() override {}
+            void deactivateImpl() override {}
+            std::string getStdout() override { return {}; }
+            std::string getStderr() override { return {}; }
+            void clearBuffers() override {}
+        };
 
-    RedirectedStream::~RedirectedStream() {
-        m_originalStream.rdbuf( m_prevBuf );
-    }
+        /**
+         * Redirects specific stream's rdbuf with another's.
+         *
+         * Redirection can be stopped and started on-demand, assumes
+         * that the underlying stream's rdbuf aren't changed by other
+         * users.
+         */
+        class RedirectedStreamNew {
+            std::ostream& m_originalStream;
+            std::ostream& m_redirectionStream;
+            std::streambuf* m_prevBuf;
 
-    RedirectedStdOut::RedirectedStdOut() : m_cout( Catch::cout(), m_rss.get() ) {}
-    auto RedirectedStdOut::str() const -> std::string { return m_rss.str(); }
+        public:
+            RedirectedStreamNew( std::ostream& originalStream,
+                                 std::ostream& redirectionStream ):
+                m_originalStream( originalStream ),
+                m_redirectionStream( redirectionStream ),
+                m_prevBuf( m_originalStream.rdbuf() ) {}
 
-    RedirectedStdErr::RedirectedStdErr()
-    :   m_cerr( Catch::cerr(), m_rss.get() ),
-        m_clog( Catch::clog(), m_rss.get() )
-    {}
-    auto RedirectedStdErr::str() const -> std::string { return m_rss.str(); }
-
-    RedirectedStreams::RedirectedStreams(std::string& redirectedCout, std::string& redirectedCerr)
-    :   m_redirectedCout(redirectedCout),
-        m_redirectedCerr(redirectedCerr)
-    {}
-
-    RedirectedStreams::~RedirectedStreams() {
-        m_redirectedCout += m_redirectedStdOut.str();
-        m_redirectedCerr += m_redirectedStdErr.str();
-    }
-
-#if defined(CATCH_CONFIG_NEW_CAPTURE)
-
-#if defined(_MSC_VER)
-    TempFile::TempFile() {
-        if (tmpnam_s(m_buffer)) {
-            CATCH_RUNTIME_ERROR("Could not get a temp filename");
-        }
-        if (fopen_s(&m_file, m_buffer, "w+")) {
-            char buffer[100];
-            if (strerror_s(buffer, errno)) {
-                CATCH_RUNTIME_ERROR("Could not translate errno to a string");
+            void startRedirect() {
+                m_originalStream.rdbuf( m_redirectionStream.rdbuf() );
             }
-            CATCH_RUNTIME_ERROR("Could not open the temp file: '" << m_buffer << "' because: " << buffer);
-        }
-    }
-#else
-    TempFile::TempFile() {
-        m_file = std::tmpfile();
-        if (!m_file) {
-            CATCH_RUNTIME_ERROR("Could not create a temp file.");
-        }
-    }
+            void stopRedirect() { m_originalStream.rdbuf( m_prevBuf ); }
+        };
 
-#endif
+        /**
+         * Redirects the `std::cout`, `std::cerr`, `std::clog` streams,
+         * but does not touch the actual `stdout`/`stderr` file descriptors.
+         */
+        class StreamRedirect : public OutputRedirect {
+            ReusableStringStream m_redirectedOut, m_redirectedErr;
+            RedirectedStreamNew m_cout, m_cerr, m_clog;
 
-    TempFile::~TempFile() {
-         // TBD: What to do about errors here?
-         std::fclose(m_file);
-         // We manually create the file on Windows only, on Linux
-         // it will be autodeleted
-#if defined(_MSC_VER)
-         std::remove(m_buffer);
-#endif
-    }
+        public:
+            StreamRedirect():
+                m_cout( Catch::cout(), m_redirectedOut.get() ),
+                m_cerr( Catch::cerr(), m_redirectedErr.get() ),
+                m_clog( Catch::clog(), m_redirectedErr.get() ) {}
 
+            void activateImpl() override {
+                m_cout.startRedirect();
+                m_cerr.startRedirect();
+                m_clog.startRedirect();
+            }
+            void deactivateImpl() override {
+                m_cout.stopRedirect();
+                m_cerr.stopRedirect();
+                m_clog.stopRedirect();
+            }
+            std::string getStdout() override { return m_redirectedOut.str(); }
+            std::string getStderr() override { return m_redirectedErr.str(); }
+            void clearBuffers() override {
+                m_redirectedOut.str( "" );
+                m_redirectedErr.str( "" );
+            }
+        };
 
-    FILE* TempFile::getFile() {
-        return m_file;
-    }
+#if defined( CATCH_CONFIG_NEW_CAPTURE )
 
-    std::string TempFile::getContents() {
-        std::stringstream sstr;
-        char buffer[100] = {};
-        std::rewind(m_file);
-        while (std::fgets(buffer, sizeof(buffer), m_file)) {
-            sstr << buffer;
-        }
-        return sstr.str();
-    }
+        // Windows's implementation of std::tmpfile is terrible (it tries
+        // to create a file inside system folder, thus requiring elevated
+        // privileges for the binary), so we have to use tmpnam(_s) and
+        // create the file ourselves there.
+        class TempFile {
+        public:
+            TempFile( TempFile const& ) = delete;
+            TempFile& operator=( TempFile const& ) = delete;
+            TempFile( TempFile&& ) = delete;
+            TempFile& operator=( TempFile&& ) = delete;
 
-    OutputRedirect::OutputRedirect(std::string& stdout_dest, std::string& stderr_dest) :
-        m_originalStdout(dup(1)),
-        m_originalStderr(dup(2)),
-        m_stdoutDest(stdout_dest),
-        m_stderrDest(stderr_dest) {
-        dup2(fileno(m_stdoutFile.getFile()), 1);
-        dup2(fileno(m_stderrFile.getFile()), 2);
-    }
+#    if defined( _MSC_VER )
+            TempFile() {
+                if ( tmpnam_s( m_buffer ) ) {
+                    CATCH_RUNTIME_ERROR( "Could not get a temp filename" );
+                }
+                if ( fopen_s( &m_file, m_buffer, "wb+" ) ) {
+                    char buffer[100];
+                    if ( strerror_s( buffer, errno ) ) {
+                        CATCH_RUNTIME_ERROR(
+                            "Could not translate errno to a string" );
+                    }
+                    CATCH_RUNTIME_ERROR( "Could not open the temp file: '"
+                                         << m_buffer
+                                         << "' because: " << buffer );
+                }
+            }
+#    else
+            TempFile() {
+                m_file = std::tmpfile();
+                if ( !m_file ) {
+                    CATCH_RUNTIME_ERROR( "Could not create a temp file." );
+                }
+            }
+#    endif
 
-    OutputRedirect::~OutputRedirect() {
-        Catch::cout() << std::flush;
-        fflush(stdout);
-        // Since we support overriding these streams, we flush cerr
-        // even though std::cerr is unbuffered
-        Catch::cerr() << std::flush;
-        Catch::clog() << std::flush;
-        fflush(stderr);
+            ~TempFile() {
+                // TBD: What to do about errors here?
+                std::fclose( m_file );
+                // We manually create the file on Windows only, on Linux
+                // it will be autodeleted
+#    if defined( _MSC_VER )
+                std::remove( m_buffer );
+#    endif
+            }
 
-        dup2(m_originalStdout, 1);
-        dup2(m_originalStderr, 2);
+            std::FILE* getFile() { return m_file; }
+            std::string getContents() {
+                ReusableStringStream sstr;
+                constexpr long buffer_size = 100;
+                char buffer[buffer_size + 1] = {};
+                long current_pos = ftell( m_file );
+                CATCH_ENFORCE( current_pos >= 0,
+                               "ftell failed, errno: " << errno );
+                std::rewind( m_file );
+                while ( current_pos > 0 ) {
+                    auto read_characters =
+                        std::fread( buffer,
+                                    1,
+                                    std::min( buffer_size, current_pos ),
+                                    m_file );
+                    buffer[read_characters] = '\0';
+                    sstr << buffer;
+                    current_pos -= static_cast<long>( read_characters );
+                }
+                return sstr.str();
+            }
 
-        m_stdoutDest += m_stdoutFile.getContents();
-        m_stderrDest += m_stderrFile.getContents();
-    }
+            void clear() { std::rewind( m_file ); }
+
+        private:
+            std::FILE* m_file = nullptr;
+            char m_buffer[L_tmpnam] = { 0 };
+        };
+
+        /**
+         * Redirects the actual `stdout`/`stderr` file descriptors.
+         *
+         * Works by replacing the file descriptors numbered 1 and 2
+         * with an open temporary file.
+         */
+        class FileRedirect : public OutputRedirect {
+            TempFile m_outFile, m_errFile;
+            int m_originalOut = -1;
+            int m_originalErr = -1;
+
+            // Flushes cout/cerr/clog streams and stdout/stderr FDs
+            void flushEverything() {
+                Catch::cout() << std::flush;
+                fflush( stdout );
+                // Since we support overriding these streams, we flush cerr
+                // even though std::cerr is unbuffered
+                Catch::cerr() << std::flush;
+                Catch::clog() << std::flush;
+                fflush( stderr );
+            }
+
+        public:
+            FileRedirect():
+                m_originalOut( dup( fileno( stdout ) ) ),
+                m_originalErr( dup( fileno( stderr ) ) ) {
+                CATCH_ENFORCE( m_originalOut >= 0, "Could not dup stdout" );
+                CATCH_ENFORCE( m_originalErr >= 0, "Could not dup stderr" );
+            }
+
+            std::string getStdout() override { return m_outFile.getContents(); }
+            std::string getStderr() override { return m_errFile.getContents(); }
+            void clearBuffers() override {
+                m_outFile.clear();
+                m_errFile.clear();
+            }
+
+            void activateImpl() override {
+                // We flush before starting redirect, to ensure that we do
+                // not capture the end of message sent before activation.
+                flushEverything();
+
+                int ret;
+                ret = dup2( fileno( m_outFile.getFile() ), fileno( stdout ) );
+                CATCH_ENFORCE( ret >= 0,
+                               "dup2 to stdout has failed, errno: " << errno );
+                ret = dup2( fileno( m_errFile.getFile() ), fileno( stderr ) );
+                CATCH_ENFORCE( ret >= 0,
+                               "dup2 to stderr has failed, errno: " << errno );
+            }
+            void deactivateImpl() override {
+                // We flush before ending redirect, to ensure that we
+                // capture all messages sent while the redirect was active.
+                flushEverything();
+
+                int ret;
+                ret = dup2( m_originalOut, fileno( stdout ) );
+                CATCH_ENFORCE(
+                    ret >= 0,
+                    "dup2 of original stdout has failed, errno: " << errno );
+                ret = dup2( m_originalErr, fileno( stderr ) );
+                CATCH_ENFORCE(
+                    ret >= 0,
+                    "dup2 of original stderr has failed, errno: " << errno );
+            }
+        };
 
 #endif // CATCH_CONFIG_NEW_CAPTURE
 
+    } // end namespace
+
+    bool isRedirectAvailable( OutputRedirect::Kind kind ) {
+        switch ( kind ) {
+        // These two are always available
+        case OutputRedirect::None:
+        case OutputRedirect::Streams:
+            return true;
+#if defined( CATCH_CONFIG_NEW_CAPTURE )
+        case OutputRedirect::FileDescriptors:
+            return true;
+#endif
+        default:
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    Detail::unique_ptr<OutputRedirect> makeOutputRedirect( bool actual ) {
+        if ( actual ) {
+            // TODO: Clean this up later
+#if defined( CATCH_CONFIG_NEW_CAPTURE )
+            return Detail::make_unique<FileRedirect>();
+#else
+            return Detail::make_unique<StreamRedirect>();
+#endif
+        } else {
+            return Detail::make_unique<NoopRedirect>();
+        }
+    }
+
+    RedirectGuard scopedActivate( OutputRedirect& redirectImpl ) {
+        return RedirectGuard( true, redirectImpl );
+    }
+
+    RedirectGuard scopedDeactivate( OutputRedirect& redirectImpl ) {
+        return RedirectGuard( false, redirectImpl );
+    }
+
+    OutputRedirect::~OutputRedirect() = default;
+
+    RedirectGuard::RedirectGuard( bool activate, OutputRedirect& redirectImpl ):
+        m_redirect( &redirectImpl ),
+        m_activate( activate ),
+        m_previouslyActive( redirectImpl.isActive() ) {
+
+        // Skip cases where there is no actual state change.
+        if ( m_activate == m_previouslyActive ) { return; }
+
+        if ( m_activate ) {
+            m_redirect->activate();
+        } else {
+            m_redirect->deactivate();
+        }
+    }
+
+    RedirectGuard::~RedirectGuard() noexcept( false ) {
+        if ( m_moved ) { return; }
+        // Skip cases where there is no actual state change.
+        if ( m_activate == m_previouslyActive ) { return; }
+
+        if ( m_activate ) {
+            m_redirect->deactivate();
+        } else {
+            m_redirect->activate();
+        }
+    }
+
+    RedirectGuard::RedirectGuard( RedirectGuard&& rhs ) noexcept:
+        m_redirect( rhs.m_redirect ),
+        m_activate( rhs.m_activate ),
+        m_previouslyActive( rhs.m_previouslyActive ),
+        m_moved( false ) {
+        rhs.m_moved = true;
+    }
+
+    RedirectGuard& RedirectGuard::operator=( RedirectGuard&& rhs ) noexcept {
+        m_redirect = rhs.m_redirect;
+        m_activate = rhs.m_activate;
+        m_previouslyActive = rhs.m_previouslyActive;
+        m_moved = false;
+        rhs.m_moved = true;
+        return *this;
+    }
+
 } // namespace Catch
 
-#if defined(CATCH_CONFIG_NEW_CAPTURE)
-    #if defined(_MSC_VER)
-    #undef dup
-    #undef dup2
-    #undef fileno
-    #endif
+#if defined( CATCH_CONFIG_NEW_CAPTURE )
+#    if defined( _MSC_VER )
+#        undef dup
+#        undef dup2
+#        undef fileno
+#    endif
 #endif
diff --git a/src/catch2/internal/catch_output_redirect.hpp b/src/catch2/internal/catch_output_redirect.hpp
index dc89223b..51b796ba 100644
--- a/src/catch2/internal/catch_output_redirect.hpp
+++ b/src/catch2/internal/catch_output_redirect.hpp
@@ -8,110 +8,69 @@
 #ifndef CATCH_OUTPUT_REDIRECT_HPP_INCLUDED
 #define CATCH_OUTPUT_REDIRECT_HPP_INCLUDED
 
-#include <catch2/internal/catch_platform.hpp>
-#include <catch2/internal/catch_reusable_string_stream.hpp>
-#include <catch2/internal/catch_compiler_capabilities.hpp>
+#include <catch2/internal/catch_unique_ptr.hpp>
 
-#include <cstdio>
-#include <iosfwd>
+#include <cassert>
 #include <string>
 
 namespace Catch {
 
-    class RedirectedStream {
-        std::ostream& m_originalStream;
-        std::ostream& m_redirectionStream;
-        std::streambuf* m_prevBuf;
-
-    public:
-        RedirectedStream( std::ostream& originalStream, std::ostream& redirectionStream );
-        ~RedirectedStream();
-    };
-
-    class RedirectedStdOut {
-        ReusableStringStream m_rss;
-        RedirectedStream m_cout;
-    public:
-        RedirectedStdOut();
-        auto str() const -> std::string;
-    };
-
-    // StdErr has two constituent streams in C++, std::cerr and std::clog
-    // This means that we need to redirect 2 streams into 1 to keep proper
-    // order of writes
-    class RedirectedStdErr {
-        ReusableStringStream m_rss;
-        RedirectedStream m_cerr;
-        RedirectedStream m_clog;
-    public:
-        RedirectedStdErr();
-        auto str() const -> std::string;
-    };
-
-    class RedirectedStreams {
-    public:
-        RedirectedStreams(RedirectedStreams const&) = delete;
-        RedirectedStreams& operator=(RedirectedStreams const&) = delete;
-        RedirectedStreams(RedirectedStreams&&) = delete;
-        RedirectedStreams& operator=(RedirectedStreams&&) = delete;
-
-        RedirectedStreams(std::string& redirectedCout, std::string& redirectedCerr);
-        ~RedirectedStreams();
-    private:
-        std::string& m_redirectedCout;
-        std::string& m_redirectedCerr;
-        RedirectedStdOut m_redirectedStdOut;
-        RedirectedStdErr m_redirectedStdErr;
-    };
-
-#if defined(CATCH_CONFIG_NEW_CAPTURE)
-
-    // Windows's implementation of std::tmpfile is terrible (it tries
-    // to create a file inside system folder, thus requiring elevated
-    // privileges for the binary), so we have to use tmpnam(_s) and
-    // create the file ourselves there.
-    class TempFile {
-    public:
-        TempFile(TempFile const&) = delete;
-        TempFile& operator=(TempFile const&) = delete;
-        TempFile(TempFile&&) = delete;
-        TempFile& operator=(TempFile&&) = delete;
-
-        TempFile();
-        ~TempFile();
-
-        std::FILE* getFile();
-        std::string getContents();
-
-    private:
-        std::FILE* m_file = nullptr;
-    #if defined(_MSC_VER)
-        char m_buffer[L_tmpnam] = { 0 };
-    #endif
-    };
-
-
     class OutputRedirect {
+        bool m_redirectActive = false;
+        virtual void activateImpl() = 0;
+        virtual void deactivateImpl() = 0;
     public:
-        OutputRedirect(OutputRedirect const&) = delete;
-        OutputRedirect& operator=(OutputRedirect const&) = delete;
-        OutputRedirect(OutputRedirect&&) = delete;
-        OutputRedirect& operator=(OutputRedirect&&) = delete;
+        enum Kind {
+            //! No redirect (noop implementation)
+            None,
+            //! Redirect std::cout/std::cerr/std::clog streams internally
+            Streams,
+            //! Redirect the stdout/stderr file descriptors into files
+            FileDescriptors,
+        };
 
+        virtual ~OutputRedirect(); // = default;
 
-        OutputRedirect(std::string& stdout_dest, std::string& stderr_dest);
-        ~OutputRedirect();
-
-    private:
-        int m_originalStdout = -1;
-        int m_originalStderr = -1;
-        TempFile m_stdoutFile;
-        TempFile m_stderrFile;
-        std::string& m_stdoutDest;
-        std::string& m_stderrDest;
+        // TODO: Do we want to check that redirect is not active before retrieving the output?
+        virtual std::string getStdout() = 0;
+        virtual std::string getStderr() = 0;
+        virtual void clearBuffers() = 0;
+        bool isActive() const { return m_redirectActive; }
+        void activate() {
+            assert( !m_redirectActive && "redirect is already active" );
+            activateImpl();
+            m_redirectActive = true;
+        }
+        void deactivate() {
+            assert( m_redirectActive && "redirect is not active" );
+            deactivateImpl();
+            m_redirectActive = false;
+        }
     };
 
-#endif
+    bool isRedirectAvailable( OutputRedirect::Kind kind);
+    Detail::unique_ptr<OutputRedirect> makeOutputRedirect( bool actual );
+
+    class RedirectGuard {
+        OutputRedirect* m_redirect;
+        bool m_activate;
+        bool m_previouslyActive;
+        bool m_moved = false;
+
+    public:
+        RedirectGuard( bool activate, OutputRedirect& redirectImpl );
+        ~RedirectGuard() noexcept( false );
+
+        RedirectGuard( RedirectGuard const& ) = delete;
+        RedirectGuard& operator=( RedirectGuard const& ) = delete;
+
+        // C++14 needs move-able guards to return them from functions
+        RedirectGuard( RedirectGuard&& rhs ) noexcept;
+        RedirectGuard& operator=( RedirectGuard&& rhs ) noexcept;
+    };
+
+    RedirectGuard scopedActivate( OutputRedirect& redirectImpl );
+    RedirectGuard scopedDeactivate( OutputRedirect& redirectImpl );
 
 } // end namespace Catch
 
diff --git a/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.cpp b/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.cpp
index 8711352c..00861968 100644
--- a/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.cpp
+++ b/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.cpp
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ namespace Catch {
         m_config(_config),
         m_reporter(CATCH_MOVE(reporter)),
         m_lastAssertionInfo{ StringRef(), SourceLineInfo("",0), StringRef(), ResultDisposition::Normal },
+        m_outputRedirect( makeOutputRedirect( m_reporter->getPreferences().shouldRedirectStdOut ) ),
         m_includeSuccessfulResults( m_config->includeSuccessfulResults() || m_reporter->getPreferences().shouldReportAllAssertions )
     {
         getCurrentMutableContext().setResultCapture( this );
@@ -236,15 +237,17 @@ namespace Catch {
             m_reporter->testCasePartialStarting(testInfo, testRuns);
 
             const auto beforeRunTotals = m_totals;
-            std::string oneRunCout, oneRunCerr;
-            runCurrentTest(oneRunCout, oneRunCerr);
+            runCurrentTest();
+            std::string oneRunCout = m_outputRedirect->getStdout();
+            std::string oneRunCerr = m_outputRedirect->getStderr();
+            m_outputRedirect->clearBuffers();
             redirectedCout += oneRunCout;
             redirectedCerr += oneRunCerr;
 
             const auto singleRunTotals = m_totals.delta(beforeRunTotals);
             auto statsForOneRun = TestCaseStats(testInfo, singleRunTotals, CATCH_MOVE(oneRunCout), CATCH_MOVE(oneRunCerr), aborting());
-
             m_reporter->testCasePartialEnded(statsForOneRun, testRuns);
+
             ++testRuns;
         } while (!m_testCaseTracker->isSuccessfullyCompleted() && !aborting());
 
@@ -289,7 +292,10 @@ namespace Catch {
             m_lastAssertionPassed = true;
         }
 
-        m_reporter->assertionEnded(AssertionStats(result, m_messages, m_totals));
+        {
+            auto _ = scopedDeactivate( *m_outputRedirect );
+            m_reporter->assertionEnded( AssertionStats( result, m_messages, m_totals ) );
+        }
 
         if ( result.getResultType() != ResultWas::Warning ) {
             m_messageScopes.clear();
@@ -306,6 +312,7 @@ namespace Catch {
     }
 
     void RunContext::notifyAssertionStarted( AssertionInfo const& info ) {
+        auto _ = scopedDeactivate( *m_outputRedirect );
         m_reporter->assertionStarting( info );
     }
 
@@ -324,7 +331,10 @@ namespace Catch {
         SectionInfo sectionInfo( sectionLineInfo, static_cast<std::string>(sectionName) );
         m_lastAssertionInfo.lineInfo = sectionInfo.lineInfo;
 
-        m_reporter->sectionStarting(sectionInfo);
+        {
+            auto _ = scopedDeactivate( *m_outputRedirect );
+            m_reporter->sectionStarting( sectionInfo );
+        }
 
         assertions = m_totals.assertions;
 
@@ -384,7 +394,15 @@ namespace Catch {
             m_activeSections.pop_back();
         }
 
-        m_reporter->sectionEnded(SectionStats(CATCH_MOVE(endInfo.sectionInfo), assertions, endInfo.durationInSeconds, missingAssertions));
+        {
+            auto _ = scopedDeactivate( *m_outputRedirect );
+            m_reporter->sectionEnded(
+                SectionStats( CATCH_MOVE( endInfo.sectionInfo ),
+                              assertions,
+                              endInfo.durationInSeconds,
+                              missingAssertions ) );
+        }
+
         m_messages.clear();
         m_messageScopes.clear();
     }
@@ -401,15 +419,19 @@ namespace Catch {
     }
 
     void RunContext::benchmarkPreparing( StringRef name ) {
-        m_reporter->benchmarkPreparing(name);
+        auto _ = scopedDeactivate( *m_outputRedirect );
+        m_reporter->benchmarkPreparing( name );
     }
     void RunContext::benchmarkStarting( BenchmarkInfo const& info ) {
+        auto _ = scopedDeactivate( *m_outputRedirect );
         m_reporter->benchmarkStarting( info );
     }
     void RunContext::benchmarkEnded( BenchmarkStats<> const& stats ) {
+        auto _ = scopedDeactivate( *m_outputRedirect );
         m_reporter->benchmarkEnded( stats );
     }
     void RunContext::benchmarkFailed( StringRef error ) {
+        auto _ = scopedDeactivate( *m_outputRedirect );
         m_reporter->benchmarkFailed( error );
     }
 
@@ -440,8 +462,13 @@ namespace Catch {
     }
 
     void RunContext::handleFatalErrorCondition( StringRef message ) {
+        // TODO: scoped deactivate here? Just give up and do best effort?
+        //       the deactivation can break things further, OTOH so can the
+        //       capture
+        auto _ = scopedDeactivate( *m_outputRedirect );
+
         // First notify reporter that bad things happened
-        m_reporter->fatalErrorEncountered(message);
+        m_reporter->fatalErrorEncountered( message );
 
         // Don't rebuild the result -- the stringification itself can cause more fatal errors
         // Instead, fake a result data.
@@ -468,7 +495,7 @@ namespace Catch {
         Counts assertions;
         assertions.failed = 1;
         SectionStats testCaseSectionStats(CATCH_MOVE(testCaseSection), assertions, 0, false);
-        m_reporter->sectionEnded(testCaseSectionStats);
+        m_reporter->sectionEnded( testCaseSectionStats );
 
         auto const& testInfo = m_activeTestCase->getTestCaseInfo();
 
@@ -499,7 +526,7 @@ namespace Catch {
         return m_totals.assertions.failed >= static_cast<std::size_t>(m_config->abortAfter());
     }
 
-    void RunContext::runCurrentTest(std::string & redirectedCout, std::string & redirectedCerr) {
+    void RunContext::runCurrentTest() {
         auto const& testCaseInfo = m_activeTestCase->getTestCaseInfo();
         SectionInfo testCaseSection(testCaseInfo.lineInfo, testCaseInfo.name);
         m_reporter->sectionStarting(testCaseSection);
@@ -510,18 +537,8 @@ namespace Catch {
 
         Timer timer;
         CATCH_TRY {
-            if (m_reporter->getPreferences().shouldRedirectStdOut) {
-#if !defined(CATCH_CONFIG_EXPERIMENTAL_REDIRECT)
-                RedirectedStreams redirectedStreams(redirectedCout, redirectedCerr);
-
-                timer.start();
-                invokeActiveTestCase();
-#else
-                OutputRedirect r(redirectedCout, redirectedCerr);
-                timer.start();
-                invokeActiveTestCase();
-#endif
-            } else {
+            {
+                auto _ = scopedActivate( *m_outputRedirect );
                 timer.start();
                 invokeActiveTestCase();
             }
@@ -566,11 +583,12 @@ namespace Catch {
     void RunContext::handleUnfinishedSections() {
         // If sections ended prematurely due to an exception we stored their
         // infos here so we can tear them down outside the unwind process.
-        for (auto it = m_unfinishedSections.rbegin(),
-             itEnd = m_unfinishedSections.rend();
-             it != itEnd;
-             ++it)
-            sectionEnded(CATCH_MOVE(*it));
+        for ( auto it = m_unfinishedSections.rbegin(),
+                   itEnd = m_unfinishedSections.rend();
+              it != itEnd;
+              ++it ) {
+            sectionEnded( CATCH_MOVE( *it ) );
+        }
         m_unfinishedSections.clear();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.hpp b/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.hpp
index c749304d..f7f353e2 100644
--- a/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.hpp
+++ b/src/catch2/internal/catch_run_context.hpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ namespace Catch {
     class IConfig;
     class IEventListener;
     using IEventListenerPtr = Detail::unique_ptr<IEventListener>;
+    class OutputRedirect;
 
     ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ namespace Catch {
 
     private:
 
-        void runCurrentTest( std::string& redirectedCout, std::string& redirectedCerr );
+        void runCurrentTest();
         void invokeActiveTestCase();
 
         void resetAssertionInfo();
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ namespace Catch {
         std::vector<SectionEndInfo> m_unfinishedSections;
         std::vector<ITracker*> m_activeSections;
         TrackerContext m_trackerContext;
+        Detail::unique_ptr<OutputRedirect> m_outputRedirect;
         FatalConditionHandler m_fatalConditionhandler;
         bool m_lastAssertionPassed = false;
         bool m_shouldReportUnexpected = true;