diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 47d03f3..0440203 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ mod void;
 
 use error::{Error, Result};
 use spawner::Spawner;
-use specification::Specification;
+use specification::{Environment, Specification};
 
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::fs::File;
@@ -25,13 +25,16 @@ pub struct RunArgs<'a> {
     pub debug: bool,
     pub daemon: bool,
 
+    pub stdout: bool,
+    pub stderr: bool,
+
     pub binary: &'a Path,
     pub binary_args: Vec<&'a str>,
 }
 
 pub fn run(args: &RunArgs) -> Result<i32> {
     // parse the specification
-    let spec: Specification = if let Some(m) = args.spec {
+    let mut spec: Specification = if let Some(m) = args.spec {
         if m.extension().map(|e| e == "json") == Some(true) {
             let f = std::fs::File::open(m)?;
             Ok(serde_json::from_reader(f)?)
@@ -45,6 +48,20 @@ pub fn run(args: &RunArgs) -> Result<i32> {
     debug!("specification read: {:?}", &spec);
     spec.validate()?;
 
+    if args.stdout {
+        debug!("forwarding stdout");
+        for entrypoint in &mut spec.entrypoints.values_mut() {
+            entrypoint.environment.insert(Environment::Stdout);
+        }
+    }
+
+    if args.stderr {
+        debug!("forwarding stderr");
+        for entrypoint in &mut spec.entrypoints.values_mut() {
+            entrypoint.environment.insert(Environment::Stderr);
+        }
+    }
+
     // create all the pipes
     let (pipes, _) = spec.pipes();
     let pipes = create_pipes(pipes)?;
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 07f7404..5dbb0ae 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,18 @@ fn main() {
                 .help("Detach the shim from all child processes and exit immediately.")
                 .takes_value(false),
         )
+        .arg(
+            Arg::new("stdout")
+                .long("stdout")
+                .help("Allow all spawned processes access to stdout (useful for debugging).")
+                .takes_value(false),
+        )
+        .arg(
+            Arg::new("stderr")
+                .long("stderr")
+                .help("Allow all spawned processes access to stderr (useful for debugging).")
+                .takes_value(false),
+        )
         .arg(
             Arg::new("binary")
                 .index(1)
@@ -77,6 +89,10 @@ fn main() {
             spec: matches.value_of("spec").map(Path::new),
             debug: matches.is_present("debug"),
             daemon: matches.is_present("daemon"),
+
+            stdout: matches.is_present("stdout"),
+            stderr: matches.is_present("stderr"),
+
             binary,
             binary_args,
         };
diff --git a/src/spawner/mod.rs b/src/spawner/mod.rs
index 26517a7..aa3688e 100644
--- a/src/spawner/mod.rs
+++ b/src/spawner/mod.rs
@@ -349,6 +349,16 @@ impl<'a> Spawner<'a> {
                 Environment::Procfs => {
                     builder.mount("/proc", "/proc").remount_proc();
                 }
+
+                Environment::Stdin => {
+                    builder.keep_fd(&0);
+                }
+                Environment::Stdout => {
+                    builder.keep_fd(&1);
+                }
+                Environment::Stderr => {
+                    builder.keep_fd(&2);
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/specification.rs b/src/specification.rs
index 8006e46..4a0ab19 100644
--- a/src/specification.rs
+++ b/src/specification.rs
@@ -119,6 +119,10 @@ pub enum Environment {
     DomainName(String),
 
     Procfs,
+
+    Stdin,
+    Stdout,
+    Stderr,
 }
 
 #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, Debug)]
diff --git a/src/void.rs b/src/void.rs
index 130148d..10da7e6 100644
--- a/src/void.rs
+++ b/src/void.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use crate::{Error, Result};
 use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::env;
 use std::fmt;
-use std::fs;
+use std::fs::{self, File};
 use std::io::Write;
 use std::os::unix::io::{AsRawFd, IntoRawFd, RawFd};
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use nix::fcntl::{FcntlArg, FdFlag};
 use nix::mount::{mount, umount2, MntFlags, MsFlags};
 use nix::sys::signal::{signal, SigHandler, Signal};
-use nix::unistd::{close, getgid, getuid, pivot_root, sethostname, Gid, Pid, Uid};
+use nix::unistd::{close, dup2, getgid, getuid, pivot_root, sethostname, Gid, Pid, Uid};
 
 use close_fds::CloseFdsBuilder;
 
@@ -392,6 +392,26 @@ impl VoidBuilder {
             closer.closefrom(3);
         }
 
+        // overwrite stdin/stdout/stderr without closing
+        {
+            let mut nullfd: Option<File> = None;
+            for stdfd in &[0, 1, 2] {
+                if !keep.contains(stdfd) {
+                    let fd = nullfd
+                        .take()
+                        .map(Ok)
+                        .unwrap_or_else(|| File::open("/dev/null"))?;
+
+                    dup2(fd.as_raw_fd(), *stdfd).map_err(|e| Error::Nix {
+                        msg: "dup2",
+                        src: e,
+                    })?;
+
+                    nullfd = Some(fd);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         for fd in keep.as_ref() {
             let mut flags = FdFlag::from_bits_truncate(
                 nix::fcntl::fcntl(*fd, FcntlArg::F_GETFD).map_err(|e| Error::Nix {