diff --git a/include/winprocs.h b/include/winprocs.h
index 014ee1e09..45463205e 100644
--- a/include/winprocs.h
+++ b/include/winprocs.h
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #endif
 
 enum wp_ids { wp_tty = 1, wp_X11, wp_Qt, wp_mswin, wp_curses,
-              wp_chainin, wp_chainout, wp_safestartup, wp_shim,
+              wp_chainin, wp_chainout, wp_shim,
               wp_hup, wp_guistubs, wp_ttystubs,
 #if defined(AMIGA)
               wp_amii, wp_amiv,
diff --git a/src/earlyarg.c b/src/earlyarg.c
index 14a44f770..78feae94a 100755
--- a/src/earlyarg.c
+++ b/src/earlyarg.c
@@ -424,6 +424,12 @@ scores_only(int argc, char **argv, const char *dir)
     (void) whoami(); /* set up default plname[] */
 #endif
     prscore(argc, argv);
+#ifdef MSWIN_GRAPHICS
+    /* NetHackW can also support WINDOWPORT(curses) now, so check */
+    if (WINDOWPORT(mswin)) {
+        wait_synch();
+    }
+#endif
 
     nh_terminate(EXIT_SUCCESS); /* bypass opt_terminate() */
     /*NOTREACHED*/
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index bada22768..c39100f94 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -7331,12 +7331,10 @@ initoptions_finish(void)
      * Option processing can take place before a user-decided WindowPort
      * is even initialized, so check for that too.
      */
-    if (!WINDOWPORT(safestartup)) {
-        if (iflags.hilite_delta && !wc2_supported("statushilites")) {
-            raw_printf("Status highlighting not supported for %s interface.",
-                       windowprocs.name);
-            iflags.hilite_delta = 0;
-        }
+    if (iflags.hilite_delta && !wc2_supported("statushilites")) {
+        raw_printf("Status highlighting not supported for %s interface.",
+                    windowprocs.name);
+        iflags.hilite_delta = 0;
     }
 #endif
     update_rest_on_space();
diff --git a/src/windows.c b/src/windows.c
index b8cc8ea8d..a36b0eaa4 100644
--- a/src/windows.c
+++ b/src/windows.c
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ choose_windows(const char *s)
     if (tmps)
         free((genericptr_t) tmps) /*, tmps = 0*/ ;
 
-    if (windowprocs.win_raw_print == def_raw_print || WINDOWPORT(safestartup))
+    if (windowprocs.win_raw_print == def_raw_print)
         nh_terminate(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
 
diff --git a/sys/windows/windmain.c b/sys/windows/windmain.c
index e80d40cca..8da9ddec9 100644
--- a/sys/windows/windmain.c
+++ b/sys/windows/windmain.c
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ _CrtSetReportFile(_CRT_ASSERT, _CRTDBG_FILE_STDERR);*/
     if (getcwd(orgdir, sizeof orgdir) == (char *) 0)
         error("NetHack: current directory path too long");
 #endif
+    getreturn_enabled = TRUE;
     initoptions_init(); // This allows OPTIONS in syscf on Windows.
     set_default_prefix_locations(
         argv[0]); /* must be re-done after initoptions_init()
@@ -251,10 +252,10 @@ _CrtSetReportFile(_CRT_ASSERT, _CRTDBG_FILE_STDERR);*/
     // iflags.windowtype_deferred = TRUE;
 
     program_state.early_options = 1;
+    /* if (GUILaunched || IsDebuggerPresent()) */
     early_options(&argc, &argv, &dir);
     program_state.early_options = 0;
-    /* if (GUILaunched || IsDebuggerPresent()) */
-    getreturn_enabled = TRUE;
+
 
     initoptions();
 #if defined(CHDIR) && !defined(NOCWD_ASSUMPTIONS)