diff --git a/examples/main.cpp b/examples/main.cpp
index 9ab32f4a97..4789ed7145 100644
--- a/examples/main.cpp
+++ b/examples/main.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ int bc::system::main(int argc, char* argv[])
     system::cout << "Enter text to input..." << std::endl;
     std::string console;
     system::cin >> console;
-    system::cout << "input[0]  : " << console << std::endl;
+    system::cout << "input[0] : " << console << std::endl;
 
     if (argc > 1)
         system::cout << "argv[1] : " << argv[1] << std::endl;
diff --git a/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/console_streambuf.hpp b/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/console_streambuf.hpp
index 7232c8d8e7..5e552c9c5e 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/console_streambuf.hpp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/console_streambuf.hpp
@@ -35,30 +35,30 @@ class BC_API console_streambuf
 public:
     DELETE_COPY_MOVE(console_streambuf);
 
-    /// Initialize stdio to use utf8 translation on Windows.
-    static void initialize(size_t stream_buffer_size) THROWS;
+    /// Initialize console in/out to use utf8 translation on Windows.
+    static void set_input(size_t stream_buffer_size) THROWS;
+    static void set_output() THROWS;
 
 protected:
     /// Protected construction, use static initialize method.
-    console_streambuf(const std::wstreambuf& stream_buffer,
-        size_t stream_buffer_size) THROWS;
+    console_streambuf(const std::wstreambuf& buffer, size_t size) THROWS;
 
     /// Delete stream buffer.
     virtual ~console_streambuf() NOEXCEPT;
 
     /// Alternate console read.
-    virtual std::streamsize xsgetn(wchar_t* buffer,
-        std::streamsize size) THROWS;
+    std::streamsize xsgetn(wchar_t* buffer,
+        std::streamsize size) THROWS override;
 
     /// Alternate console read.
-    virtual std::wstreambuf::int_type underflow() THROWS;
+    std::wstreambuf::int_type underflow() THROWS override;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_MSC
 private:
     // These are not thread safe.
 
     // The constructed buffer size.
-    size_t buffer_size_;
+    const size_t buffer_size_;
 
     // The dynamically-allocated buffers.
     wchar_t* buffer_;
diff --git a/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_istream.hpp b/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_istream.hpp
index 9bacd76552..e6e7c09816 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_istream.hpp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_istream.hpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class BC_API unicode_istream
 
     /// Construct instance of a conditionally-narrowing input stream.
     unicode_istream(std::istream& narrow_stream, std::wistream& wide_stream,
-        size_t wide_buffer_size) THROWS;
+        size_t wide_size) THROWS;
 
     /// Delete the unicode_streambuf that wraps wide_stream.
     virtual ~unicode_istream() NOEXCEPT;
diff --git a/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_ostream.hpp b/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_ostream.hpp
index af4d5141fa..700ee2705b 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_ostream.hpp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_ostream.hpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class BC_API unicode_ostream
 
     /// Construct instance of a conditionally-widening output stream.
     unicode_ostream(std::ostream& narrow_stream, std::wostream& wide_stream,
-        size_t wide_buffer_size) THROWS;
+        size_t wide_size) THROWS;
 
     /// Delete the unicode_streambuf that wraps wide_stream.
     virtual ~unicode_ostream() NOEXCEPT;
diff --git a/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_streambuf.hpp b/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_streambuf.hpp
index 4e468945f8..ee36723cde 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_streambuf.hpp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/system/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_streambuf.hpp
@@ -37,30 +37,30 @@ class BC_API unicode_streambuf
     DELETE_COPY_MOVE(unicode_streambuf);
 
     /// Construct unicode stream buffer from a weak reference to a wide buffer.
-    unicode_streambuf(std::wstreambuf* wide_buffer, size_t size) THROWS;
+    unicode_streambuf(std::wstreambuf* buffer, size_t size) THROWS;
 
     /// Synchronize stream buffer.
     virtual ~unicode_streambuf() NOEXCEPT;
 
 protected:
     /// Underflow for support of input streams.
-    virtual std::streambuf::int_type underflow() THROWS;
+    std::streambuf::int_type underflow() THROWS override;
 
     /// Overflow for support of output streams.
-    virtual std::streambuf::int_type overflow(
-        std::streambuf::int_type character) THROWS;
+    std::streambuf::int_type overflow(
+        std::streambuf::int_type character) THROWS override;
 
-    //// Sync for support of output streams.
-    virtual int sync() THROWS;
+    /// Sync for support of output streams.
+    int sync() THROWS override;
 
 private:
     // These are not thread safe.
 
     // The constructed wide buffer size in number of characters.
-    size_t wide_size_;
+    const size_t wide_size_;
 
     // The derived narrow buffer size in utf8 (bytes).
-    size_t narrow_size_;
+    const size_t narrow_size_;
 
     // The dynamically-allocated buffers.
     wchar_t* wide_;
diff --git a/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/console_streambuf.cpp b/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/console_streambuf.cpp
index b5532ee0f3..9e6263d230 100644
--- a/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/console_streambuf.cpp
+++ b/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/console_streambuf.cpp
@@ -38,13 +38,14 @@ static LPVOID get_input_handle() THROWS
     return handle;
 }
 
-// Hack for faulty std::wcin translation of non-ASCII keyboard input.
-void console_streambuf::initialize(size_t stream_buffer_size) THROWS
+void console_streambuf::set_input(size_t stream_buffer_size) THROWS
 {
-    // Set the console to operate in UTF-8 for this process.
+    // Set console input to operate in UTF-8 for this process.
+    // learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/console/setconsolecp
     if (SetConsoleCP(CP_UTF8) == FALSE)
-        throw runtime_exception("Failed to set console to utf8.");
+        throw runtime_exception("Failed to set console input to utf8.");
 
+    // Hack for faulty std::wcin translation of non-ASCII keyboard input.
     DWORD console_mode;
     if (GetConsoleMode(get_input_handle(), &console_mode) != FALSE)
     {
@@ -53,10 +54,19 @@ void console_streambuf::initialize(size_t stream_buffer_size) THROWS
     }
 }
 
-console_streambuf::console_streambuf(
-    const std::wstreambuf& stream_buffer, size_t size) THROWS
-    : buffer_size_(size), buffer_(new wchar_t[buffer_size_]),
-    std::wstreambuf(stream_buffer)
+void console_streambuf::set_output() THROWS
+{
+    // Set console output to operate in UTF-8 for this process.
+    // learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/console/setconsoleoutputcp
+    if (SetConsoleOutputCP(CP_UTF8) == FALSE)
+        throw runtime_exception("Failed to set console output to utf8.");
+}
+
+console_streambuf::console_streambuf(const std::wstreambuf& buffer,
+    size_t size) THROWS
+  : buffer_size_(size),
+    buffer_(new wchar_t[size]),
+    std::wstreambuf(buffer)
 {
 }
 
@@ -92,7 +102,11 @@ std::wstreambuf::int_type console_streambuf::underflow() THROWS
 
 #else
 
-void console_streambuf::initialize(size_t) THROWS
+void console_streambuf::set_input(size_t) THROWS
+{
+}
+
+void console_streambuf::set_output() THROWS
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/environment.cpp b/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/environment.cpp
index c0db6f49f2..12f48f615b 100644
--- a/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/environment.cpp
+++ b/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/environment.cpp
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ static std::once_flag io_mutex;
 // Static initializer for bc::system::cin.
 std::istream& cin_stream() THROWS
 {
-    std::call_once(io_mutex, console_streambuf::initialize, utf16_buffer_size);
+    std::call_once(io_mutex, console_streambuf::set_input, utf16_buffer_size);
     static unicode_istream input(std::cin, std::wcin, utf16_buffer_size);
     return input;
 }
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ std::istream& cin_stream() THROWS
 // Static initializer for bc::system::cout.
 std::ostream& cout_stream() THROWS
 {
-    std::call_once(io_mutex, console_streambuf::initialize, utf16_buffer_size);
+    std::call_once(io_mutex, console_streambuf::set_output);
     static unicode_ostream output(std::cout, std::wcout, utf16_buffer_size);
     return output;
 }
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ std::ostream& cout_stream() THROWS
 // Static initializer for bc::system::cerr.
 std::ostream& cerr_stream() THROWS
 {
-    std::call_once(io_mutex, console_streambuf::initialize, utf16_buffer_size);
+    std::call_once(io_mutex, console_streambuf::set_output);
     static unicode_ostream error(std::cerr, std::wcerr, utf16_buffer_size);
     return error;
 }
diff --git a/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_istream.cpp b/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_istream.cpp
index fd01bfca2a..41f19c588d 100644
--- a/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_istream.cpp
+++ b/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_istream.cpp
@@ -24,16 +24,13 @@
 namespace libbitcoin {
 namespace system {
 
-unicode_istream::unicode_istream(
 #ifdef HAVE_MSC
-    std::istream&, std::wistream& wide_stream,
-        size_t wide_buffer_size) THROWS
-#else
-    std::istream& narrow_stream, std::wistream&, size_t)
-#endif
-#ifdef HAVE_MSC
-  : std::istream(new unicode_streambuf(wide_stream.rdbuf(), wide_buffer_size))
+unicode_istream::unicode_istream(std::istream&, std::wistream& wide_stream,
+    size_t wide_size) THROWS
+  : std::istream(new unicode_streambuf(wide_stream.rdbuf(), wide_size))
 #else
+unicode_istream::unicode_istream(std::istream& narrow_stream,
+    std::wistream&, size_t) THROWS
   : std::istream(narrow_stream.rdbuf())
 #endif
 {
diff --git a/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_ostream.cpp b/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_ostream.cpp
index 83a806bddd..1a16529b85 100644
--- a/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_ostream.cpp
+++ b/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_ostream.cpp
@@ -24,16 +24,13 @@
 namespace libbitcoin {
 namespace system {
 
-unicode_ostream::unicode_ostream(
 #ifdef HAVE_MSC
-    std::ostream&, std::wostream& wide_stream,
-    size_t wide_buffer_size) THROWS
-#else
-    std::ostream& narrow_stream, std::wostream&, size_t)
-#endif
-#ifdef HAVE_MSC
-  : std::ostream(new unicode_streambuf(wide_stream.rdbuf(), wide_buffer_size))
+unicode_ostream::unicode_ostream(std::ostream&, std::wostream& wide_stream,
+    size_t wide_size) THROWS
+  : std::ostream(new unicode_streambuf(wide_stream.rdbuf(), wide_size))
 #else
+unicode_ostream::unicode_ostream(std::ostream& narrow_stream,
+    std::wostream&, size_t) THROWS
   : std::ostream(narrow_stream.rdbuf())
 #endif
 {
diff --git a/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_streambuf.cpp b/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_streambuf.cpp
index 20140d3706..7b38afbdb6 100644
--- a/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_streambuf.cpp
+++ b/src/unicode/utf8_everywhere/unicode_streambuf.cpp
@@ -28,15 +28,15 @@
 namespace libbitcoin {
 namespace system {
 
-unicode_streambuf::unicode_streambuf(std::wstreambuf* wide_buffer,
+unicode_streambuf::unicode_streambuf(std::wstreambuf* buffer,
     size_t size) THROWS
   : wide_size_(size),
     narrow_size_(wide_size_ * utf8_max_character_size),
     narrow_(new char[narrow_size_]),
     wide_(new wchar_t[narrow_size_]),
-    wide_buffer_(wide_buffer)
+    wide_buffer_(buffer)
 {
-    if (is_zero(wide_size_) || wide_buffer == nullptr ||
+    if (is_zero(wide_size_) || is_null(wide_buffer_) ||
         wide_size_ > (bc::max_size_t / utf8_max_character_size))
         throw runtime_exception("unicode_streambuf parameters");
 
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ std::streambuf::int_type unicode_streambuf::underflow() THROWS
     // streamsize is signed.
     const auto size = static_cast<std::streamsize>(wide_size_);
 
-    // Read from the wide input buffer (non-negative).
+    // Read from the wide input buffer, blocking (non-negative).
     const auto read = wide_buffer_->sgetn(wide_, size);
 
     // Handle read termination.
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ std::streambuf::int_type unicode_streambuf::underflow() THROWS
 // MSVC does not support a UTF8 locale and as such streams interpret
 // narrow characters in the default locale. This implementation
 // assumes the stream will treat each byte of a multibyte narrow
-// chracter as an individual single byte character.
+// character as an individual single byte character.
 std::streambuf::int_type unicode_streambuf::overflow(
     std::streambuf::int_type character) THROWS
 {
@@ -134,7 +134,6 @@ std::streambuf::int_type unicode_streambuf::overflow(
             return traits_type::eof();
     }
 
-    // C++17: parallel policy for copy_n.
     // write is necessarily no greater than unwritten.
     // Copy the fractional character to the beginning of the buffer.
     std::copy_n(&narrow_[write - unwritten], unwritten, narrow_);
@@ -155,6 +154,10 @@ std::streambuf::int_type unicode_streambuf::overflow(
 // Flush our output sequence.
 int unicode_streambuf::sync() THROWS
 {
+    // Bypass for input.
+    if (is_null(std::streambuf::pptr()))
+        return std::streambuf::sync();
+
     const int success = zero;
     const int failure = negative_one;