diff --git a/frontend/wslbridge.cc b/frontend/wslbridge.cc
index 2d62e7e..978ac04 100644
--- a/frontend/wslbridge.cc
+++ b/frontend/wslbridge.cc
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 #include <assert.h>
+#include <ctype.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <getopt.h>
 #include <locale.h>
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <atomic>
 #include <memory>
 #include <mutex>
+#include <sstream>
 #include <string>
 #include <thread>
 #include <utility>
@@ -128,9 +130,12 @@ static std::wstring mbsToWcs(const std::string &s) {
     return ret;
 }
 
-static std::string wcsToMbs(const std::wstring &s) {
+static std::string wcsToMbs(const std::wstring &s, bool emptyOnError=false) {
     const size_t len = wcstombs(nullptr, s.c_str(), 0);
     if (len == static_cast<size_t>(-1)) {
+        if (emptyOnError) {
+            return {};
+        }
         fatal("error: wcsToMbs: invalid string\n");
     }
     std::string ret;
@@ -748,6 +753,191 @@ static std::string formatErrorMessage(DWORD err) {
     return ret;
 }
 
+struct PipeHandles {
+    HANDLE rh;
+    HANDLE wh;
+};
+
+static PipeHandles createPipe() {
+    SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES sa {};
+    sa.nLength = sizeof(sa);
+    sa.bInheritHandle = TRUE;
+    PipeHandles ret {};
+    const BOOL success = CreatePipe(&ret.rh, &ret.wh, &sa, 0);
+    assert(success && "CreatePipe failed");
+    return ret;
+}
+
+class StartupInfoAttributeList {
+public:
+    StartupInfoAttributeList(PPROC_THREAD_ATTRIBUTE_LIST &attrList, int count) {
+        SIZE_T size {};
+        InitializeProcThreadAttributeList(nullptr, count, 0, &size);
+        assert(size > 0 && "InitializeProcThreadAttributeList failed");
+        buffer_ = std::unique_ptr<char[]>(new char[size]);
+        const BOOL success = InitializeProcThreadAttributeList(get(), count, 0, &size);
+        assert(success && "InitializeProcThreadAttributeList failed");
+        attrList = get();
+    }
+    StartupInfoAttributeList(const StartupInfoAttributeList &) = delete;
+    StartupInfoAttributeList &operator=(const StartupInfoAttributeList &) = delete;
+    ~StartupInfoAttributeList() {
+        DeleteProcThreadAttributeList(get());
+    }
+private:
+    PPROC_THREAD_ATTRIBUTE_LIST get() {
+        return reinterpret_cast<PPROC_THREAD_ATTRIBUTE_LIST>(buffer_.get());
+    }
+    std::unique_ptr<char[]> buffer_;
+};
+
+class StartupInfoInheritList {
+public:
+    StartupInfoInheritList(PPROC_THREAD_ATTRIBUTE_LIST attrList,
+                           std::vector<HANDLE> &&inheritList) :
+            inheritList_(std::move(inheritList)) {
+        const BOOL success = UpdateProcThreadAttribute(
+            attrList, 0, PROC_THREAD_ATTRIBUTE_HANDLE_LIST,
+            inheritList_.data(), inheritList_.size() * sizeof(HANDLE),
+            nullptr, nullptr);
+        assert(success && "UpdateProcThreadAttribute failed");
+    }
+    StartupInfoInheritList(const StartupInfoInheritList &) = delete;
+    StartupInfoInheritList &operator=(const StartupInfoInheritList &) = delete;
+    ~StartupInfoInheritList() {}
+private:
+    std::vector<HANDLE> inheritList_;
+};
+
+// WSL bash will print an error if the user tries to run elevated and
+// non-elevated instances simultaneously, and maybe other situations.  We'd
+// like to detect this situation and report the error back to the user.
+//
+// Two complications:
+//  - WSL bash will print the error to stdout/stderr, but if the file is a
+//    pipe, then WSL bash doesn't print it until it exits (presumably due to
+//    block buffering).
+//  - WSL bash puts up a prompt, "Press any key to continue", and it reads
+//    that key from the attached console, not from stdin.
+//
+// This function spawns the frontend again and instructs it to attach to the
+// new WSL bash console and send it a return keypress.
+//
+// The HANDLE must be inheritable.
+static void spawnPressReturnProcess(HANDLE bashProcess) {
+    const auto exePath = getModuleFileName(getCurrentModule());
+    std::wstring cmdline;
+    cmdline.append(L"\"");
+    cmdline.append(exePath);
+    cmdline.append(L"\" --press-return ");
+    cmdline.append(std::to_wstring(reinterpret_cast<uintptr_t>(bashProcess)));
+    STARTUPINFOEXW sui {};
+    sui.StartupInfo.cb = sizeof(sui);
+    StartupInfoAttributeList attrList { sui.lpAttributeList, 1 };
+    StartupInfoInheritList inheritList { sui.lpAttributeList, { bashProcess } };
+    PROCESS_INFORMATION pi {};
+    const BOOL success = CreateProcessW(exePath.c_str(), &cmdline[0], nullptr, nullptr,
+        true, 0, nullptr, nullptr, &sui.StartupInfo, &pi);
+    if (!success) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "wslbridge warning: could not spawn: %s\n", wcsToMbs(cmdline).c_str());
+    }
+    if (WaitForSingleObject(pi.hProcess, 10000) != WAIT_OBJECT_0) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "wslbridge warning: process didn't exit after 10 seconds: %ls\n",
+            cmdline.c_str());
+    } else {
+        DWORD code {};
+        BOOL success = GetExitCodeProcess(pi.hProcess, &code);
+        if (!success) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "wslbridge warning: GetExitCodeProcess failed\n");
+        } else if (code != 0) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "wslbridge warning: process failed: %ls\n", cmdline.c_str());
+        }
+    }
+    CloseHandle(pi.hProcess);
+    CloseHandle(pi.hThread);
+}
+
+static int handlePressReturn(const char *pidStr) {
+    // AttachConsole replaces STD_INPUT_HANDLE with a new console input
+    // handle.  See https://github.com/rprichard/win32-console-docs.  The
+    // bash.exe process has already started, but console creation and
+    // process creation don't happen atomically, so poll for the console's
+    // existence.
+    auto str2handle = [](const char *str) {
+        std::stringstream ss(str);
+        uintptr_t n {};
+        ss >> n;
+        return reinterpret_cast<HANDLE>(n);
+    };
+    const HANDLE bashProcess = str2handle(pidStr);
+    const DWORD bashPid = GetProcessId(bashProcess);
+    FreeConsole();
+    for (int i = 0; i < 400; ++i) {
+        if (WaitForSingleObject(bashProcess, 0) == WAIT_OBJECT_0) {
+            // bash.exe has exited, give up immediately.
+            return 0;
+        } else if (AttachConsole(bashPid)) {
+            std::array<INPUT_RECORD, 2> ir {};
+            ir[0].EventType = KEY_EVENT;
+            ir[0].Event.KeyEvent.bKeyDown = TRUE;
+            ir[0].Event.KeyEvent.wRepeatCount = 1;
+            ir[0].Event.KeyEvent.wVirtualKeyCode = VK_RETURN;
+            ir[0].Event.KeyEvent.wVirtualScanCode = MapVirtualKey(VK_RETURN, MAPVK_VK_TO_VSC);
+            ir[0].Event.KeyEvent.uChar.UnicodeChar = '\r';
+            ir[1] = ir[0];
+            ir[1].Event.KeyEvent.bKeyDown = FALSE;
+            DWORD actual {};
+            WriteConsoleInputW(
+                GetStdHandle(STD_INPUT_HANDLE),
+                ir.data(), ir.size(), &actual);
+            return 0;
+        }
+        Sleep(25);
+    }
+    return 1;
+}
+
+static std::vector<char> readAllFromHandle(HANDLE h) {
+    std::vector<char> ret;
+    char buf[1024];
+    DWORD actual {};
+    while (ReadFile(h, buf, sizeof(buf), &actual, nullptr) && actual > 0) {
+        ret.insert(ret.end(), buf, buf + actual);
+    }
+    return ret;
+}
+
+static std::tuple<DWORD, DWORD, DWORD> windowsVersion() {
+    OSVERSIONINFO info {};
+    info.dwOSVersionInfoSize = sizeof(info);
+    const BOOL success = GetVersionEx(&info);
+    assert(success && "GetVersionEx failed");
+    if (info.dwMajorVersion == 6 && info.dwMinorVersion == 2) {
+        // We want to distinguish between Windows 10.0.14393 and 10.0.15063,
+        // but if the EXE doesn't have an appropriate manifest, then
+        // GetVersionEx will report the lesser of 6.2 and the true version.
+        fprintf(stderr, "wslbridge warning: GetVersionEx reports version 6.2 -- "
+            "is wslbridge.exe properly manifested?\n");
+    }
+    return std::make_tuple(info.dwMajorVersion, info.dwMinorVersion, info.dwBuildNumber);
+}
+
+static std::string replaceAll(std::string str, const std::string &from, const std::string &to) {
+    size_t pos {};
+    while ((pos = str.find(from, pos)) != std::string::npos) {
+        str = str.replace(pos, from.size(), to);
+        pos += to.size();
+    }
+    return str;
+}
+
+static std::string stripTrailing(std::string str) {
+    while (!str.empty() && isspace(str.back())) {
+        str.pop_back();
+    }
+    return str;
+}
+
 } // namespace
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
@@ -755,6 +945,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     cygwin_internal(CW_SYNC_WINENV);
     g_wakeupFd = new WakeupFd();
 
+    if (argc == 3 && !strcmp(argv[1], "--press-return")) {
+        return handlePressReturn(argv[2]);
+    }
+
     Environment env;
     std::string spawnCwd;
     enum class TtyRequest { Auto, Yes, No, Force } ttyRequest = TtyRequest::Auto;
@@ -916,40 +1110,85 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     cmdLine.append(L"\" -c ");
     appendBashArg(cmdLine, bashCmdLine);
 
-    STARTUPINFOW sui = {};
-    sui.cb = sizeof(sui);
+    const auto outputPipe = createPipe();
+    const auto errorPipe = createPipe();
+    STARTUPINFOEXW sui {};
+    sui.StartupInfo.cb = sizeof(sui);
+    StartupInfoAttributeList attrList { sui.lpAttributeList, 1 };
+    StartupInfoInheritList inheritList { sui.lpAttributeList,
+        { outputPipe.wh, errorPipe.wh }
+    };
+
+    if (windowsVersion() >= std::make_tuple(10u, 0u, 15063u)) {
+        // WSL was first officially shipped in 14393, but in that version,
+        // bash.exe did not allow redirecting stdout/stderr to a pipe.
+        // Redirection is allowed starting with 15063, and we'd like to use it
+        // to help report errors.
+        sui.StartupInfo.dwFlags |= STARTF_USESTDHANDLES;
+        sui.StartupInfo.hStdOutput = outputPipe.wh;
+        sui.StartupInfo.hStdError = errorPipe.wh;
+    }
+
     PROCESS_INFORMATION pi = {};
     BOOL success = CreateProcessW(bashPath.c_str(), &cmdLine[0], nullptr, nullptr,
-        false,
+        true,
         debugFork ? CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE : CREATE_NO_WINDOW,
-        nullptr, nullptr, &sui, &pi);
+        nullptr, nullptr, &sui.StartupInfo, &pi);
     if (!success) {
         fatal("error starting bash.exe adapter: %s\n",
             formatErrorMessage(GetLastError()).c_str());
     }
 
+    CloseHandle(outputPipe.wh);
+    CloseHandle(errorPipe.wh);
+    success = SetHandleInformation(pi.hProcess, HANDLE_FLAG_INHERIT, HANDLE_FLAG_INHERIT);
+    assert(success && "SetHandleInformation failed");
+    spawnPressReturnProcess(pi.hProcess);
+
     std::atomic<bool> backendStarted = { false };
 
     // If the backend process exits before the frontend, then something has
     // gone wrong.
     const auto watchdog = std::thread([&]() {
         WaitForSingleObject(pi.hProcess, INFINITE);
+
+        // Because bash.exe has exited, we know that the write ends of the
+        // output pipes are closed.  Finish reading anything bash.exe wrote.
+        // bash.exe writes at least one error via stdout in UTF-16;
+        // wslbridge-backend could write to stderr in UTF-8.
+        auto outVec = readAllFromHandle(outputPipe.rh);
+        auto errVec = readAllFromHandle(errorPipe.rh);
+        std::wstring outWide(outVec.size() / sizeof(wchar_t), L'\0');
+        memcpy(&outWide[0], outVec.data(), outWide.size() * sizeof(wchar_t));
+        std::string out { wcsToMbs(outWide, true) };
+        std::string err { errVec.begin(), errVec.end() };
+        out = stripTrailing(replaceAll(out, "Press any key to continue...", ""));
+        err = stripTrailing(err);
+
+        std::string msg;
         if (backendStarted) {
-            g_terminalState.fatal("\nwslbridge error: backend process died\n");
-        }
-        std::string msg = "wslbridge error: failed to start backend process\n";
-        msg.append("note: backend program is at '");
-        msg.append(wcsToMbs(backendPathWin));
-        msg.append("'\n");
-        if (access(wcsToMbs(backendPathWin).c_str(), X_OK) == -1 && errno == EACCES) {
-            msg.append("note: the backend file is not executable "
-                       "(use 'chmod +x' on it?)\n");
-        }
-        if (fsname != L"NTFS") {
-            msg.append("note: backend is on a volume of type '");
-            msg.append(wcsToMbs(fsname));
-            msg.append("', expected 'NTFS'\n"
-                       "note: WSL only supports local NTFS volumes\n");
+            msg = "\nwslbridge error: backend process died\n";
+        } else {
+            msg = "wslbridge error: failed to start backend process\n";
+            if (fsname != L"NTFS") {
+                msg.append("note: backend program is at '");
+                msg.append(wcsToMbs(backendPathWin));
+                msg.append("'\n");
+                msg.append("note: backend is on a volume of type '");
+                msg.append(wcsToMbs(fsname));
+                msg.append("', expected 'NTFS'\n"
+                           "note: WSL only supports local NTFS volumes\n");
+            }
+        }
+        if (!out.empty()) {
+            msg.append("note: bash.exe output: ");
+            msg.append(out);
+            msg.push_back('\n');
+        }
+        if (!err.empty()) {
+            msg.append("note: backend error output: ");
+            msg.append(err);
+            msg.push_back('\n');
         }
         g_terminalState.fatal("%s", msg.c_str());
     });