diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
index 52015b475..5ab5d1f7e 100644
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -151,6 +151,19 @@ static void initTranslations(QTranslator &qtTranslatorBase, QTranslator &qtTrans
         QApplication::installTranslator(&translator);
 }
 
+/* qDebug() message handler --> debug.log */
+#if QT_VERSION < 0x050000
+void DebugMessageHandler(QtMsgType type, const char * msg)
+{
+    OutputDebugStringF("%s\n", msg);
+}
+#else
+void DebugMessageHandler(QtMsgType type, const QMessageLogContext& context, const QString &msg)
+{
+    OutputDebugStringF("%s\n", qPrintable(msg));
+}
+#endif
+
 #ifndef BITCOIN_QT_TEST
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
@@ -242,6 +255,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         return 1;
     }
 
+    // Install qDebug() message handler to route to debug.log:
+#if QT_VERSION < 0x050000
+    qInstallMsgHandler(DebugMessageHandler);
+#else
+    qInstallMessageHandler(DebugMessageHandler);
+#endif
+
     SplashScreen splash(QPixmap(), 0);
     if (GetBoolArg("-splash", true) && !GetBoolArg("-min", false))
     {