diff --git a/include/wx/msgout.h b/include/wx/msgout.h
index e04e082f00..b03fc29c8b 100644
--- a/include/wx/msgout.h
+++ b/include/wx/msgout.h
@@ -49,6 +49,14 @@ private:
     static wxMessageOutput* ms_msgOut;
 };
 
+// This is equivalent to wxMessageOutput::Get()->Output() but doesn't crash if
+// there is no message output object (which shouldn't normally happen).
+inline void wxSafeMessageOutput(const wxString& str)
+{
+    if ( wxMessageOutput* msgOut = wxMessageOutput::Get() )
+        msgOut->Output(str);
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // helper mix-in for output targets that can use difference encodings
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/interface/wx/msgout.h b/interface/wx/msgout.h
index e7b6631403..b81ea6da46 100644
--- a/interface/wx/msgout.h
+++ b/interface/wx/msgout.h
@@ -183,3 +183,24 @@ public:
     /// Default constructor.
     wxMessageOutputMessageBox();
 };
+
+/**
+    Check that the message output exists before using it.
+
+    This function is equivalent to
+
+    @code
+    wxMessageOutput::Get()->Output(str);
+    @endcode
+
+    but doesn't do anything if wxMessageOutput::Get() returns @NULL, instead of
+    crashing.
+
+    Note that typically wxMessageOutput::Get() can only ever return @NULL if
+    wxAppTraits::CreateMessageOutput() is overridden to return @NULL, so unless
+    your application does this, using this function is not necessary as the
+    snippet above can be used directly.
+
+    @since 3.3.0
+ */
+void wxSafeMessageOutput(const wxString& str);
diff --git a/src/common/cmdline.cpp b/src/common/cmdline.cpp
index de2afcb51e..a9a7b60a7c 100644
--- a/src/common/cmdline.cpp
+++ b/src/common/cmdline.cpp
@@ -1236,19 +1236,10 @@ int wxCmdLineParser::Parse(bool showUsage)
     // and also the usage message if it had been requested
     if ( !ok && (!errorMsg.empty() || (helpRequested && showUsage)) )
     {
-        wxMessageOutput* msgOut = wxMessageOutput::Get();
-        if ( msgOut )
-        {
-            wxString usage;
-            if ( showUsage )
-                usage = GetUsageString();
+        if ( showUsage )
+            Usage();
 
-            msgOut->Printf( wxT("%s%s"), usage.c_str(), errorMsg.c_str() );
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            wxFAIL_MSG( wxT("no wxMessageOutput object?") );
-        }
+        wxSafeMessageOutput(errorMsg);
     }
 
     return ok ? 0 : helpRequested ? -1 : 1;
@@ -1260,10 +1251,7 @@ int wxCmdLineParser::Parse(bool showUsage)
 
 void wxCmdLineParser::Usage() const
 {
-    wxMessageOutput* msgOut = wxMessageOutput::Get();
-    wxCHECK_RET( msgOut, wxT("no wxMessageOutput?") );
-
-    msgOut->Output(GetUsageString());
+    wxSafeMessageOutput(GetUsageString(wrapColumn));
 }
 
 wxString wxCmdLineParser::GetUsageString() const