diff --git a/include/boost/detail/lightweight_test.hpp b/include/boost/detail/lightweight_test.hpp
index 79beb0a..dbd99b9 100644
--- a/include/boost/detail/lightweight_test.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/detail/lightweight_test.hpp
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 //  boost/detail/lightweight_test.hpp - lightweight test library
 //
 //  Copyright (c) 2002, 2009 Peter Dimov
+//  Copyright (2) Beman Dawes 2010, 2011
 //
 //  Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0.
 //  See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
@@ -23,9 +24,15 @@
 //  int boost::report_errors()
 //
 
+#include <iostream>
 #include <boost/current_function.hpp>
 #include <boost/assert.hpp>
-#include <iostream>
+
+//  IDE's like Visual Studio perform better if output goes to std::cout or
+//  some other stream, so allow user to configure output stream:
+#ifndef BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
+# define BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM std::cerr
+#endif
 
 namespace boost
 {
@@ -58,24 +65,30 @@ inline int & test_errors()
 
 inline void test_failed_impl(char const * expr, char const * file, int line, char const * function)
 {
-    std::cerr << file << "(" << line << "): test '" << expr << "' failed in function '" << function << "'" << std::endl;
+    BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
+      << file << "(" << line << "): test '" << expr << "' failed in function '"
+      << function << "'" << std::endl;
     ++test_errors();
 }
 
 inline void error_impl(char const * msg, char const * file, int line, char const * function)
 {
-    std::cerr << file << "(" << line << "): " << msg << " in function '" << function << "'" << std::endl;
+    BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
+      << file << "(" << line << "): " << msg << " in function '"
+      << function << "'" << std::endl;
     ++test_errors();
 }
 
-template<class T, class U> inline void test_eq_impl( char const * expr1, char const * expr2, char const * file, int line, char const * function, T const & t, U const & u )
+template<class T, class U> inline void test_eq_impl( char const * expr1, char const * expr2,
+  char const * file, int line, char const * function, T const & t, U const & u )
 {
     if( t == u )
     {
     }
     else
     {
-        std::cerr << file << "(" << line << "): test '" << expr1 << " == " << expr2
+        BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
+            << file << "(" << line << "): test '" << expr1 << " == " << expr2
             << "' failed in function '" << function << "': "
             << "'" << t << "' != '" << u << "'" << std::endl;
         ++test_errors();
@@ -108,12 +121,14 @@ inline int report_errors()
 
     if( errors == 0 )
     {
-        std::cerr << "No errors detected." << std::endl;
+        BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
+          << "No errors detected." << std::endl;
         return 0;
     }
     else
     {
-        std::cerr << errors << " error" << (errors == 1? "": "s") << " detected." << std::endl;
+        BOOST_LIGHTWEIGHT_TEST_OSTREAM
+          << errors << " error" << (errors == 1? "": "s") << " detected." << std::endl;
         return 1;
     }
 }