diff --git a/Test/Framework/Improving.hs b/Test/Framework/Improving.hs
--- a/Test/Framework/Improving.hs
+++ b/Test/Framework/Improving.hs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 module Test.Framework.Improving (
-        (:~>)(..), 
+        (:~>)(..), bimapImproving, improvingLast, consumeImproving,
         ImprovingIO, yieldImprovement, runImprovingIO, liftIO,
         timeoutImprovingIO, maybeTimeoutImprovingIO
     ) where
@@ -16,6 +16,18 @@
 instance Functor ((:~>) i) where
     fmap f (Finished x)    = Finished (f x)
     fmap f (Improving x i) = Improving x (fmap f i)
+
+bimapImproving :: (a -> c) -> (b -> d) -> (a :~> b) -> (c :~> d)
+bimapImproving _ g (Finished b)            = Finished (g b)
+bimapImproving f g (Improving a improving) = Improving (f a) (bimapImproving f g improving)
+
+improvingLast :: (a :~> b) -> b
+improvingLast (Finished r)       = r
+improvingLast (Improving _ rest) = improvingLast rest
+
+consumeImproving :: (a :~> b) -> [(a :~> b)]
+consumeImproving improving@(Finished _)       = [improving]
+consumeImproving improving@(Improving _ rest) = improving : consumeImproving rest
 
 
 newtype ImprovingIO i f a = IIO { unIIO :: Chan (Either i f) -> IO a }
diff --git a/Test/Framework/Runners/Console.hs b/Test/Framework/Runners/Console.hs
--- a/Test/Framework/Runners/Console.hs
+++ b/Test/Framework/Runners/Console.hs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import System.Console.GetOpt
 import System.Environment
 import System.Exit
+import System.IO
 
 import Data.Monoid
 
@@ -60,8 +61,11 @@
             (ReqArg (\t -> mempty { ropt_test_patterns = Just [read t] }) "TEST-PATTERN")
             "only tests that match at least one glob pattern given by an instance of this argument will be run",
         Option [] ["jxml"]
-            (OptArg (\t -> mempty { ropt_xml_output = Just (Just t) }) "FILE")
-            "Set the output format to junit-xml, and (optionally) writes to FILE instead of STDOUT"
+            (ReqArg (\t -> mempty { ropt_xml_output = Just (Just t) }) "FILE")
+            "write a junit-xml summary of the output to FILE",
+        Option [] ["plain"]
+            (NoArg (mempty { ropt_plain_output = Just True }))
+            "do not use any ANSI terminal features to display the test run"
     ]
 
 interpretArgs :: [String] -> IO (Either String (RunnerOptions, [String]))
@@ -85,10 +89,10 @@
     case interpreted_args of
         Right (ropts, [])    -> defaultMainWithOpts tests ropts
         Right (_, leftovers) -> do
-            putStrLn $ "Could not understand these extra arguments: " ++ unwords leftovers
+            hPutStrLn stderr $ "Could not understand these extra arguments: " ++ unwords leftovers
             exitWith (ExitFailure 1)
         Left error_message   -> do
-            putStrLn error_message
+            hPutStrLn stderr error_message
             exitWith (ExitFailure 1)
 
 defaultMainWithOpts :: [Test] -> RunnerOptions -> IO ()
@@ -99,12 +103,12 @@
     running_tests <- runTests ropts' tests
     
     -- Show those test results to the user as we get them
-    fin_tests <- showRunTestsTop running_tests
+    fin_tests <- showRunTestsTop (unK $ ropt_plain_output ropts') running_tests
     let test_statistics' = gatherStatistics fin_tests
     
     -- Output XML report (if requested)
     case ropt_xml_output ropts' of
-        K (Just mb_file) -> XML.produceReport test_statistics' fin_tests >>= maybe putStrLn writeFile mb_file
+        K (Just file) -> XML.produceReport test_statistics' fin_tests >>= writeFile file
         _ -> return ()
     
     -- Set the error code depending on whether the tests succeded or not
@@ -118,5 +122,6 @@
             ropt_threads = K $ ropt_threads ro `orElse` processorCount,
             ropt_test_options = K $ ropt_test_options ro `orElse` mempty,
             ropt_test_patterns = K $ ropt_test_patterns ro `orElse` mempty,
-            ropt_xml_output = K $ ropt_xml_output ro `orElse` Nothing
+            ropt_xml_output = K $ ropt_xml_output ro `orElse` Nothing,
+            ropt_plain_output = K $ ropt_plain_output ro `orElse` False
         }
diff --git a/Test/Framework/Runners/Console/Run.hs b/Test/Framework/Runners/Console/Run.hs
--- a/Test/Framework/Runners/Console/Run.hs
+++ b/Test/Framework/Runners/Console/Run.hs
@@ -20,35 +20,35 @@
 
 import Data.Monoid
 
-import Control.Arrow (second)
+import Control.Arrow (second, (&&&))
 
 
-showRunTestsTop :: [RunningTest] -> IO [FinishedTest]
-showRunTestsTop running_tests = hideCursorDuring $ do
+showRunTestsTop :: Bool -> [RunningTest] -> IO [FinishedTest]
+showRunTestsTop isplain running_tests = hideCursorDuring $ do
     -- Show those test results to the user as we get them. Gather statistics on the fly for a progress bar
     let test_statistics = initialTestStatistics (totalRunTestsList running_tests)
-    (test_statistics', finished_tests) <- showRunTests 0 test_statistics running_tests
+    (test_statistics', finished_tests) <- showRunTests isplain 0 test_statistics running_tests
     
     -- Show the final statistics
     putStrLn ""
-    putDoc $ showFinalTestStatistics test_statistics'
+    putDoc $ possiblyPlain isplain $ showFinalTestStatistics test_statistics'
     
     return finished_tests
 
 
 -- This code all /really/ sucks.  There must be a better way to seperate out the console-updating
 -- and the improvement-traversing concerns - but how?
-showRunTest :: Int -> TestStatistics -> RunningTest -> IO (TestStatistics, FinishedTest)
-showRunTest indent_level test_statistics (RunTest name test_type (SomeImproving improving_result)) = do
+showRunTest :: Bool -> Int -> TestStatistics -> RunningTest -> IO (TestStatistics, FinishedTest)
+showRunTest isplain indent_level test_statistics (RunTest name test_type (SomeImproving improving_result)) = do
     let progress_bar = testStatisticsProgressBar test_statistics
-    (property_text, property_suceeded) <- showImprovingTestResult (return ()) indent_level name progress_bar improving_result
+    (property_text, property_suceeded) <- showImprovingTestResult isplain indent_level name progress_bar improving_result
     return (updateTestStatistics (\count -> adjustTestCount test_type count mempty) property_suceeded test_statistics, RunTest name test_type (property_text, property_suceeded))
-showRunTest indent_level test_statistics (RunTestGroup name tests) = do
+showRunTest isplain indent_level test_statistics (RunTestGroup name tests) = do
     putDoc $ (indent indent_level (text name <> char ':')) <> linebreak
-    fmap (second $ RunTestGroup name) $ showRunTests (indent_level + 2) test_statistics tests
+    fmap (second $ RunTestGroup name) $ showRunTests isplain (indent_level + 2) test_statistics tests
 
-showRunTests :: Int -> TestStatistics -> [RunningTest] -> IO (TestStatistics, [FinishedTest])
-showRunTests indent_level = mapAccumLM (showRunTest indent_level)
+showRunTests :: Bool -> Int -> TestStatistics -> [RunningTest] -> IO (TestStatistics, [FinishedTest])
+showRunTests isplain indent_level = mapAccumLM (showRunTest isplain indent_level)
 
 
 testStatisticsProgressBar :: TestStatistics -> Doc
@@ -63,45 +63,53 @@
     terminal_width = 79
 
 
-consumeImprovingThing :: (a :~> b) -> [(a :~> b)]
-consumeImprovingThing improving@(Finished _)       = [improving]
-consumeImprovingThing improving@(Improving _ rest) = improving : consumeImprovingThing rest
-
+showImprovingTestResult :: TestResultlike i r => Bool -> Int -> String -> Doc -> (i :~> r) -> IO (String, Bool)
+showImprovingTestResult isplain indent_level test_name progress_bar improving = do
+    -- Consume the improving value until the end, displaying progress if we are not in "plain" mode
+    (result, success) <- if isplain then return $ improvingLast improving'
+                                    else showImprovingTestResultProgress (return ()) indent_level test_name progress_bar improving'
+    let (result_doc, extra_doc) | success   = (brackets $ colorPass (text result), empty)
+                                | otherwise = (brackets (colorFail (text "Failed")), text result <> linebreak)
+  
+    -- Output the final test status and a trailing newline
+    putTestHeader indent_level test_name (possiblyPlain isplain result_doc)
+    -- Output any extra information that may be required, e.g. to show failure reason
+    putDoc extra_doc
+    
+    return (result, success)
+  where
+    improving' = bimapImproving show (show &&& testSucceeded) improving
 
-showImprovingTestResult :: TestResultlike i r => IO () -> Int -> String -> Doc -> (i :~> r) -> IO (String, Bool)
-showImprovingTestResult erase indent_level test_name progress_bar improving = do
+showImprovingTestResultProgress :: IO () -> Int -> String -> Doc -> (String :~> (String, Bool)) -> IO (String, Bool)
+showImprovingTestResultProgress erase indent_level test_name progress_bar improving = do
     -- Update the screen every every 200ms
-    improving_list <- consumeListInInterval 200000 (consumeImprovingThing improving)
+    improving_list <- consumeListInInterval 200000 (consumeImproving improving)
     case listToMaybeLast improving_list of
         Nothing         -> do -- 200ms was somehow not long enough for a single result to arrive: try again!
-            showImprovingTestResult erase indent_level test_name progress_bar improving
+            showImprovingTestResultProgress erase indent_level test_name progress_bar improving
         Just improving' -> do -- Display that new improving value to the user
-            showImprovingTestResult' erase indent_level test_name progress_bar improving'
+            showImprovingTestResultProgress' erase indent_level test_name progress_bar improving'
 
-showImprovingTestResult' :: TestResultlike i r => IO () -> Int -> String -> Doc -> (i :~> r) -> IO (String, Bool)
-showImprovingTestResult' erase indent_level test_name _ (Finished result) = do
+showImprovingTestResultProgress' :: IO () -> Int -> String -> Doc -> (String :~> (String, Bool)) -> IO (String, Bool)
+showImprovingTestResultProgress' erase _ _ _ (Finished result) = do
     erase
-    -- Output the final test status and a trailing newline
-    putTestHeader indent_level test_name result_doc
     -- There may still be a progress bar on the line below the final test result, so 
     -- remove it as a precautionary measure in case this is the last test in a group
     -- and hence it will not be erased in the normal course of test display.
+    putStrLn ""
     clearLine
-    -- Output any extra information that may be required, e.g. to show failure reason
-    putDoc extra_doc
-    return (show result, success)
-  where
-    success = testSucceeded result
-    (result_doc, extra_doc) | success   = (brackets $ colorPass (text (show result)), empty)
-                            | otherwise = (brackets (colorFail (text "Failed")), text (show result) <> linebreak)
-showImprovingTestResult' erase indent_level test_name progress_bar (Improving intermediate rest) = do
+    cursorUpLine 1
+    return result
+showImprovingTestResultProgress' erase indent_level test_name progress_bar (Improving intermediate rest) = do
     erase
-    putTestHeader indent_level test_name (brackets (text intermediate_str))
+    putTestHeader indent_level test_name (brackets (text intermediate))
     putDoc progress_bar
     hFlush stdout
-    showImprovingTestResult (cursorUpLine 1 >> clearLine) indent_level test_name progress_bar rest
-  where  
-    intermediate_str = show intermediate
+    showImprovingTestResultProgress (cursorUpLine 1 >> clearLine) indent_level test_name progress_bar rest
+
+possiblyPlain :: Bool -> Doc -> Doc
+possiblyPlain True  = plain
+possiblyPlain False = id
 
 putTestHeader :: Int -> String -> Doc -> IO ()
 putTestHeader indent_level test_name result = putDoc $ (indent indent_level (text test_name <> char ':' <+> result)) <> linebreak
diff --git a/Test/Framework/Runners/Options.hs b/Test/Framework/Runners/Options.hs
--- a/Test/Framework/Runners/Options.hs
+++ b/Test/Framework/Runners/Options.hs
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@
         ropt_threads :: f Int,
         ropt_test_options :: f TestOptions,
         ropt_test_patterns :: f [TestPattern],
-        ropt_xml_output :: f (Maybe (Maybe FilePath))
+        ropt_xml_output :: f (Maybe FilePath),
+        ropt_plain_output :: f Bool
     }
 
 instance Monoid (RunnerOptions' Maybe) where
@@ -21,12 +22,14 @@
             ropt_threads = Nothing,
             ropt_test_options = Nothing,
             ropt_test_patterns = Nothing,
-            ropt_xml_output = Nothing
+            ropt_xml_output = Nothing,
+            ropt_plain_output = Nothing
         }
 
     mappend ro1 ro2 = RunnerOptions {
             ropt_threads = getLast (mappendBy (Last . ropt_threads) ro1 ro2),
             ropt_test_options = mappendBy ropt_test_options ro1 ro2,
             ropt_test_patterns = mappendBy ropt_test_patterns ro1 ro2,
-            ropt_xml_output = mappendBy ropt_xml_output ro1 ro2
+            ropt_xml_output = mappendBy ropt_xml_output ro1 ro2,
+            ropt_plain_output = getLast (mappendBy (Last . ropt_plain_output) ro1 ro2)
         }
diff --git a/test-framework.cabal b/test-framework.cabal
--- a/test-framework.cabal
+++ b/test-framework.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:                test-framework
-Version:             0.3.0
+Version:             0.3.1
 Cabal-Version:       >= 1.2.3
 Category:            Testing
 Synopsis:            Framework for running and organising tests, with HUnit and QuickCheck support
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
                                 Test.Framework.Runners.XML
                                 Test.Framework.Utilities
         
-        Build-Depends:          ansi-terminal >= 0.4.0, ansi-wl-pprint >= 0.4.0,
+        Build-Depends:          ansi-terminal >= 0.4.0, ansi-wl-pprint >= 0.5.1,
                                 regex-posix >= 0.72, extensible-exceptions >= 0.1.1,
                                 old-locale >= 1.0, time >= 1.1.4,
                                 xml >= 1.3.5, hostname >= 1.0
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@
                                 TypeOperators
                                 FunctionalDependencies
                                 MultiParamTypeClasses
-                                ForeignFunctionInterface
         
         Ghc-Options:            -Wall
         
@@ -80,7 +79,7 @@
                 Buildable:              False
         else
                 Build-Depends:          HUnit >= 1.2, QuickCheck >= 2.1.0.3,
-                                        ansi-terminal >= 0.4.0, ansi-wl-pprint >= 0.4.0,
+                                        ansi-terminal >= 0.4.0, ansi-wl-pprint >= 0.5.1,
                                         regex-posix >= 0.72, extensible-exceptions >= 0.1.1,
                                         old-locale >= 1.0, time >= 1.1.4,
                                         xml >= 1.3.5, hostname >= 1.0,
@@ -99,7 +98,6 @@
                                         TypeOperators
                                         FunctionalDependencies
                                         MultiParamTypeClasses
-                                        ForeignFunctionInterface
         
                 Cpp-Options:            -DTEST