diff --git a/stmhal/main.c b/stmhal/main.c
index ae4ff5141c9a90b4e15ecf899d7cccc5668d5177..9e1798b3b9844ee7fe864b9d50bc426434c5b01a 100644
--- a/stmhal/main.c
+++ b/stmhal/main.c
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
 #include "stackctrl.h"
 #include "gc.h"
 #include "gccollect.h"
-#include "pybstdio.h"
 #include "readline.h"
 #include "pyexec.h"
 #include "i2c.h"
@@ -64,6 +63,7 @@
 #include "servo.h"
 #include "dac.h"
 #include "pybwlan.h"
+#include "pybstdio.h"
 
 void SystemClock_Config(void);
 
@@ -311,12 +311,10 @@ soft_reset:
             MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(PYB_UART_6),
             MP_OBJ_NEW_SMALL_INT(115200),
         };
-        pyb_uart_global_debug = pyb_uart_type.make_new((mp_obj_t)&pyb_uart_type,
-                                                       MP_ARRAY_SIZE(args),
-                                                       0, args);
+        pyb_stdio_uart = pyb_uart_type.make_new((mp_obj_t)&pyb_uart_type, MP_ARRAY_SIZE(args), 0, args);
     }
 #else
-    pyb_uart_global_debug = NULL;
+    pyb_stdio_uart = NULL;
 #endif
 
     // Micro Python init
diff --git a/stmhal/modpyb.c b/stmhal/modpyb.c
index 8b594332b725fb06fb9f397a2e4138eb3ae48e56..38a680da24ae416675afdc7197af95dabbe51f61 100644
--- a/stmhal/modpyb.c
+++ b/stmhal/modpyb.c
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@
 #include "gc.h"
 #include "gccollect.h"
 #include "systick.h"
-#include "pybstdio.h"
 #include "pyexec.h"
 #include "led.h"
 #include "pin.h"
@@ -57,6 +56,7 @@
 #include "dac.h"
 #include "lcd.h"
 #include "usb.h"
+#include "pybstdio.h"
 #include "ff.h"
 #include "portmodules.h"
 
@@ -307,16 +307,16 @@ STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_0(pyb_have_cdc_obj, pyb_have_cdc);
 /// Get or set the UART object that the REPL is repeated on.
 STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_repl_uart(uint n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
     if (n_args == 0) {
-        if (pyb_uart_global_debug == NULL) {
+        if (pyb_stdio_uart == NULL) {
             return mp_const_none;
         } else {
-            return pyb_uart_global_debug;
+            return pyb_stdio_uart;
         }
     } else {
         if (args[0] == mp_const_none) {
-            pyb_uart_global_debug = NULL;
+            pyb_stdio_uart = NULL;
         } else if (mp_obj_get_type(args[0]) == &pyb_uart_type) {
-            pyb_uart_global_debug = args[0];
+            pyb_stdio_uart = args[0];
         } else {
             nlr_raise(mp_obj_new_exception_msg(&mp_type_ValueError, "need a UART object"));
         }
diff --git a/stmhal/printf.c b/stmhal/printf.c
index 53c47c63386fc0e610bc03c02faf8e2d80ae10bb..db611f3d9708103cde8ef9043057e18dd33260e8 100644
--- a/stmhal/printf.c
+++ b/stmhal/printf.c
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 #endif
 #include "uart.h"
 #include "usb.h"
+#include "pybstdio.h"
 
 #if MICROPY_PY_BUILTINS_FLOAT
 #include "formatfloat.h"
@@ -47,22 +48,11 @@
 
 int pfenv_vprintf(const pfenv_t *pfenv, const char *fmt, va_list args);
 
-void pfenv_prints(const pfenv_t *pfenv, const char *str) {
-    pfenv->print_strn(pfenv->data, str, strlen(str));
+STATIC void stdout_print_strn(void *dummy_env, const char *str, unsigned int len) {
+    stdout_tx_strn_cooked(str, len);
 }
 
-STATIC void stdout_print_strn(void *data, const char *str, unsigned int len) {
-    // TODO this needs to be replaced with a proper stdio interface ala CPython
-    // send stdout to UART and USB CDC VCP
-    if (pyb_uart_global_debug != PYB_UART_NONE) {
-        uart_tx_strn_cooked(pyb_uart_global_debug, str, len);
-    }
-    if (usb_vcp_is_enabled()) {
-        usb_vcp_send_strn_cooked(str, len);
-    }
-}
-
-static const pfenv_t pfenv_stdout = {0, stdout_print_strn};
+STATIC const pfenv_t pfenv_stdout = {0, stdout_print_strn};
 
 int printf(const char *fmt, ...) {
     va_list ap;
diff --git a/stmhal/pybstdio.c b/stmhal/pybstdio.c
index 2a4386e097ec2b75faec0a4533bdf77a94ebb9dc..9846ce045316ae58a2ada7d94d4e8a5dc48df652 100644
--- a/stmhal/pybstdio.c
+++ b/stmhal/pybstdio.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
 #include "mpconfig.h"
 #include "misc.h"
@@ -34,31 +35,41 @@
 #include "obj.h"
 #include "stream.h"
 #include MICROPY_HAL_H
-#include "pybstdio.h"
 #include "usb.h"
 #include "uart.h"
+#include "pybstdio.h"
 
 // TODO make stdin, stdout and stderr writable objects so they can
-// be changed by Python code.
+// be changed by Python code.  This requires some changes, as these
+// objects are in a read-only module (py/modsys.c).
+
+// stdio is repeated on this UART object if it's not null
+pyb_uart_obj_t *pyb_stdio_uart = NULL;
 
 void stdout_tx_str(const char *str) {
-    if (pyb_uart_global_debug != PYB_UART_NONE) {
-        uart_tx_str(pyb_uart_global_debug, str);
-    }
-#if 0 && defined(USE_HOST_MODE) && MICROPY_HW_HAS_LCD
-    lcd_print_str(str);
-#endif
-    usb_vcp_send_str(str);
+    stdout_tx_strn(str, strlen(str));
 }
 
-void stdout_tx_strn(const char *str, uint len) {
-    if (pyb_uart_global_debug != PYB_UART_NONE) {
-        uart_tx_strn(pyb_uart_global_debug, str, len);
+void stdout_tx_strn(const char *str, mp_uint_t len) {
+    if (pyb_stdio_uart != PYB_UART_NONE) {
+        uart_tx_strn(pyb_stdio_uart, str, len);
     }
 #if 0 && defined(USE_HOST_MODE) && MICROPY_HW_HAS_LCD
     lcd_print_strn(str, len);
 #endif
-    usb_vcp_send_strn(str, len);
+    if (usb_vcp_is_enabled()) {
+        usb_vcp_send_strn(str, len);
+    }
+}
+
+void stdout_tx_strn_cooked(const char *str, mp_uint_t len) {
+    // send stdout to UART and USB CDC VCP
+    if (pyb_stdio_uart != PYB_UART_NONE) {
+        uart_tx_strn_cooked(pyb_stdio_uart, str, len);
+    }
+    if (usb_vcp_is_enabled()) {
+        usb_vcp_send_strn_cooked(str, len);
+    }
 }
 
 int stdin_rx_chr(void) {
@@ -74,14 +85,13 @@ int stdin_rx_chr(void) {
 #endif
         if (usb_vcp_rx_num() != 0) {
             return usb_vcp_rx_get();
-        } else if (pyb_uart_global_debug != PYB_UART_NONE && uart_rx_any(pyb_uart_global_debug)) {
-            return uart_rx_char(pyb_uart_global_debug);
+        } else if (pyb_stdio_uart != PYB_UART_NONE && uart_rx_any(pyb_stdio_uart)) {
+            return uart_rx_char(pyb_stdio_uart);
         }
         __WFI();
     }
 }
 
-
 /******************************************************************************/
 // Micro Python bindings
 
@@ -120,7 +130,7 @@ STATIC mp_int_t stdio_read(mp_obj_t self_in, void *buf, mp_uint_t size, int *err
 STATIC mp_int_t stdio_write(mp_obj_t self_in, const void *buf, mp_uint_t size, int *errcode) {
     pyb_stdio_obj_t *self = self_in;
     if (self->fd == STDIO_FD_OUT || self->fd == STDIO_FD_ERR) {
-        stdout_tx_strn(buf, size);
+        stdout_tx_strn_cooked(buf, size);
         *errcode = 0;
         return size;
     } else {
diff --git a/stmhal/pybstdio.h b/stmhal/pybstdio.h
index 5beab893da85a40d45f5ae3159e044fc06e83015..cdb7acfe59387126074dc032f3364d93857757e7 100644
--- a/stmhal/pybstdio.h
+++ b/stmhal/pybstdio.h
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@
  * THE SOFTWARE.
  */
 
+extern pyb_uart_obj_t *pyb_stdio_uart;
+
 void stdout_tx_str(const char *str);
-void stdout_tx_strn(const char *str, uint len);
+void stdout_tx_strn(const char *str, mp_uint_t len);
+void stdout_tx_strn_cooked(const char *str, mp_uint_t len);
 int stdin_rx_chr(void);
diff --git a/stmhal/pyexec.c b/stmhal/pyexec.c
index 93f4d62a96d14977cad8749f58f1153810b72f82..cac6f0cf027ff7161f6ae561429b1f34c437becb 100644
--- a/stmhal/pyexec.c
+++ b/stmhal/pyexec.c
@@ -44,10 +44,11 @@
 #include "gccollect.h"
 #include MICROPY_HAL_H
 #include "systick.h"
-#include "pybstdio.h"
 #include "readline.h"
 #include "pyexec.h"
 #include "usb.h"
+#include "uart.h"
+#include "pybstdio.h"
 #include "genhdr/py-version.h"
 
 pyexec_mode_kind_t pyexec_mode_kind = PYEXEC_MODE_FRIENDLY_REPL;
diff --git a/stmhal/readline.c b/stmhal/readline.c
index 0703dcf4eaa1c2d3af4065713c147a18894b1336..14c9b9fb96159b07ead80bd9982283add05e73e9 100644
--- a/stmhal/readline.c
+++ b/stmhal/readline.c
@@ -34,9 +34,10 @@
 #include "misc.h"
 #include "obj.h"
 #include MICROPY_HAL_H
-#include "pybstdio.h"
 #include "readline.h"
 #include "usb.h"
+#include "uart.h"
+#include "pybstdio.h"
 
 #if 0 // print debugging info
 #define DEBUG_PRINT (1)
diff --git a/stmhal/uart.c b/stmhal/uart.c
index 9436c2938b04d088ac10b01315f9d0dc928aa615..0418e8f3d013dc4b30f55b5f7f4558e1b924fd0c 100644
--- a/stmhal/uart.c
+++ b/stmhal/uart.c
@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@ struct _pyb_uart_obj_t {
     UART_HandleTypeDef uart;
 };
 
-pyb_uart_obj_t *pyb_uart_global_debug = NULL;
-
 // assumes Init parameters have been set up correctly
 bool uart_init2(pyb_uart_obj_t *uart_obj) {
     USART_TypeDef *UARTx = NULL;
@@ -219,10 +217,6 @@ void uart_tx_char(pyb_uart_obj_t *uart_obj, int c) {
     HAL_UART_Transmit(&uart_obj->uart, &ch, 1, 100000);
 }
 
-void uart_tx_str(pyb_uart_obj_t *uart_obj, const char *str) {
-    HAL_UART_Transmit(&uart_obj->uart, (uint8_t*)str, strlen(str), 100000);
-}
-
 void uart_tx_strn(pyb_uart_obj_t *uart_obj, const char *str, uint len) {
     HAL_UART_Transmit(&uart_obj->uart, (uint8_t*)str, len, 100000);
 }
diff --git a/stmhal/uart.h b/stmhal/uart.h
index 13ac92cbfa065b631daefc4f0059c45bd24be70a..7499473c16f0507d2f0014c3c7b6bc0658b49a4d 100644
--- a/stmhal/uart.h
+++ b/stmhal/uart.h
@@ -43,14 +43,11 @@ typedef enum {
 } pyb_uart_t;
 
 typedef struct _pyb_uart_obj_t pyb_uart_obj_t;
-
-extern pyb_uart_obj_t *pyb_uart_global_debug;
 extern const mp_obj_type_t pyb_uart_type;
 
 bool uart_init(pyb_uart_obj_t *uart_obj, uint32_t baudrate);
 bool uart_rx_any(pyb_uart_obj_t *uart_obj);
 int uart_rx_char(pyb_uart_obj_t *uart_obj);
-void uart_tx_str(pyb_uart_obj_t *uart_obj, const char *str);
 void uart_tx_strn(pyb_uart_obj_t *uart_obj, const char *str, uint len);
 void uart_tx_strn_cooked(pyb_uart_obj_t *uart_obj, const char *str, uint len);
 
diff --git a/stmhal/usb.c b/stmhal/usb.c
index 50848f45551ab24403cc41be4569f26e7ae345d9..85dd2b4eafc47d3c3b656b42b4471e96a7834ba6 100644
--- a/stmhal/usb.c
+++ b/stmhal/usb.c
@@ -107,10 +107,6 @@ char usb_vcp_rx_get(void) {
     return USBD_CDC_RxGet();
 }
 
-void usb_vcp_send_str(const char *str) {
-    usb_vcp_send_strn(str, strlen(str));
-}
-
 void usb_vcp_send_strn(const char *str, int len) {
 #ifdef USE_DEVICE_MODE
     if (dev_is_enabled) {
diff --git a/stmhal/usb.h b/stmhal/usb.h
index 3bd30ba92c020bf9f76b792217bdd232e24e4653..4eb29c9deef69ce7f2317e9a5dfdea4d923f360b 100644
--- a/stmhal/usb.h
+++ b/stmhal/usb.h
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ bool usb_vcp_is_connected(void);
 void usb_vcp_set_interrupt_char(int c);
 int usb_vcp_rx_num(void);
 char usb_vcp_rx_get(void);
-void usb_vcp_send_str(const char* str);
 void usb_vcp_send_strn(const char* str, int len);
 void usb_vcp_send_strn_cooked(const char *str, int len);
 void usb_hid_send_report(uint8_t *buf); // 4 bytes for mouse: ?, x, y, ?