diff --git a/ANSI.c b/ANSI.c
index 421ae1f..f2fd53f 100644
--- a/ANSI.c
+++ b/ANSI.c
@@ -193,6 +193,9 @@
     flush and invalidate the cache on CloseHandle;
     make IsConsoleHandle a critical section, for multithreaded processes;
     use APIConsole for all console functions (needed for Windows 10).
+
+  v1.83, 16 February, 2018:
+    create the flush thread on first use.
 */
 
 #include "ansicon.h"
@@ -212,7 +215,7 @@ WORD	orgattr;		// original attributes
 DWORD	orgmode;		// original mode
 CONSOLE_CURSOR_INFO orgcci;	// original cursor state
 HANDLE	hHeap;			// local memory heap
-HANDLE	hBell;
+HANDLE	hBell, hFlush;
 
 #define CACHE	5
 struct Cache
@@ -2528,6 +2531,8 @@ ParseAndPrintString( HANDLE hDev,
     {
       LARGE_INTEGER due;
       due.QuadPart = -150000;
+      if (hFlush == NULL)
+	hFlush = CreateThread( NULL, 4096, FlushThread, NULL, 0, NULL );
       SetWaitableTimer( hFlushTimer, &due, 0, NULL, NULL, FALSE );
     }
   }
@@ -3897,7 +3902,6 @@ BOOL WINAPI DllMain( HINSTANCE hInstance, DWORD dwReason, LPVOID lpReserved )
 
     InitializeCriticalSection( &CritSect );
     hFlushTimer = CreateWaitableTimer( NULL, FALSE, NULL );
-    CreateThread( NULL, 4096, FlushThread, NULL, 0, NULL );
   }
   else if (dwReason == DLL_PROCESS_DETACH)
   {
diff --git a/ansicon.c b/ansicon.c
index de15e10..5b6a569 100644
--- a/ansicon.c
+++ b/ansicon.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@
     use -pu to unload from the parent.
 */
 
-#define PDATE L"13 February, 2018"
+#define PDATE L"16 February, 2018"
 
 #include "ansicon.h"
 #include "version.h"
diff --git a/readme.txt b/readme.txt
index bdaec49..5157a09 100644
--- a/readme.txt
+++ b/readme.txt
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 			 Copyright 2005-2018 Jason Hood
 
-			    Version 1.82.  Freeware
+			    Version 1.83.  Freeware
 
 
 Description
@@ -339,6 +339,9 @@ Version History
 
     Legend: + added, - bug-fixed, * changed.
 
+    1.83 - 16 February, 2018:
+    - create the flush thread on first use.
+
     1.82 - 13 February, 2018:
     - add ANSICON_WRAP for programs that expect the wrap at right margin;
     - make IsConsoleHandle a critical section, for multithreaded processes;
@@ -610,4 +613,4 @@ Distribution
 
 
 ==============================
-Jason Hood, 13 February, 2018.
+Jason Hood, 16 February, 2018.
diff --git a/version.h b/version.h
index 032687d..dc543a2 100644
--- a/version.h
+++ b/version.h
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
   version.h - Version defines.
 */
 
-#define PVERS	L"1.82"         // wide string
-#define PVERSA	 "1.82"         // ANSI string (windres 2.16.91 didn't like L)
-#define PVERE	L"182"          // wide environment string
-#define PVEREA	 "182"          // ANSI environment string
-#define PVERB	1,8,2,0 	// binary (resource)
+#define PVERS	L"1.83"         // wide string
+#define PVERSA	 "1.83"         // ANSI string (windres 2.16.91 didn't like L)
+#define PVERE	L"183"          // wide environment string
+#define PVEREA	 "183"          // ANSI environment string
+#define PVERB	1,8,3,0 	// binary (resource)
 
 #ifdef _WIN64
 # define BITS L"64"