diff --git a/src/cargo/util/profile.rs b/src/cargo/util/profile.rs
index 7d32adc3f60..ce49eee26cc 100644
--- a/src/cargo/util/profile.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/util/profile.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use std::mem;
 use std::time;
 use std::iter::repeat;
 use std::cell::RefCell;
+use std::io::{stdout, StdoutLock, Write};
 
 thread_local!(static PROFILE_STACK: RefCell<Vec<time::Instant>> = RefCell::new(Vec::new()));
 thread_local!(static MESSAGES: RefCell<Vec<Message>> = RefCell::new(Vec::new()));
@@ -39,14 +40,24 @@ impl Drop for Profiler {
             None => return,
         };
 
-        let start = PROFILE_STACK.with(|stack| stack.borrow_mut().pop().unwrap());
+        let (start, stack_len) = PROFILE_STACK.with(|stack| {
+            let mut stack = stack.borrow_mut();
+            let start = stack.pop().unwrap();
+            (start, stack.len())
+        });
         let duration = start.elapsed();
         let duration_ms =
             duration.as_secs() * 1000 + u64::from(duration.subsec_nanos() / 1_000_000);
 
-        let stack_len = PROFILE_STACK.with(|stack| stack.borrow().len());
+        let msg = (
+            stack_len,
+            duration_ms,
+            mem::replace(&mut self.desc, String::new()),
+        );
+        MESSAGES.with(|msgs| msgs.borrow_mut().push(msg));
+
         if stack_len == 0 {
-            fn print(lvl: usize, msgs: &[Message], enabled: usize) {
+            fn print(lvl: usize, msgs: &[Message], enabled: usize, stdout: &mut StdoutLock) {
                 if lvl > enabled {
                     return;
                 }
@@ -55,26 +66,23 @@ impl Drop for Profiler {
                     if l != lvl {
                         continue;
                     }
-                    println!(
+                    writeln!(
+                        stdout,
                         "{} {:6}ms - {}",
                         repeat("    ").take(lvl + 1).collect::<String>(),
                         time,
                         msg
-                    );
+                    ).expect("printing profiling info to stdout");
 
-                    print(lvl + 1, &msgs[last..i], enabled);
+                    print(lvl + 1, &msgs[last..i], enabled, stdout);
                     last = i;
                 }
             }
-            MESSAGES.with(|msgs_rc| {
-                let mut msgs = msgs_rc.borrow_mut();
-                msgs.push((0, duration_ms, mem::replace(&mut self.desc, String::new())));
-                print(0, &msgs, enabled);
-            });
-        } else {
+            let stdout = stdout();
             MESSAGES.with(|msgs| {
-                let msg = mem::replace(&mut self.desc, String::new());
-                msgs.borrow_mut().push((stack_len, duration_ms, msg));
+                let mut msgs = msgs.borrow_mut();
+                print(0, &msgs, enabled, &mut stdout.lock());
+                msgs.clear();
             });
         }
     }