diff --git a/doc/langref.html.in b/doc/langref.html.in
index 5d989c1bbd..dc44dd287f 100644
--- a/doc/langref.html.in
+++ b/doc/langref.html.in
@@ -202,11 +202,8 @@
 const std = @import("std");
 
 pub fn main() !void {
-    // If this program is run without stdout attached, exit with an error.
-    const stdout_file = try std.io.getStdOut();
-    // If this program encounters pipe failure when printing to stdout, exit
-    // with an error.
-    try stdout_file.write("Hello, world!\n");
+    const stdout = &std.io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
+    try stdout.print("Hello, {}!\n", "world");
 }
       {#code_end#}
       <p>
diff --git a/lib/std/crypto/benchmark.zig b/lib/std/crypto/benchmark.zig
index 7b0747da7b..05edae0b9b 100644
--- a/lib/std/crypto/benchmark.zig
+++ b/lib/std/crypto/benchmark.zig
@@ -131,9 +131,7 @@ fn printPad(stdout: var, s: []const u8) !void {
 }
 
 pub fn main() !void {
-    var stdout_file = try std.io.getStdOut();
-    var stdout_out_stream = stdout_file.outStream();
-    const stdout = &stdout_out_stream.stream;
+    const stdout = &std.io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
 
     var buffer: [1024]u8 = undefined;
     var fixed = std.heap.FixedBufferAllocator.init(buffer[0..]);
diff --git a/lib/std/debug.zig b/lib/std/debug.zig
index 02305086cc..3cf4306ea5 100644
--- a/lib/std/debug.zig
+++ b/lib/std/debug.zig
@@ -49,15 +49,15 @@ var stderr_mutex = std.Mutex.init();
 pub fn warn(comptime fmt: []const u8, args: ...) void {
     const held = stderr_mutex.acquire();
     defer held.release();
-    const stderr = getStderrStream() catch return;
+    const stderr = getStderrStream();
     stderr.print(fmt, args) catch return;
 }
 
-pub fn getStderrStream() !*io.OutStream(File.WriteError) {
+pub fn getStderrStream() *io.OutStream(File.WriteError) {
     if (stderr_stream) |st| {
         return st;
     } else {
-        stderr_file = try io.getStdErr();
+        stderr_file = io.getStdErr();
         stderr_file_out_stream = stderr_file.outStream();
         const st = &stderr_file_out_stream.stream;
         stderr_stream = st;
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ fn wantTtyColor() bool {
 /// Tries to print the current stack trace to stderr, unbuffered, and ignores any error returned.
 /// TODO multithreaded awareness
 pub fn dumpCurrentStackTrace(start_addr: ?usize) void {
-    const stderr = getStderrStream() catch return;
+    const stderr = getStderrStream();
     if (builtin.strip_debug_info) {
         stderr.print("Unable to dump stack trace: debug info stripped\n") catch return;
         return;
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ pub fn dumpCurrentStackTrace(start_addr: ?usize) void {
 /// unbuffered, and ignores any error returned.
 /// TODO multithreaded awareness
 pub fn dumpStackTraceFromBase(bp: usize, ip: usize) void {
-    const stderr = getStderrStream() catch return;
+    const stderr = getStderrStream();
     if (builtin.strip_debug_info) {
         stderr.print("Unable to dump stack trace: debug info stripped\n") catch return;
         return;
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ pub fn captureStackTrace(first_address: ?usize, stack_trace: *builtin.StackTrace
 /// Tries to print a stack trace to stderr, unbuffered, and ignores any error returned.
 /// TODO multithreaded awareness
 pub fn dumpStackTrace(stack_trace: builtin.StackTrace) void {
-    const stderr = getStderrStream() catch return;
+    const stderr = getStderrStream();
     if (builtin.strip_debug_info) {
         stderr.print("Unable to dump stack trace: debug info stripped\n") catch return;
         return;
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ pub fn panicExtra(trace: ?*const builtin.StackTrace, first_trace_addr: ?usize, c
         // which first called panic can finish printing a stack trace.
         os.abort();
     }
-    const stderr = getStderrStream() catch os.abort();
+    const stderr = getStderrStream();
     stderr.print(format ++ "\n", args) catch os.abort();
     if (trace) |t| {
         dumpStackTrace(t.*);
diff --git a/lib/std/io.zig b/lib/std/io.zig
index f2cbeff922..a5a8b6efbc 100644
--- a/lib/std/io.zig
+++ b/lib/std/io.zig
@@ -34,28 +34,23 @@ else
     Mode.blocking;
 pub const is_async = mode != .blocking;
 
-pub const GetStdIoError = os.windows.GetStdHandleError;
-
-pub fn getStdOut() GetStdIoError!File {
+pub fn getStdOut() File {
     if (builtin.os == .windows) {
-        const handle = try os.windows.GetStdHandle(os.windows.STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
-        return File.openHandle(handle);
+        return File.openHandle(os.windows.peb().ProcessParameters.hStdOutput);
     }
     return File.openHandle(os.STDOUT_FILENO);
 }
 
-pub fn getStdErr() GetStdIoError!File {
+pub fn getStdErr() File {
     if (builtin.os == .windows) {
-        const handle = try os.windows.GetStdHandle(os.windows.STD_ERROR_HANDLE);
-        return File.openHandle(handle);
+        return File.openHandle(os.windows.peb().ProcessParameters.hStdError);
     }
     return File.openHandle(os.STDERR_FILENO);
 }
 
-pub fn getStdIn() GetStdIoError!File {
+pub fn getStdIn() File {
     if (builtin.os == .windows) {
-        const handle = try os.windows.GetStdHandle(os.windows.STD_INPUT_HANDLE);
-        return File.openHandle(handle);
+        return File.openHandle(os.windows.peb().ProcessParameters.hStdInput);
     }
     return File.openHandle(os.STDIN_FILENO);
 }
@@ -598,7 +593,7 @@ pub fn BufferedOutStreamCustom(comptime buffer_size: usize, comptime OutStreamEr
             self.index = 0;
         }
 
-        fn writeFn(out_stream: *Stream, bytes: []const u8) !void {
+        fn writeFn(out_stream: *Stream, bytes: []const u8) Error!void {
             const self = @fieldParentPtr(Self, "stream", out_stream);
 
             if (bytes.len >= self.buffer.len) {
@@ -814,8 +809,7 @@ pub const BufferedAtomicFile = struct {
 };
 
 pub fn readLine(buf: *std.Buffer) ![]u8 {
-    var stdin = try getStdIn();
-    var stdin_stream = stdin.inStream();
+    var stdin_stream = getStdIn().inStream();
     return readLineFrom(&stdin_stream.stream, buf);
 }
 
@@ -856,8 +850,7 @@ test "io.readLineFrom" {
 }
 
 pub fn readLineSlice(slice: []u8) ![]u8 {
-    var stdin = try getStdIn();
-    var stdin_stream = stdin.inStream();
+    var stdin_stream = getStdIn().inStream();
     return readLineSliceFrom(&stdin_stream.stream, slice);
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/std/json.zig b/lib/std/json.zig
index ecf0bf822b..6946ba0170 100644
--- a/lib/std/json.zig
+++ b/lib/std/json.zig
@@ -1015,7 +1015,7 @@ pub const Value = union(enum) {
         var held = std.debug.getStderrMutex().acquire();
         defer held.release();
 
-        const stderr = std.debug.getStderrStream() catch return;
+        const stderr = std.debug.getStderrStream();
         self.dumpStream(stderr, 1024) catch return;
     }
 
@@ -1026,7 +1026,7 @@ pub const Value = union(enum) {
             var held = std.debug.getStderrMutex().acquire();
             defer held.release();
 
-            const stderr = std.debug.getStderrStream() catch return;
+            const stderr = std.debug.getStderrStream();
             self.dumpStreamIndent(indent, stderr, 1024) catch return;
         }
     }
diff --git a/lib/std/progress.zig b/lib/std/progress.zig
index fba77092b3..034d7ade26 100644
--- a/lib/std/progress.zig
+++ b/lib/std/progress.zig
@@ -98,11 +98,8 @@ pub const Progress = struct {
     /// TODO solve https://github.com/ziglang/zig/issues/2765 and then change this
     /// API to return Progress rather than accept it as a parameter.
     pub fn start(self: *Progress, name: []const u8, estimated_total_items: ?usize) !*Node {
-        if (std.io.getStdErr()) |stderr| {
-            self.terminal = if (stderr.supportsAnsiEscapeCodes()) stderr else null;
-        } else |_| {
-            self.terminal = null;
-        }
+        const stderr = std.io.getStdErr();
+        self.terminal = if (stderr.supportsAnsiEscapeCodes()) stderr else null;
         self.root = Node{
             .context = self,
             .parent = null,
diff --git a/lib/std/special/build_runner.zig b/lib/std/special/build_runner.zig
index efe3275fe6..fdf5193c03 100644
--- a/lib/std/special/build_runner.zig
+++ b/lib/std/special/build_runner.zig
@@ -43,19 +43,8 @@ pub fn main() !void {
 
     var targets = ArrayList([]const u8).init(allocator);
 
-    var stderr_file = io.getStdErr();
-    var stderr_file_stream: File.OutStream = undefined;
-    var stderr_stream = if (stderr_file) |f| x: {
-        stderr_file_stream = f.outStream();
-        break :x &stderr_file_stream.stream;
-    } else |err| err;
-
-    var stdout_file = io.getStdOut();
-    var stdout_file_stream: File.OutStream = undefined;
-    var stdout_stream = if (stdout_file) |f| x: {
-        stdout_file_stream = f.outStream();
-        break :x &stdout_file_stream.stream;
-    } else |err| err;
+    const stderr_stream = &io.getStdErr().outStream().stream;
+    const stdout_stream = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
 
     while (arg_it.next(allocator)) |err_or_arg| {
         const arg = try unwrapArg(err_or_arg);
@@ -63,37 +52,37 @@ pub fn main() !void {
             const option_contents = arg[2..];
             if (option_contents.len == 0) {
                 warn("Expected option name after '-D'\n\n");
-                return usageAndErr(builder, false, try stderr_stream);
+                return usageAndErr(builder, false, stderr_stream);
             }
             if (mem.indexOfScalar(u8, option_contents, '=')) |name_end| {
                 const option_name = option_contents[0..name_end];
                 const option_value = option_contents[name_end + 1 ..];
                 if (try builder.addUserInputOption(option_name, option_value))
-                    return usageAndErr(builder, false, try stderr_stream);
+                    return usageAndErr(builder, false, stderr_stream);
             } else {
                 if (try builder.addUserInputFlag(option_contents))
-                    return usageAndErr(builder, false, try stderr_stream);
+                    return usageAndErr(builder, false, stderr_stream);
             }
         } else if (mem.startsWith(u8, arg, "-")) {
             if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "--verbose")) {
                 builder.verbose = true;
             } else if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "--help")) {
-                return usage(builder, false, try stdout_stream);
+                return usage(builder, false, stdout_stream);
             } else if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "--prefix")) {
                 builder.install_prefix = try unwrapArg(arg_it.next(allocator) orelse {
                     warn("Expected argument after --prefix\n\n");
-                    return usageAndErr(builder, false, try stderr_stream);
+                    return usageAndErr(builder, false, stderr_stream);
                 });
             } else if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "--search-prefix")) {
                 const search_prefix = try unwrapArg(arg_it.next(allocator) orelse {
                     warn("Expected argument after --search-prefix\n\n");
-                    return usageAndErr(builder, false, try stderr_stream);
+                    return usageAndErr(builder, false, stderr_stream);
                 });
                 builder.addSearchPrefix(search_prefix);
             } else if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "--override-lib-dir")) {
                 builder.override_lib_dir = try unwrapArg(arg_it.next(allocator) orelse {
                     warn("Expected argument after --override-lib-dir\n\n");
-                    return usageAndErr(builder, false, try stderr_stream);
+                    return usageAndErr(builder, false, stderr_stream);
                 });
             } else if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "--verbose-tokenize")) {
                 builder.verbose_tokenize = true;
@@ -111,7 +100,7 @@ pub fn main() !void {
                 builder.verbose_cc = true;
             } else {
                 warn("Unrecognized argument: {}\n\n", arg);
-                return usageAndErr(builder, false, try stderr_stream);
+                return usageAndErr(builder, false, stderr_stream);
             }
         } else {
             try targets.append(arg);
@@ -122,12 +111,12 @@ pub fn main() !void {
     try runBuild(builder);
 
     if (builder.validateUserInputDidItFail())
-        return usageAndErr(builder, true, try stderr_stream);
+        return usageAndErr(builder, true, stderr_stream);
 
     builder.make(targets.toSliceConst()) catch |err| {
         switch (err) {
             error.InvalidStepName => {
-                return usageAndErr(builder, true, try stderr_stream);
+                return usageAndErr(builder, true, stderr_stream);
             },
             error.UncleanExit => process.exit(1),
             else => return err,
diff --git a/lib/std/unicode/throughput_test.zig b/lib/std/unicode/throughput_test.zig
index f8b18af734..8122e537ed 100644
--- a/lib/std/unicode/throughput_test.zig
+++ b/lib/std/unicode/throughput_test.zig
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@ const builtin = @import("builtin");
 const std = @import("std");
 
 pub fn main() !void {
-    var stdout_file = try std.io.getStdOut();
-    var stdout_out_stream = stdout_file.outStream();
-    const stdout = &stdout_out_stream.stream;
+    const stdout = &std.io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
 
     const args = try std.process.argsAlloc(std.heap.direct_allocator);
 
diff --git a/lib/std/zig/parser_test.zig b/lib/std/zig/parser_test.zig
index f61442adfc..cabbe823f6 100644
--- a/lib/std/zig/parser_test.zig
+++ b/lib/std/zig/parser_test.zig
@@ -1451,11 +1451,11 @@ test "zig fmt: preserve spacing" {
         \\const std = @import("std");
         \\
         \\pub fn main() !void {
-        \\    var stdout_file = try std.io.getStdOut;
-        \\    var stdout_file = try std.io.getStdOut;
+        \\    var stdout_file = std.io.getStdOut;
+        \\    var stdout_file = std.io.getStdOut;
         \\
-        \\    var stdout_file = try std.io.getStdOut;
-        \\    var stdout_file = try std.io.getStdOut;
+        \\    var stdout_file = std.io.getStdOut;
+        \\    var stdout_file = std.io.getStdOut;
         \\}
         \\
     );
@@ -2565,8 +2565,7 @@ const maxInt = std.math.maxInt;
 var fixed_buffer_mem: [100 * 1024]u8 = undefined;
 
 fn testParse(source: []const u8, allocator: *mem.Allocator, anything_changed: *bool) ![]u8 {
-    var stderr_file = try io.getStdErr();
-    var stderr = &stderr_file.outStream().stream;
+    const stderr = &io.getStdErr().outStream().stream;
 
     const tree = try std.zig.parse(allocator, source);
     defer tree.deinit();
diff --git a/src-self-hosted/main.zig b/src-self-hosted/main.zig
index a2e77394ce..71f9781186 100644
--- a/src-self-hosted/main.zig
+++ b/src-self-hosted/main.zig
@@ -56,13 +56,10 @@ pub fn main() !void {
     // libc allocator is guaranteed to have this property.
     const allocator = std.heap.c_allocator;
 
-    var stdout_file = try std.io.getStdOut();
-    var stdout_out_stream = stdout_file.outStream();
-    stdout = &stdout_out_stream.stream;
+    stdout = &std.io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
 
-    stderr_file = try std.io.getStdErr();
-    var stderr_out_stream = stderr_file.outStream();
-    stderr = &stderr_out_stream.stream;
+    stderr_file = std.io.getStdErr();
+    stderr = &stderr_file.outStream().stream;
 
     const args = try process.argsAlloc(allocator);
     // TODO I'm getting  unreachable code here, which shouldn't happen
@@ -619,7 +616,7 @@ fn cmdFmt(allocator: *Allocator, args: []const []const u8) !void {
             process.exit(1);
         }
 
-        var stdin_file = try io.getStdIn();
+        var stdin_file = io.getStdIn();
         var stdin = stdin_file.inStream();
 
         const source_code = try stdin.stream.readAllAlloc(allocator, max_src_size);
diff --git a/src-self-hosted/stage1.zig b/src-self-hosted/stage1.zig
index e84f7b0ac1..37945bf029 100644
--- a/src-self-hosted/stage1.zig
+++ b/src-self-hosted/stage1.zig
@@ -166,13 +166,9 @@ fn fmtMain(argc: c_int, argv: [*]const [*]const u8) !void {
         try args_list.append(std.mem.toSliceConst(u8, argv[arg_i]));
     }
 
-    var stdout_file = try std.io.getStdOut();
-    var stdout_out_stream = stdout_file.outStream();
-    stdout = &stdout_out_stream.stream;
-
-    stderr_file = try std.io.getStdErr();
-    var stderr_out_stream = stderr_file.outStream();
-    stderr = &stderr_out_stream.stream;
+    stdout = &std.io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
+    stderr_file = std.io.getStdErr();
+    stderr = &stderr_file.outStream().stream;
 
     const args = args_list.toSliceConst();
     var flags = try Args.parse(allocator, self_hosted_main.args_fmt_spec, args[2..]);
@@ -203,7 +199,7 @@ fn fmtMain(argc: c_int, argv: [*]const [*]const u8) !void {
             process.exit(1);
         }
 
-        var stdin_file = try io.getStdIn();
+        const stdin_file = io.getStdIn();
         var stdin = stdin_file.inStream();
 
         const source_code = try stdin.stream.readAllAlloc(allocator, self_hosted_main.max_src_size);
diff --git a/src-self-hosted/test.zig b/src-self-hosted/test.zig
index ce51de9a7b..496a7e0504 100644
--- a/src-self-hosted/test.zig
+++ b/src-self-hosted/test.zig
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ pub const TestContext = struct {
             },
             Compilation.Event.Error => |err| return err,
             Compilation.Event.Fail => |msgs| {
-                var stderr = try std.io.getStdErr();
+                const stderr = std.io.getStdErr();
                 try stderr.write("build incorrectly failed:\n");
                 for (msgs) |msg| {
                     defer msg.destroy();
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ pub const TestContext = struct {
                     text,
                 );
                 std.debug.warn("\n====found:========\n");
-                var stderr = try std.io.getStdErr();
+                const stderr = std.io.getStdErr();
                 for (msgs) |msg| {
                     defer msg.destroy();
                     try msg.printToFile(stderr, errmsg.Color.Auto);
diff --git a/test/compare_output.zig b/test/compare_output.zig
index dfa33e26bd..0842fc4629 100644
--- a/test/compare_output.zig
+++ b/test/compare_output.zig
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
             \\
             \\pub fn main() void {
             \\    privateFunction();
-            \\    const stdout = &(getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+            \\    const stdout = &getStdOut().outStream().stream;
             \\    stdout.print("OK 2\n") catch unreachable;
             \\}
             \\
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
             \\// purposefully conflicting function with main.zig
             \\// but it's private so it should be OK
             \\fn privateFunction() void {
-            \\    const stdout = &(getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+            \\    const stdout = &getStdOut().outStream().stream;
             \\    stdout.print("OK 1\n") catch unreachable;
             \\}
             \\
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
         tc.addSourceFile("foo.zig",
             \\usingnamespace @import("std").io;
             \\pub fn foo_function() void {
-            \\    const stdout = &(getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+            \\    const stdout = &getStdOut().outStream().stream;
             \\    stdout.print("OK\n") catch unreachable;
             \\}
         );
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
             \\
             \\pub fn bar_function() void {
             \\    if (foo_function()) {
-            \\        const stdout = &(getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+            \\        const stdout = &getStdOut().outStream().stream;
             \\        stdout.print("OK\n") catch unreachable;
             \\    }
             \\}
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
             \\pub const a_text = "OK\n";
             \\
             \\pub fn ok() void {
-            \\    const stdout = &(io.getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+            \\    const stdout = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
             \\    stdout.print(b_text) catch unreachable;
             \\}
         );
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
         \\const io = @import("std").io;
         \\
         \\pub fn main() void {
-        \\    const stdout = &(io.getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+        \\    const stdout = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
         \\    stdout.print("Hello, world!\n{d:4} {x:3} {c}\n", @as(u32, 12), @as(u16, 0x12), @as(u8, 'a')) catch unreachable;
         \\}
     , "Hello, world!\n  12  12 a\n");
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
         \\    var x_local : i32 = print_ok(x);
         \\}
         \\fn print_ok(val: @typeOf(x)) @typeOf(foo) {
-        \\    const stdout = &(io.getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+        \\    const stdout = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
         \\    stdout.print("OK\n") catch unreachable;
         \\    return 0;
         \\}
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
         \\pub fn main() void {
         \\    const bar = Bar {.field2 = 13,};
         \\    const foo = Foo {.field1 = bar,};
-        \\    const stdout = &(io.getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+        \\    const stdout = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
         \\    if (!foo.method()) {
         \\        stdout.print("BAD\n") catch unreachable;
         \\    }
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
     cases.add("defer with only fallthrough",
         \\const io = @import("std").io;
         \\pub fn main() void {
-        \\    const stdout = &(io.getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+        \\    const stdout = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
         \\    stdout.print("before\n") catch unreachable;
         \\    defer stdout.print("defer1\n") catch unreachable;
         \\    defer stdout.print("defer2\n") catch unreachable;
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
         \\const io = @import("std").io;
         \\const os = @import("std").os;
         \\pub fn main() void {
-        \\    const stdout = &(io.getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+        \\    const stdout = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
         \\    stdout.print("before\n") catch unreachable;
         \\    defer stdout.print("defer1\n") catch unreachable;
         \\    defer stdout.print("defer2\n") catch unreachable;
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
         \\    do_test() catch return;
         \\}
         \\fn do_test() !void {
-        \\    const stdout = &(io.getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+        \\    const stdout = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
         \\    stdout.print("before\n") catch unreachable;
         \\    defer stdout.print("defer1\n") catch unreachable;
         \\    errdefer stdout.print("deferErr\n") catch unreachable;
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
         \\    do_test() catch return;
         \\}
         \\fn do_test() !void {
-        \\    const stdout = &(io.getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+        \\    const stdout = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
         \\    stdout.print("before\n") catch unreachable;
         \\    defer stdout.print("defer1\n") catch unreachable;
         \\    errdefer stdout.print("deferErr\n") catch unreachable;
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
             \\const io = @import("std").io;
             \\
             \\pub fn main() void {
-            \\    const stdout = &(io.getStdOut() catch unreachable).outStream().stream;
+            \\    const stdout = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
             \\    stdout.print(foo_txt) catch unreachable;
             \\}
         , "1234\nabcd\n");
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
             \\
             \\pub fn main() !void {
             \\    var args_it = std.process.args();
-            \\    var stdout_file = try io.getStdOut();
+            \\    var stdout_file = io.getStdOut();
             \\    var stdout_adapter = stdout_file.outStream();
             \\    const stdout = &stdout_adapter.stream;
             \\    var index: usize = 0;
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ pub fn addCases(cases: *tests.CompareOutputContext) void {
             \\
             \\pub fn main() !void {
             \\    var args_it = std.process.args();
-            \\    var stdout_file = try io.getStdOut();
+            \\    var stdout_file = io.getStdOut();
             \\    var stdout_adapter = stdout_file.outStream();
             \\    const stdout = &stdout_adapter.stream;
             \\    var index: usize = 0;
diff --git a/test/standalone/brace_expansion/main.zig b/test/standalone/brace_expansion/main.zig
index c1b8106e07..e291f2313b 100644
--- a/test/standalone/brace_expansion/main.zig
+++ b/test/standalone/brace_expansion/main.zig
@@ -179,8 +179,8 @@ fn expandNode(node: Node, output: *ArrayList(Buffer)) ExpandNodeError!void {
 }
 
 pub fn main() !void {
-    var stdin_file = try io.getStdIn();
-    var stdout_file = try io.getStdOut();
+    const stdin_file = io.getStdIn();
+    const stdout_file = io.getStdOut();
 
     var arena = std.heap.ArenaAllocator.init(std.heap.direct_allocator);
     defer arena.deinit();
diff --git a/test/standalone/cat/main.zig b/test/standalone/cat/main.zig
index c57c1e4bcb..7c15c15e53 100644
--- a/test/standalone/cat/main.zig
+++ b/test/standalone/cat/main.zig
@@ -10,30 +10,28 @@ pub fn main() !void {
     var args_it = process.args();
     const exe = try unwrapArg(args_it.next(allocator).?);
     var catted_anything = false;
-    var stdout_file = try io.getStdOut();
+    const stdout_file = io.getStdOut();
 
     while (args_it.next(allocator)) |arg_or_err| {
         const arg = try unwrapArg(arg_or_err);
         if (mem.eql(u8, arg, "-")) {
             catted_anything = true;
-            var stdin_file = try io.getStdIn();
-            try cat_file(&stdout_file, &stdin_file);
+            try cat_file(stdout_file, io.getStdIn());
         } else if (arg[0] == '-') {
             return usage(exe);
         } else {
-            var file = File.openRead(arg) catch |err| {
+            const file = File.openRead(arg) catch |err| {
                 warn("Unable to open file: {}\n", @errorName(err));
                 return err;
             };
             defer file.close();
 
             catted_anything = true;
-            try cat_file(&stdout_file, &file);
+            try cat_file(stdout_file, file);
         }
     }
     if (!catted_anything) {
-        var stdin_file = try io.getStdIn();
-        try cat_file(&stdout_file, &stdin_file);
+        try cat_file(stdout_file, io.getStdIn());
     }
 }
 
@@ -42,7 +40,7 @@ fn usage(exe: []const u8) !void {
     return error.Invalid;
 }
 
-fn cat_file(stdout: *File, file: *File) !void {
+fn cat_file(stdout: File, file: File) !void {
     var buf: [1024 * 4]u8 = undefined;
 
     while (true) {
diff --git a/test/standalone/guess_number/main.zig b/test/standalone/guess_number/main.zig
index b1e557fd20..8119b70d7e 100644
--- a/test/standalone/guess_number/main.zig
+++ b/test/standalone/guess_number/main.zig
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@ const io = std.io;
 const fmt = std.fmt;
 
 pub fn main() !void {
-    var stdout_file = try io.getStdOut();
-    const stdout = &stdout_file.outStream().stream;
+    const stdout = &io.getStdOut().outStream().stream;
 
     try stdout.print("Welcome to the Guess Number Game in Zig.\n");
 
diff --git a/test/standalone/hello_world/hello.zig b/test/standalone/hello_world/hello.zig
index cb7d5ef157..2ae5782328 100644
--- a/test/standalone/hello_world/hello.zig
+++ b/test/standalone/hello_world/hello.zig
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ const std = @import("std");
 
 pub fn main() !void {
     // If this program is run without stdout attached, exit with an error.
-    const stdout_file = try std.io.getStdOut();
+    const stdout_file = std.io.getStdOut();
     // If this program encounters pipe failure when printing to stdout, exit
     // with an error.
     try stdout_file.write("Hello, world!\n");