diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/components/Toolbar.jsx b/client/modules/IDE/components/Toolbar.jsx
index 630c57ca..e522cdff 100644
--- a/client/modules/IDE/components/Toolbar.jsx
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/components/Toolbar.jsx
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ class Toolbar extends React.Component {
         <button
           className="toolbar__play-sketch-button"
           onClick={() => {
+            this.props.clearConsole();
             this.props.startTextOutput();
             this.props.startSketchAndRefresh();
           }}
@@ -69,7 +70,15 @@ class Toolbar extends React.Component {
         >
           <InlineSVG src={playUrl} alt="Play Sketch" />
         </button>
-        <button className={playButtonClass} onClick={this.props.startSketchAndRefresh} aria-label="play only visual sketch" disabled={this.props.infiniteLoop} >
+        <button
+          className={playButtonClass}
+          onClick={() => {
+            this.props.clearConsole();
+            this.props.startSketchAndRefresh();
+          }}
+          aria-label="play only visual sketch"
+          disabled={this.props.infiniteLoop}
+        >
           <InlineSVG src={playUrl} alt="Play only visual Sketch" />
         </button>
         <button
@@ -169,7 +178,8 @@ Toolbar.propTypes = {
   setAutorefresh: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   startSketchAndRefresh: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   saveProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
-  currentUser: PropTypes.string
+  currentUser: PropTypes.string,
+  clearConsole: PropTypes.func.isRequired
 };
 
 export default Toolbar;
diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/pages/IDEView.jsx b/client/modules/IDE/pages/IDEView.jsx
index 5845be81..d4c2d757 100644
--- a/client/modules/IDE/pages/IDEView.jsx
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/pages/IDEView.jsx
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ class IDEView extends React.Component {
     } else if (e.keyCode === 13 && ((e.metaKey && this.isMac) || (e.ctrlKey && !this.isMac))) {
       e.preventDefault();
       e.stopPropagation();
+      this.props.clearConsole();
       this.props.startSketchAndRefresh();
     } else if (e.keyCode === 50 && ((e.metaKey && this.isMac) || (e.ctrlKey && !this.isMac)) && e.shiftKey) {
       e.preventDefault();
@@ -220,6 +221,7 @@ class IDEView extends React.Component {
           startSketchAndRefresh={this.props.startSketchAndRefresh}
           saveProject={this.props.saveProject}
           currentUser={this.props.user.username}
+          clearConsole={this.props.clearConsole}
         />
         <Preferences
           isVisible={this.props.ide.preferencesIsVisible}