diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Application.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Application.php
index e8761d8837..e2ea78cb7c 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Application.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Application.php
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ class Application
             $output = new ConsoleOutput();
         }
 
+        $this->configureIO($input, $output);
+
         try {
             $exitCode = $this->doRun($input, $output);
         } catch (\Exception $e) {
@@ -154,14 +156,13 @@ class Application
      */
     public function doRun(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
     {
-        $name = $this->getCommandName($input);
+        if (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--version', '-V'))) {
+            $output->writeln($this->getLongVersion());
 
-        if (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--ansi'))) {
-            $output->setDecorated(true);
-        } elseif (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--no-ansi'))) {
-            $output->setDecorated(false);
+            return 0;
         }
 
+        $name = $this->getCommandName($input);
         if (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--help', '-h'))) {
             if (!$name) {
                 $name = 'help';
@@ -171,35 +172,6 @@ class Application
             }
         }
 
-        if (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--no-interaction', '-n'))) {
-            $input->setInteractive(false);
-        }
-
-        if (function_exists('posix_isatty') && $this->getHelperSet()->has('dialog')) {
-            $inputStream = $this->getHelperSet()->get('dialog')->getInputStream();
-            if (!posix_isatty($inputStream)) {
-                $input->setInteractive(false);
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--quiet', '-q'))) {
-            $output->setVerbosity(OutputInterface::VERBOSITY_QUIET);
-        } else {
-            if ($input->hasParameterOption('-vvv') || $input->hasParameterOption('--verbose=3') || $input->getParameterOption('--verbose') === 3) {
-                $output->setVerbosity(OutputInterface::VERBOSITY_DEBUG);
-            } elseif ($input->hasParameterOption('-vv') || $input->hasParameterOption('--verbose=2') || $input->getParameterOption('--verbose') === 2) {
-                $output->setVerbosity(OutputInterface::VERBOSITY_VERY_VERBOSE);
-            } elseif ($input->hasParameterOption('-v') || $input->hasParameterOption('--verbose=1') || $input->hasParameterOption('--verbose') || $input->getParameterOption('--verbose')) {
-                $output->setVerbosity(OutputInterface::VERBOSITY_VERBOSE);
-            }
-        }
-
-        if (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--version', '-V'))) {
-            $output->writeln($this->getLongVersion());
-
-            return 0;
-        }
-
         if (!$name) {
             $name = 'list';
             $input = new ArrayInput(array('command' => 'list'));
@@ -864,6 +836,44 @@ class Application
         return array(null, null);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Configures the input and output instances based on the user arguments and options.
+     *
+     * @param InputInterface  $input  An InputInterface instance
+     * @param OutputInterface $output An OutputInterface instance
+     */
+    protected function configureIO(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
+    {
+        if (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--ansi'))) {
+            $output->setDecorated(true);
+        } elseif (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--no-ansi'))) {
+            $output->setDecorated(false);
+        }
+
+        if (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--no-interaction', '-n'))) {
+            $input->setInteractive(false);
+        }
+
+        if (function_exists('posix_isatty') && $this->getHelperSet()->has('dialog')) {
+            $inputStream = $this->getHelperSet()->get('dialog')->getInputStream();
+            if (!posix_isatty($inputStream)) {
+                $input->setInteractive(false);
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (true === $input->hasParameterOption(array('--quiet', '-q'))) {
+            $output->setVerbosity(OutputInterface::VERBOSITY_QUIET);
+        } else {
+            if ($input->hasParameterOption('-vvv') || $input->hasParameterOption('--verbose=3') || $input->getParameterOption('--verbose') === 3) {
+                $output->setVerbosity(OutputInterface::VERBOSITY_DEBUG);
+            } elseif ($input->hasParameterOption('-vv') || $input->hasParameterOption('--verbose=2') || $input->getParameterOption('--verbose') === 2) {
+                $output->setVerbosity(OutputInterface::VERBOSITY_VERY_VERBOSE);
+            } elseif ($input->hasParameterOption('-v') || $input->hasParameterOption('--verbose=1') || $input->hasParameterOption('--verbose') || $input->getParameterOption('--verbose')) {
+                $output->setVerbosity(OutputInterface::VERBOSITY_VERBOSE);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Runs the current command.
      *
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Tests/ApplicationTest.php b/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Tests/ApplicationTest.php
index 912de51c10..f912338e04 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Tests/ApplicationTest.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Component/Console/Tests/ApplicationTest.php
@@ -146,6 +146,18 @@ class ApplicationTest extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         $this->assertInstanceOf('Symfony\Component\Console\Command\HelpCommand', $command, '->get() returns the help command if --help is provided as the input');
     }
 
+    public function testSilentHelp()
+    {
+        $application = new Application();
+        $application->setAutoExit(false);
+        $application->setCatchExceptions(false);
+
+        $tester = new ApplicationTester($application);
+        $tester->run(array('-h' => true, '-q' => true), array('decorated' => false));
+
+        $this->assertEmpty($tester->getDisplay(true));
+    }
+
     /**
      * @expectedException        \InvalidArgumentException
      * @expectedExceptionMessage The command "foofoo" does not exist.