diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9dd3c29fd..3deceadac 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ set(BIN_TARGET devilutionx)
 
 if(SWITCH)
   list(APPEND devilutionx_SRCS
+    SourceX/platform/switch/network.cpp
     SourceX/platform/switch/keyboard.cpp
     SourceX/platform/switch/docking.cpp)
   set(BIN_TARGET devilutionx.elf)
diff --git a/SourceX/main.cpp b/SourceX/main.cpp
index 10893eb89..bed3cdbb3 100644
--- a/SourceX/main.cpp
+++ b/SourceX/main.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <SDL.h>
+#ifdef __SWITCH__
+#include "platform/switch/network.h"
+#endif
 
 #include "devilution.h"
 
@@ -25,5 +28,10 @@ static std::string build_cmdline(int argc, char **argv)
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	auto cmdline = build_cmdline(argc, argv);
+
+#ifdef __SWITCH__
+	switch_enable_network();
+#endif
+
 	return dvl::WinMain(NULL, NULL, (char *)cmdline.c_str(), 0);
 }
diff --git a/SourceX/platform/switch/network.cpp b/SourceX/platform/switch/network.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e9520014b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SourceX/platform/switch/network.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <switch.h>
+#include "platform/switch/network.h"
+
+static int nxlink_sock = -1; // for stdio on Switch
+
+void switch_enable_network()
+{
+	// enable network and stdio on Switch
+	socketInitializeDefault();
+	// enable error messages via nxlink on Switch
+	nxlink_sock = nxlinkStdio();
+	atexit(switch_disable_network);
+}
+
+void switch_disable_network()
+{
+	// disable network and stdio on Switch
+	if (nxlink_sock != -1)
+		close(nxlink_sock);
+	socketExit();
+}
diff --git a/SourceX/platform/switch/network.h b/SourceX/platform/switch/network.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7b849eee8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/SourceX/platform/switch/network.h
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+#pragma once
+
+void switch_enable_network();
+void switch_disable_network();