diff --git a/packages/core/src/lib/implementation/persist.ts b/packages/core/src/lib/implementation/persist.ts
index 624fdece2..f138da0ac 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/lib/implementation/persist.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/lib/implementation/persist.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export async function persistReport(
   let scoredReport;
   if (format.includes('stdout')) {
     scoredReport = scoreReport(report);
-    reportToStdout(scoredReport);
+    console.log(reportToStdout(scoredReport));
   }
 
   // collect physical format outputs
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/lib/__snapshots__/report-to-stdout.spec.ts.snap b/packages/utils/src/lib/__snapshots__/report-to-stdout.spec.ts.snap
index 59a25a3a1..896c29ce4 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/lib/__snapshots__/report-to-stdout.spec.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/utils/src/lib/__snapshots__/report-to-stdout.spec.ts.snap
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 // Vitest Snapshot v1, https://vitest.dev/guide/snapshot.html
 
 exports[`report-to-stdout > should contain all sections when using the fixture report 1`] = `
-"
-Code PushUp Report - @code-pushup/core@0.0.1
+"Code PushUp Report - @code-pushup/core@0.0.1
+
 
 ESLint audits
 
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ ESLint audits
 ● Disallow unescaped HTML entities from appearing in markup           0
 ● Disallow usage of unknown DOM property                              0
 ● Enforce ES5 or ES6 class for returning value in render function     0
+
+
 Lighthouse audits
 
 ● First Contentful Paint                                              1.2 s
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ Lighthouse audits
 ● Cumulative Layout Shift                                             0
 ● Speed Index                                                         1.2 s
 
+
 Categories
 
 ┌────────────────┬───────┬────────┐
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/lib/report-to-stdout.spec.ts b/packages/utils/src/lib/report-to-stdout.spec.ts
index 999d51943..adaa6a406 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/lib/report-to-stdout.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/src/lib/report-to-stdout.spec.ts
@@ -1,23 +1,11 @@
-import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe } from 'vitest';
+import { describe } from 'vitest';
 import { report } from '@code-pushup/models/testing';
-import { mockConsole, unmockConsole } from '../../test';
 import { reportToStdout } from './report-to-stdout';
 import { scoreReport } from './scoring';
 
-let logs: string[];
-
 describe('report-to-stdout', () => {
-  beforeEach(async () => {
-    logs = [];
-    mockConsole(msg => logs.push(msg));
-  });
-  afterEach(() => {
-    unmockConsole();
-  });
-
   it('should contain all sections when using the fixture report', () => {
-    reportToStdout(scoreReport(report()));
-    const logOutput = logs.join('\n');
+    const logOutput = reportToStdout(scoreReport(report()));
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-control-regex
     expect(logOutput.replace(/\u001B\[\d+m/g, '')).toMatchSnapshot();
   });
diff --git a/packages/utils/src/lib/report-to-stdout.ts b/packages/utils/src/lib/report-to-stdout.ts
index 40e6920b5..2a8dd4368 100644
--- a/packages/utils/src/lib/report-to-stdout.ts
+++ b/packages/utils/src/lib/report-to-stdout.ts
@@ -13,32 +13,33 @@ import {
   reportRawOverviewTableHeaders,
 } from './utils';
 
-let output = '';
-
-const addLine = (text = '') => (output += text + '\n');
-const print = (text: string) => console.log(text);
-
-export function reportToStdout(report: ScoredReport): void {
-  addLine();
-  reportToHeaderSection(report);
-  addLine();
-  reportToDetailSection(report);
-  addLine();
-  reportToOverviewSection(report);
-  addLine();
-  addLine(`${FOOTER_PREFIX} ${CODE_PUSHUP_DOMAIN}`);
-
-  print(output);
+function addLine(line = ''): string {
+  return line + '\n';
 }
 
-function reportToHeaderSection(report: ScoredReport): void {
+export function reportToStdout(report: ScoredReport): string {
+  let output = '';
+
+  output += addLine(reportToHeaderSection(report));
+  output += addLine();
+  output += addLine(reportToDetailSection(report));
+  output += addLine(reportToOverviewSection(report));
+  output += addLine(`${FOOTER_PREFIX} ${CODE_PUSHUP_DOMAIN}`);
+
+  return output;
+}
+
+function reportToHeaderSection(report: ScoredReport): string {
   const { packageName, version } = report;
-  addLine(`${chalk.bold(reportHeadlineText)} - ${packageName}@${version}`);
+  return `${chalk.bold(reportHeadlineText)} - ${packageName}@${version}`;
 }
 
-function reportToOverviewSection({ categories, plugins }: ScoredReport): void {
-  addLine(chalk.magentaBright.bold('Categories'));
-  addLine();
+function reportToOverviewSection({
+  categories,
+  plugins,
+}: ScoredReport): string {
+  let output = addLine(chalk.magentaBright.bold('Categories'));
+  output += addLine();
 
   const table = new Table({
     head: reportRawOverviewTableHeaders,
@@ -56,15 +57,20 @@ function reportToOverviewSection({ categories, plugins }: ScoredReport): void {
     ]),
   );
 
-  addLine(table.toString());
+  output += addLine(table.toString());
+
+  return output;
 }
 
-function reportToDetailSection(report: ScoredReport): void {
+function reportToDetailSection(report: ScoredReport): string {
   const { plugins } = report;
 
+  let output = '';
+
   plugins.forEach(({ title, audits }) => {
-    addLine(chalk.magentaBright.bold(`${title} audits`));
-    addLine();
+    output += addLine();
+    output += addLine(chalk.magentaBright.bold(`${title} audits`));
+    output += addLine();
 
     const ui = cliui({ width: 80 });
 
@@ -87,8 +93,11 @@ function reportToDetailSection(report: ScoredReport): void {
       );
     });
 
-    addLine(ui.toString());
+    output += addLine(ui.toString());
+    output += addLine();
   });
+
+  return output;
 }
 
 function withColor({ score, text }: { score: number; text?: string }) {