A sheet media handling system is provided for use in supporting a sheet which has been expelled from an ink-jet printer's output port while ink on a preceding sheet is allowed time to dry. The system employs a guide mechanism with an elongate channel which receives a predetermined side edge of an expelled sheet. The channel is provided with an elongate first channel segment which extends in substantially parallel fashion with a generally horizontal media outflow axis, and an elongate second channel segment which turns upwardly and inwardly from the first channel segment, thereby establishing a sheet-stiffening bow in the expelled sheet.