diff --git a/pager.c b/pager.c
index 6b5c9e44b..0b7e55f47 100644
--- a/pager.c
+++ b/pager.c
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ void setup_pager(void)
 
 	/* original process continues, but writes to the pipe */
 	dup2(pager_process.in, 1);
-	dup2(pager_process.in, 2);
+	if (isatty(2))
+		dup2(pager_process.in, 2);
 	close(pager_process.in);
 
 	/* this makes sure that the parent terminates after the pager */