diff --git a/src/nrnpython/inithoc.cpp b/src/nrnpython/inithoc.cpp
index 8da37bd93c..bb12e145e7 100644
--- a/src/nrnpython/inithoc.cpp
+++ b/src/nrnpython/inithoc.cpp
@@ -222,13 +222,13 @@ static int have_opt(const char* arg) {
 static struct termios original_termios;
 
 static void save_original_terminal_settings() {
-    if (tcgetattr(STDIN_FILENO, &original_termios) == -1) {
+    if (tcgetattr(STDIN_FILENO, &original_termios) == -1 && isatty(STDIN_FILENO)) {
         std::cerr << "Error getting original terminal attributes\n";
     }
 }
 
 static void restore_original_terminal_settings() {
-    if (tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, &original_termios) == -1) {
+    if (tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, &original_termios) == -1 && isatty(STDIN_FILENO)) {
         std::cerr << "Error restoring terminal attributes\n";
     }
 }