diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index 2db5bfcf3019f..50ba25187d11a 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -4651,6 +4651,8 @@ fn shell_impl(
 
     if input.is_some() || cfg!(windows) {
         process.stdin(Stdio::piped());
+    } else {
+        process.stdin(Stdio::null());
     }
 
     let mut process = match process.spawn() {