diff --git a/graalpython/com.oracle.graal.python.shell/src/com/oracle/graal/python/shell/GraalPythonMain.java b/graalpython/com.oracle.graal.python.shell/src/com/oracle/graal/python/shell/GraalPythonMain.java
index cf23a4034b..65bfd6d047 100644
--- a/graalpython/com.oracle.graal.python.shell/src/com/oracle/graal/python/shell/GraalPythonMain.java
+++ b/graalpython/com.oracle.graal.python.shell/src/com/oracle/graal/python/shell/GraalPythonMain.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2017, 2025, Oracle and/or its affiliates.
+ * Copyright (c) 2017, 2026, Oracle and/or its affiliates.
  * Copyright (c) 2013, Regents of the University of California
  *
  * All rights reserved.
@@ -851,7 +851,7 @@ protected void launch(Builder contextBuilder) {
                     printFileNotFoundException(e);
                 }
             }
-            if ((commandString == null && inputFile == null) || inspectFlag) {
+            if ((tty && commandString == null && inputFile == null) || inspectFlag) {
                 inspectFlag = false;
                 rc = readEvalPrint(context, consoleHandler, sysModule);
             }
diff --git a/graalpython/com.oracle.graal.python.test/src/tests/test_cmd_line.py b/graalpython/com.oracle.graal.python.test/src/tests/test_cmd_line.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d258ac9572
--- /dev/null
+++ b/graalpython/com.oracle.graal.python.test/src/tests/test_cmd_line.py
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2026, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+# DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+#
+# The Universal Permissive License (UPL), Version 1.0
+#
+# Subject to the condition set forth below, permission is hereby granted to any
+# person obtaining a copy of this software, associated documentation and/or
+# data (collectively the "Software"), free of charge and under any and all
+# copyright rights in the Software, and any and all patent rights owned or
+# freely licensable by each licensor hereunder covering either (i) the
+# unmodified Software as contributed to or provided by such licensor, or (ii)
+# the Larger Works (as defined below), to deal in both
+#
+# (a) the Software, and
+#
+# (b) any piece of software and/or hardware listed in the lrgrwrks.txt file if
+# one is included with the Software each a "Larger Work" to which the Software
+# is contributed by such licensors),
+#
+# without restriction, including without limitation the rights to copy, create
+# derivative works of, display, perform, and distribute the Software and make,
+# use, sell, offer for sale, import, export, have made, and have sold the
+# Software and the Larger Work(s), and to sublicense the foregoing rights on
+# either these or other terms.
+#
+# This license is subject to the following condition:
+#
+# The above copyright notice and either this complete permission notice or at a
+# minimum a reference to the UPL must be included in all copies or substantial
+# portions of the Software.
+#
+# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+# AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+# LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+# OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+# SOFTWARE.
+
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import unittest
+
+
+class CmdLineTest(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_stdin_script_exit_code(self):
+        code = "import sys\nsys.exit(42)\n"
+        result = subprocess.run([sys.executable], input=code, text=True)
+        self.assertEqual(42, result.returncode)