diff --git a/lib/ansible/executor/playbook_executor.py b/lib/ansible/executor/playbook_executor.py
index 686da5c321..96833d5c17 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/executor/playbook_executor.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/executor/playbook_executor.py
@@ -238,34 +238,38 @@ class PlaybookExecutor:
 
     def _do_var_prompt(self, varname, private=True, prompt=None, encrypt=None, confirm=False, salt_size=None, salt=None, default=None):
 
-        if prompt and default is not None:
-            msg = "%s [%s]: " % (prompt, default)
-        elif prompt:
-            msg = "%s: " % prompt
-        else:
-            msg = 'input for %s: ' % varname
-
-        def do_prompt(prompt, private):
-            if sys.stdout.encoding:
-                msg = prompt.encode(sys.stdout.encoding)
+        if sys.__stdin__.isatty():
+            if prompt and default is not None:
+                msg = "%s [%s]: " % (prompt, default)
+            elif prompt:
+                msg = "%s: " % prompt
             else:
-                # when piping the output, or at other times when stdout
-                # may not be the standard file descriptor, the stdout
-                # encoding may not be set, so default to something sane
-                msg = prompt.encode(locale.getpreferredencoding())
-            if private:
-                return getpass.getpass(msg)
-            return raw_input(msg)
+                msg = 'input for %s: ' % varname
 
-        if confirm:
-            while True:
+            def do_prompt(prompt, private):
+                if sys.stdout.encoding:
+                    msg = prompt.encode(sys.stdout.encoding)
+                else:
+                    # when piping the output, or at other times when stdout
+                    # may not be the standard file descriptor, the stdout
+                    # encoding may not be set, so default to something sane
+                    msg = prompt.encode(locale.getpreferredencoding())
+                if private:
+                    return getpass.getpass(msg)
+                return raw_input(msg)
+
+            if confirm:
+                while True:
+                    result = do_prompt(msg, private)
+                    second = do_prompt("confirm " + msg, private)
+                    if result == second:
+                        break
+                    self._display.display("***** VALUES ENTERED DO NOT MATCH ****")
+            else:
                 result = do_prompt(msg, private)
-                second = do_prompt("confirm " + msg, private)
-                if result == second:
-                    break
-                self._display.display("***** VALUES ENTERED DO NOT MATCH ****")
         else:
-            result = do_prompt(msg, private)
+            result = None
+            self._display.warning("Not prompting as we are not in interactive mode")
 
         # if result is false and default is not None
         if not result and default is not None:
diff --git a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/pause.py b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/pause.py
index d012b026c2..d4ebf802b6 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/plugins/action/pause.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/plugins/action/pause.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import termios
 import time
 import tty
 
+from os import isatty
 from ansible.errors import *
 from ansible.plugins.action import ActionBase
 
@@ -106,12 +107,13 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
             # save the attributes on the existing (duped) stdin so
             # that we can restore them later after we set raw mode
             fd = self._connection._new_stdin.fileno()
-            old_settings = termios.tcgetattr(fd)
-            tty.setraw(fd)
+            if isatty(fd):
+                old_settings = termios.tcgetattr(fd)
+                tty.setraw(fd)
 
-            # flush the buffer to make sure no previous key presses
-            # are read in below
-            termios.tcflush(self._connection._new_stdin, termios.TCIFLUSH)
+                # flush the buffer to make sure no previous key presses
+                # are read in below
+                termios.tcflush(self._connection._new_stdin, termios.TCIFLUSH)
 
             while True:
                 try:
@@ -120,6 +122,9 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
                         raise KeyboardInterrupt
 
                     if not seconds:
+                        if not isatty(fd):
+                            self._display.warning("Not waiting from prompt as stdin is not interactive")
+                            break
                         # read key presses and act accordingly
                         if key_pressed == '\r':
                             break
@@ -143,7 +148,8 @@ class ActionModule(ActionBase):
         finally:
             # cleanup and save some information
             # restore the old settings for the duped stdin fd
-            termios.tcsetattr(fd, termios.TCSADRAIN, old_settings)
+            if isatty(fd):
+                termios.tcsetattr(fd, termios.TCSADRAIN, old_settings)
 
             duration = time.time() - start
             result['stop'] = str(datetime.datetime.now())