diff --git a/bin/mv/mv.c b/bin/mv/mv.c
index d33b28d5b7e5..5147a2db660b 100644
--- a/bin/mv/mv.c
+++ b/bin/mv/mv.c
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ do_move(const char *from, const char *to)
 		} else if (iflg) {
 			(void)fprintf(stderr, "overwrite %s? %s", to, YESNO);
 			ask = 1;
-		} else if (access(to, W_OK) && !stat(to, &sb)) {
+		} else if (access(to, W_OK) && !stat(to, &sb) && isatty(STDIN_FILENO)) {
 			strmode(sb.st_mode, modep);
 			(void)fprintf(stderr, "override %s%s%s/%s for %s? %s",
 			    modep + 1, modep[9] == ' ' ? "" : " ",