diff --git a/tools/cmd/at/send_text.go b/tools/cmd/at/send_text.go
index 620c884a5..ab0ab7911 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/at/send_text.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/at/send_text.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/base64"
 	"errors"
 	"io"
+	"kitty/tools/tty"
 	"kitty/tools/tui/loop"
 	"kitty/tools/utils"
 	"kitty/tools/utils/shlex"
@@ -16,6 +17,19 @@ import (
 var end_reading_from_stdin = errors.New("end reading from STDIN")
 var waiting_on_stdin = errors.New("wait for key events from STDIN")
 
+func make_file_gen(f *os.File) func(*rc_io_data) (bool, error) {
+	chunk := make([]byte, 2048)
+	file_gen := func(io_data *rc_io_data) (bool, error) {
+		n, err := f.Read(chunk)
+		if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
+			return false, err
+		}
+		set_payload_data(io_data, "base64:"+base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(chunk[:n]))
+		return n == 0 || errors.Is(err, io.EOF), nil
+	}
+	return file_gen
+
+}
 func parse_send_text(io_data *rc_io_data, args []string) error {
 	io_data.rc.NoResponse = true
 	generators := make([]func(io_data *rc_io_data) (bool, error), 0, 1)
@@ -42,49 +56,43 @@ func parse_send_text(io_data *rc_io_data, args []string) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		chunk := make([]byte, 2048)
-		file_gen := func(io_data *rc_io_data) (bool, error) {
-			n, err := f.Read(chunk)
-			if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, io.EOF) {
-				return false, err
-			}
-			set_payload_data(io_data, "base64:"+base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(chunk[:n]))
-			return n == 0, nil
-		}
-		generators = append(generators, file_gen)
+		generators = append(generators, make_file_gen(f))
 	}
 
 	if options_send_text.Stdin {
-		pending_key_events := make([]string, 0, 1)
+		if tty.IsTerminal(os.Stdin.Fd()) {
+			pending_key_events := make([]string, 0, 1)
 
-		io_data.on_key_event = func(lp *loop.Loop, ke *loop.KeyEvent) error {
-			ke.Handled = true
-			if ke.MatchesPressOrRepeat("ctrl+d") {
-				return end_reading_from_stdin
+			io_data.on_key_event = func(lp *loop.Loop, ke *loop.KeyEvent) error {
+				ke.Handled = true
+				if ke.MatchesPressOrRepeat("ctrl+d") {
+					return end_reading_from_stdin
+				}
+				bs := "kitty-key:" + base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString([]byte(ke.AsCSI()))
+				pending_key_events = append(pending_key_events, bs)
+				if ke.Text != "" {
+					lp.QueueWriteString(ke.Text)
+				} else if ke.MatchesPressOrRepeat("backspace") {
+					lp.QueueWriteString("\x08\x1b[P")
+				}
+				return nil
 			}
-			bs := "kitty-key:" + base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString([]byte(ke.AsCSI()))
-			pending_key_events = append(pending_key_events, bs)
-			if ke.Text != "" {
-				lp.QueueWriteString(ke.Text)
-			} else if ke.MatchesPressOrRepeat("backspace") {
-				lp.QueueWriteString("\x08\x1b[P")
+
+			key_gen := func(io_data *rc_io_data) (bool, error) {
+				if len(pending_key_events) > 0 {
+					payload := io_data.rc.Payload.(send_text_json_type)
+					payload.Exclude_active = true
+					io_data.rc.Payload = payload
+					set_payload_data(io_data, pending_key_events[0])
+					pending_key_events = pending_key_events[1:]
+					return false, nil
+				}
+				return false, waiting_on_stdin
 			}
-			return nil
+			generators = append(generators, key_gen)
+		} else {
+			generators = append(generators, make_file_gen(os.Stdin))
 		}
-
-		key_gen := func(io_data *rc_io_data) (bool, error) {
-			if len(pending_key_events) > 0 {
-				payload := io_data.rc.Payload.(send_text_json_type)
-				payload.Exclude_active = true
-				io_data.rc.Payload = payload
-				set_payload_data(io_data, pending_key_events[0])
-				pending_key_events = pending_key_events[1:]
-				return false, nil
-			}
-			return false, waiting_on_stdin
-		}
-		generators = append(generators, key_gen)
-
 	}
 
 	io_data.multiple_payload_generator = func(io_data *rc_io_data) (bool, error) {