diff --git a/easybuild/tools/run.py b/easybuild/tools/run.py
index c327930a8d..78051c9ff3 100644
--- a/easybuild/tools/run.py
+++ b/easybuild/tools/run.py
@@ -496,7 +496,7 @@ def to_cmd_str(cmd):
         executable, shell = None, False
 
     stderr_handle = subprocess.PIPE if split_stderr else subprocess.STDOUT
-    stdin_handle = subprocess.PIPE if stdin else None
+    stdin_handle = subprocess.PIPE if stdin or qa_patterns else None
 
     log_msg = f"Running {interactive_msg}shell command '{cmd_str}' in {work_dir}"
     if thread_id:
@@ -514,9 +514,7 @@ def to_cmd_str(cmd):
 
         if qa_patterns:
             # make stdout, stderr, stdin non-blocking files
-            channels = [proc.stdout]
-            if stdin:
-                channels.append(proc.stdin)
+            channels = [proc.stdout, proc.stdin]
             if split_stderr:
                 channels.append(proc.stderr)