diff --git a/include/tig/display.h b/include/tig/display.h
index b44579868..b76dd19b8 100644
--- a/include/tig/display.h
+++ b/include/tig/display.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ extern unsigned int current_view;
 #define view_is_displayed(view) \
 	(view == display[0] || view == display[1])
 
+void init_tty(void);
 void init_display(void);
 void resize_display(void);
 void redraw_display(bool clear);
diff --git a/src/display.c b/src/display.c
index 265a3a056..5d706bf1d 100644
--- a/src/display.c
+++ b/src/display.c
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ set_terminal_modes(void)
 	leaveok(stdscr, false);
 }
 
-static void
+void
 init_tty(void)
 {
 	/* open */
@@ -598,6 +598,12 @@ init_tty(void)
 	if (!opt_tty.attr)
 		die("Failed allocation for tty attributes");
 	tcgetattr(opt_tty.fd, opt_tty.attr);
+
+	/* process-group leader */
+	signal(SIGTTOU, SIG_IGN);
+	setpgid(getpid(), getpid());
+	tcsetpgrp(opt_tty.fd, getpid());
+	signal(SIGTTOU, SIG_DFL);
 }
 
 void
@@ -607,7 +613,8 @@ init_display(void)
 	const char *term;
 	int x, y;
 
-	init_tty();
+	if (!opt_tty.file)
+		die("Can't initialize display without tty");
 
 	die_callback = done_display;
 	if (atexit(done_display))
diff --git a/src/tig.c b/src/tig.c
index d3c1da8e6..7b9e417b8 100644
--- a/src/tig.c
+++ b/src/tig.c
@@ -772,6 +772,8 @@ main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 	enum request request = parse_options(argc, argv, pager_mode);
 	struct view *view;
 
+	init_tty();
+
 	if (signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN) == SIG_ERR)
 		die("Failed to setup signal handler");