diff --git a/scripts/runtests.sh b/scripts/runtests.sh
index 8b83d213..2bbe97cc 100755
--- a/scripts/runtests.sh
+++ b/scripts/runtests.sh
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ for answers in examples/answers*.yaml; do
 done
 timeout --foreground 60 sh -c "LANG=C.UTF-8 python3 -m subiquity.cmd.tui --autoinstall examples/autoinstall.yaml \
                                --dry-run --machine-config examples/simple.json \
-                               --kernel-cmdline 'autoinstall console=$(tty)'"
+                               --kernel-cmdline 'autoinstall console=\"$(tty)\"'"
 python3 scripts/validate-yaml.py .subiquity/subiquity-curtin-install.conf \
         debconf_selections.subiquity='"eek"'
 grep 'finish: subiquity/InstallProgress/postinstall/install_package1: SUCCESS: installing package1' \
diff --git a/subiquity/core.py b/subiquity/core.py
index 051c2b5a..d38586bc 100644
--- a/subiquity/core.py
+++ b/subiquity/core.py
@@ -184,7 +184,10 @@ class Subiquity(Application):
         with open(self.opts.autoinstall) as fp:
             self.autoinstall_config = yaml.safe_load(fp)
         primary_tty = self.get_primary_tty()
-        our_tty = os.ttyname(0)
+        try:
+            our_tty = os.ttyname(0)
+        except OSError:
+            our_tty = "not a tty"
         if not self.interactive() and our_tty != primary_tty:
             print(
                 _("the installer running on {} will perform the "