diff --git a/pkgs/oizys-nim/src/oizys/exec.nim b/pkgs/oizys-nim/src/oizys/exec.nim
index 85987bd..5a2b76a 100644
--- a/pkgs/oizys-nim/src/oizys/exec.nim
+++ b/pkgs/oizys-nim/src/oizys/exec.nim
@@ -53,7 +53,11 @@ proc runCmdCapt*(
   # close p
   close p
 
-proc runCmdCaptWithSpinner*(cmd: string, msg: string = "", capture: set[CaptureGrp] = {CaptStdout}): tuple[output, err: string] =
+proc runCmdCaptWithSpinner*(
+  cmd: string,
+  msg: string = "",
+  capture: set[CaptureGrp] = {CaptStdout}
+): tuple[output, err: string] =
   withSpinner(msg):
     let (output, err, code) = runCmdCapt(cmd, capture)
   if code != 0:
diff --git a/pkgs/oizys-nim/src/oizys/spin.nim b/pkgs/oizys-nim/src/oizys/spin.nim
index a705368..3a51acb 100644
--- a/pkgs/oizys-nim/src/oizys/spin.nim
+++ b/pkgs/oizys-nim/src/oizys/spin.nim
@@ -179,9 +179,13 @@ proc error*(spinny: Spinny, msg: string) =
 template withSpinner*(msg: string = "", body: untyped): untyped =
   var spinner {.inject.} = newSpinny(msg, Dots)
   spinner.setSymbolColor(fgBlue)
-  start spinner
+  if isatty(stdout): # don't spin if it's not a tty
+    start spinner
+
   body
-  stop spinner
+
+  if isatty(stdout):
+    stop spinner
 
 template withSpinner*(body: untyped): untyped =
   withSpinner("", body)