diff --git a/server/cli/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cli/Terminal.java b/server/cli/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cli/Terminal.java
index 85abd61677445..d9923def6ca0a 100644
--- a/server/cli/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cli/Terminal.java
+++ b/server/cli/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cli/Terminal.java
@@ -163,7 +163,11 @@ public String readText(String text) {
             getWriter().print(text);
             BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(System.in, Charset.defaultCharset()));
             try {
-                return reader.readLine();
+                final String line = reader.readLine();
+                if (line == null) {
+                    throw new IllegalStateException("unable to read from standard input; is standard input open and a tty attached?");
+                }
+                return line;
             } catch (IOException ioe) {
                 throw new RuntimeException(ioe);
             }