diff --git a/src/lxc/terminal.c b/src/lxc/terminal.c
index c5bf8cdfe..5eee50625 100644
--- a/src/lxc/terminal.c
+++ b/src/lxc/terminal.c
@@ -334,7 +334,10 @@ static int lxc_terminal_ptx_io(struct lxc_terminal *terminal)
 
 	w = r = lxc_read_nointr(terminal->ptx, buf, sizeof(buf));
 	if (r <= 0)
-		return -1;
+		if (errno == EWOULDBLOCK)
+			return 0;
+		else
+			return -1;
 
 	w_rbuf = w_log = 0;
 	/* write to peer first */
@@ -444,13 +447,21 @@ static int lxc_terminal_mainloop_add_peer(struct lxc_terminal *terminal)
 int lxc_terminal_mainloop_add(struct lxc_async_descr *descr,
 			      struct lxc_terminal *terminal)
 {
-	int ret;
+	int flags, ret;
 
 	if (terminal->ptx < 0) {
 		INFO("Terminal is not initialized");
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	flags = fcntl(terminal->ptx, F_GETFL);
+	flags |= O_NONBLOCK;
+	ret = fcntl(terminal->ptx, F_SETFL, flags);
+	if (ret < 0) {
+		ERROR("Failed to set O_NONBLOCK for terminal ptx fd %d", terminal->ptx);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	ret = lxc_mainloop_add_handler(descr, terminal->ptx,
 				       lxc_terminal_ptx_io_handler,
 				       default_cleanup_handler,