diff --git a/src/nvim/message.c b/src/nvim/message.c
index d963cba6cb242b..93742ccbdb9d1f 100644
--- a/src/nvim/message.c
+++ b/src/nvim/message.c
@@ -1094,6 +1094,10 @@ void wait_return(int redraw)
     return;
   }
 
+  if (headless_mode && !ui_active()) {
+    return;
+  }
+
   /*
    * When inside vgetc(), we can't wait for a typed character at all.
    * With the global command (and some others) we only need one return at
diff --git a/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua b/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua
index b5b10c049edb74..937b6559de50b2 100644
--- a/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua
+++ b/test/functional/api/vim_spec.lua
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ describe('API', function()
 
   describe('nvim_command_output', function()
     it('does not induce hit-enter prompt', function()
+      nvim("ui_attach", 80, 20, {})
       -- Induce a hit-enter prompt use nvim_input (non-blocking).
       nvim('command', 'set cmdheight=1')
       nvim('input', [[:echo "hi\nhi2"<CR>]])
@@ -1093,7 +1094,20 @@ describe('API', function()
       eq({mode='n', blocking=false}, nvim("get_mode"))
     end)
 
+    it("during press-enter prompt without UI returns blocking=false", function()
+      eq({mode='n', blocking=false}, nvim("get_mode"))
+      command("echom 'msg1'")
+      command("echom 'msg2'")
+      command("echom 'msg3'")
+      command("echom 'msg4'")
+      command("echom 'msg5'")
+      eq({mode='n', blocking=false}, nvim("get_mode"))
+      nvim("input", ":messages<CR>")
+      eq({mode='n', blocking=false}, nvim("get_mode"))
+    end)
+
     it("during press-enter prompt returns blocking=true", function()
+      nvim("ui_attach", 80, 20, {})
       eq({mode='n', blocking=false}, nvim("get_mode"))
       command("echom 'msg1'")
       command("echom 'msg2'")
@@ -1117,6 +1131,7 @@ describe('API', function()
 
     -- TODO: bug #6247#issuecomment-286403810
     it("batched with input", function()
+      nvim("ui_attach", 80, 20, {})
       eq({mode='n', blocking=false}, nvim("get_mode"))
       command("echom 'msg1'")
       command("echom 'msg2'")