diff --git a/osdep/terminal-unix.c b/osdep/terminal-unix.c
index e62903055a..64d6df3f37 100644
--- a/osdep/terminal-unix.c
+++ b/osdep/terminal-unix.c
@@ -378,7 +378,7 @@ static void quit_request_sighandler(int signum)
 {
     do_deactivate_getch2();
 
-    (void)write(death_pipe[1], &(char){0}, 1);
+    (void)write(death_pipe[1], &(char){1}, 1);
 }
 
 static void *terminal_thread(void *ptr)
@@ -397,10 +397,14 @@ static void *terminal_thread(void *ptr)
         if (fds[1].revents)
             stdin_ok = getch2(input_ctx);
     }
+    char c;
+    bool quit = read(death_pipe[0], &c, 1) == 1 && c == 1;
     // Important if we received SIGTERM, rather than regular quit.
-    struct mp_cmd *cmd = mp_input_parse_cmd(input_ctx, bstr0("quit 4"), "");
-    if (cmd)
-        mp_input_queue_cmd(input_ctx, cmd);
+    if (quit) {
+        struct mp_cmd *cmd = mp_input_parse_cmd(input_ctx, bstr0("quit 4"), "");
+        if (cmd)
+            mp_input_queue_cmd(input_ctx, cmd);
+    }
     return NULL;
 }