diff --git a/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_exec.go b/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_exec.go
index 4dd596ce54c..fc6f0c0c6ac 100644
--- a/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_exec.go
+++ b/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_exec.go
@@ -18,9 +18,7 @@ package container
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"os"
 
-	"github.com/moby/term"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
 	containerd "github.com/containerd/containerd/v2/client"
@@ -58,6 +56,7 @@ func NewExecCommand() *cobra.Command {
 }
 
 func processExecCommandOptions(cmd *cobra.Command) (types.ContainerExecOptions, error) {
+	// We do not check if we have a terminal here, as container.Exec calling console.Current will ensure that
 	globalOptions, err := helpers.ProcessRootCmdFlags(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
 		return types.ContainerExecOptions{}, err
@@ -88,13 +87,6 @@ func processExecCommandOptions(cmd *cobra.Command) (types.ContainerExecOptions,
 		}
 	}
 
-	_, isTerminal := term.GetFdInfo(os.Stdin)
-	if !flagD {
-		if flagT && flagI && !isTerminal {
-			return types.ContainerExecOptions{}, errors.New("the input device is not a TTY")
-		}
-	}
-
 	workdir, err := cmd.Flags().GetString("workdir")
 	if err != nil {
 		return types.ContainerExecOptions{}, err
diff --git a/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_run.go b/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_run.go
index 143cd16d99f..a514d3795af 100644
--- a/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_run.go
+++ b/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_run.go
@@ -389,7 +389,10 @@ func runAction(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 
 	var con console.Console
 	if createOpt.TTY && !createOpt.Detach {
-		con = console.Current()
+		con, err = consoleutil.Current()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		defer con.Reset()
 		if err := con.SetRaw(); err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/container/attach.go b/pkg/cmd/container/attach.go
index eb74252cf1d..fbbddafcb40 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/container/attach.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/container/attach.go
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ func Attach(ctx context.Context, client *containerd.Client, req string, options
 		con console.Console
 	)
 	if spec.Process.Terminal {
-		con = console.Current()
+		con, err = consoleutil.Current()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		defer con.Reset()
 		if err := con.SetRaw(); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to set the console to raw mode: %w", err)
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/container/exec.go b/pkg/cmd/container/exec.go
index a7ad6857c33..c00c776998b 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/container/exec.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/container/exec.go
@@ -106,7 +106,10 @@ func execActionWithContainer(ctx context.Context, client *containerd.Client, con
 
 	var con console.Console
 	if options.TTY {
-		con = console.Current()
+		con, err = consoleutil.Current()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		defer con.Reset()
 		if err := con.SetRaw(); err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -164,7 +167,11 @@ func generateExecProcessSpec(ctx context.Context, client *containerd.Client, con
 	pspec := spec.Process
 	pspec.Terminal = options.TTY
 	if pspec.Terminal {
-		if size, err := console.Current().Size(); err == nil {
+		con, err := consoleutil.Current()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		if size, err := con.Size(); err == nil {
 			pspec.ConsoleSize = &specs.Box{Height: uint(size.Height), Width: uint(size.Width)}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/consoleutil/consoleutil.go b/pkg/consoleutil/consoleutil.go
index 4f9167a0b4c..a19988a6895 100644
--- a/pkg/consoleutil/consoleutil.go
+++ b/pkg/consoleutil/consoleutil.go
@@ -18,8 +18,22 @@ package consoleutil
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/containerd/console"
 )
 
+// Current is from https://github.com/containerd/console/blob/v1.0.4/console.go#L68-L81
+// adapted so that it does not panic
+func Current() (c console.Console, err error) {
+	for _, s := range []*os.File{os.Stderr, os.Stdout, os.Stdin} {
+		if c, err = console.ConsoleFromFile(s); err == nil {
+			return c, nil
+		}
+	}
+	return nil, console.ErrNotAConsole
+}
+
 // resizer is from https://github.com/containerd/containerd/blob/v1.7.0-rc.2/cmd/ctr/commands/tasks/tasks.go#L25-L27
 type resizer interface {
 	Resize(ctx context.Context, w, h uint32) error
diff --git a/pkg/containerutil/containerutil.go b/pkg/containerutil/containerutil.go
index 3e1af0cb9e6..814156117fc 100644
--- a/pkg/containerutil/containerutil.go
+++ b/pkg/containerutil/containerutil.go
@@ -244,7 +244,10 @@ func Start(ctx context.Context, container containerd.Container, flagA bool, clie
 	flagT := process.Process.Terminal
 	var con console.Console
 	if flagA && flagT {
-		con = console.Current()
+		con, err = consoleutil.Current()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 		defer con.Reset()
 		if err := con.SetRaw(); err != nil {
 			return err