diff --git a/cmd-run-shell.c b/cmd-run-shell.c
index 4b4399c8..045f551e 100644
--- a/cmd-run-shell.c
+++ b/cmd-run-shell.c
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ const struct cmd_entry cmd_run_shell_entry = {
 	.name = "run-shell",
 	.alias = "run",
 
-	.args = { "bd:Ct:c:", 0, 1, cmd_run_shell_args_parse },
-	.usage = "[-bC] [-c start-directory] [-d delay] " CMD_TARGET_PANE_USAGE
+	.args = { "bd:Ct:Es:c:", 0, 1, cmd_run_shell_args_parse },
+	.usage = "[-bCE] [-c start-directory] [-d delay] " CMD_TARGET_PANE_USAGE
 	         " [shell-command]",
 
 	.target = { 't', CMD_FIND_PANE, CMD_FIND_CANFAIL },
@@ -158,6 +158,9 @@ cmd_run_shell_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	else
 		cdata->cwd = xstrdup(server_client_get_cwd(c, s));
 
+	if (args_has(args, 'E'))
+		cdata->flags |= JOB_SHOWSTDERR;
+
 	cdata->s = s;
 	if (s != NULL)
 		session_add_ref(s, __func__);
diff --git a/job.c b/job.c
index ab696e36..a8d4ba9c 100644
--- a/job.c
+++ b/job.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ job_run(const char *cmd, int argc, char **argv, struct environ *e,
 	struct job	 *job;
 	struct environ	 *env;
 	pid_t		  pid;
-	int		  nullfd, out[2], master;
+	int		  nullfd, out[2], master, do_close = 1;
 	const char	 *home, *shell;
 	sigset_t	  set, oldset;
 	struct winsize	  ws;
@@ -152,19 +152,26 @@ job_run(const char *cmd, int argc, char **argv, struct environ *e,
 		if (~flags & JOB_PTY) {
 			if (dup2(out[1], STDIN_FILENO) == -1)
 				fatal("dup2 failed");
+			do_close = do_close && out[1] != STDIN_FILENO;
 			if (dup2(out[1], STDOUT_FILENO) == -1)
 				fatal("dup2 failed");
-			if (out[1] != STDIN_FILENO && out[1] != STDOUT_FILENO)
+			do_close = do_close && out[1] != STDOUT_FILENO;
+			if (flags & JOB_SHOWSTDERR) {
+				if (dup2(out[1], STDERR_FILENO) == -1)
+					fatal("dup2 failed");
+				do_close = do_close && out[1] != STDERR_FILENO;
+			} else {
+				nullfd = open(_PATH_DEVNULL, O_RDWR);
+				if (nullfd == -1)
+					fatal("open failed");
+				if (dup2(nullfd, STDERR_FILENO) == -1)
+					fatal("dup2 failed");
+				if (nullfd != STDERR_FILENO)
+					close(nullfd);
+			}
+			if (do_close)
 				close(out[1]);
 			close(out[0]);
-
-			nullfd = open(_PATH_DEVNULL, O_RDWR);
-			if (nullfd == -1)
-				fatal("open failed");
-			if (dup2(nullfd, STDERR_FILENO) == -1)
-				fatal("dup2 failed");
-			if (nullfd != STDERR_FILENO)
-				close(nullfd);
 		}
 		closefrom(STDERR_FILENO + 1);