diff --git a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommandStrings.scala b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommandStrings.scala
index 77a3b6fc3..754fd19c8 100644
--- a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommandStrings.scala
+++ b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicCommandStrings.scala
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ $AliasCommand name=
     "Provides an interactive prompt from which commands can be run on a server."
   def DashClient: String = "-client"
   def DashDashClient: String = "--client"
+  def CloseIOStreams: String = "--close-io-streams"
 
   def StashOnFailure: String = "sbtStashOnFailure"
   def PopOnFailure: String = "sbtPopOnFailure"
diff --git a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicKeys.scala b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicKeys.scala
index 985ed5879..942698870 100644
--- a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicKeys.scala
+++ b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/BasicKeys.scala
@@ -114,6 +114,11 @@ object BasicKeys {
     "List of template resolver infos.",
     1000
   )
+  private[sbt] val closeIOStreams = AttributeKey[Boolean](
+    "close-io-streams",
+    "Toggles wheter or not to close system in, out and error when the server starts.",
+    1000
+  )
 }
 
 case class TemplateResolverInfo(module: ModuleID, implementationClass: String)
diff --git a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClient.scala b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClient.scala
index 10634bb83..c118e650c 100644
--- a/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClient.scala
+++ b/main-command/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/client/NetworkClient.scala
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ class NetworkClient(
       else Nil
 
     val args = color ++ superShell ++ arguments.sbtArguments
-    val cmd = arguments.sbtScript +: args
+    val cmd = arguments.sbtScript +: args :+ BasicCommandStrings.CloseIOStreams
     val process =
       new ProcessBuilder(cmd: _*)
         .directory(arguments.baseDirectory)
diff --git a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala
index cd513f456..2e26f1046 100644
--- a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala
+++ b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/Main.scala
@@ -68,11 +68,14 @@ private[sbt] object xMain {
             NetworkClient.run(configuration, args)
             Exit(0)
           } else {
-            val state = StandardMain.initialState(
-              configuration,
-              Seq(defaults, early),
-              runEarly(DefaultsCommand) :: runEarly(InitCommand) :: BootCommand :: Nil
-            )
+            val closeStreams = userCommands.exists(_ == BasicCommandStrings.CloseIOStreams)
+            val state = StandardMain
+              .initialState(
+                configuration,
+                Seq(defaults, early),
+                runEarly(DefaultsCommand) :: runEarly(InitCommand) :: BootCommand :: Nil
+              )
+              .put(BasicKeys.closeIOStreams, closeStreams)
             StandardMain.runManaged(state)
           }
         }
@@ -183,7 +186,8 @@ object StandardMain {
     sys.props.put("jna.nosys", "true")
 
     import BasicCommandStrings.isEarlyCommand
-    val userCommands = configuration.arguments.map(_.trim)
+    val userCommands =
+      configuration.arguments.map(_.trim).filterNot(_ == BasicCommandStrings.CloseIOStreams)
     val (earlyCommands, normalCommands) = (preCommands ++ userCommands).partition(isEarlyCommand)
     val commands = (earlyCommands ++ normalCommands).toList map { x =>
       Exec(x, None)
diff --git a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala
index 3d47351be..ad756d32d 100644
--- a/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala
+++ b/main/src/main/scala/sbt/internal/CommandExchange.scala
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ private[sbt] final class CommandExchange {
           server = None
           firstInstance.set(false)
       }
+      if (s.get(BasicKeys.closeIOStreams).getOrElse(false)) Terminal.close()
     }
     s
   }