diff --git a/termenv_unix.go b/termenv_unix.go
index 2aebdfa..35211da 100644
--- a/termenv_unix.go
+++ b/termenv_unix.go
@@ -18,6 +18,15 @@ const (
 	OSCTimeout = 5 * time.Second
 )
 
+func isForeground(fd int) bool {
+	pgrp, err := unix.IoctlGetInt(fd, unix.TIOCGPGRP)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return pgrp == unix.Getpgrp()
+}
+
 func colorProfile() Profile {
 	term := os.Getenv("TERM")
 	colorTerm := os.Getenv("COLORTERM")
@@ -215,6 +224,11 @@ func termStatusReport(sequence int) (string, error) {
 		return "", ErrStatusReport
 	}
 
+	// if in background, we can't control the terminal
+	if !isForeground(unix.Stdout) {
+		return "", ErrStatusReport
+	}
+
 	t, err := unix.IoctlGetTermios(unix.Stdout, tcgetattr)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", ErrStatusReport