diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 1a264b0..c4dd8c6 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ version 1.27.1 - Sergey Poznyakoff, 2013-11-17
 
 * Fix extracting sparse members from star archives.
 
+* Tar refuses to read input from and write output to a tty device.
+
 
 version 1.27 - Sergey Poznyakoff, 2013-10-05
 
diff --git a/src/buffer.c b/src/buffer.c
index 4b44eaf..5ec8d31 100644
--- a/src/buffer.c
+++ b/src/buffer.c
@@ -633,6 +633,22 @@ init_buffer (void)
   record_end = record_start + blocking_factor;
 }
 
+static void
+check_tty (enum access_mode mode)
+{
+  /* Refuse to read archive from and write it to a tty. */
+  if (strcmp (archive_name_array[0], "-") == 0
+      && isatty (mode == ACCESS_READ ? STDIN_FILENO : STDOUT_FILENO))
+    {
+      FATAL_ERROR ((0, 0,
+		    mode == ACCESS_READ
+		    ? _("Refusing to read archive contents from terminal "
+			"(missing -f option?)")
+		    : _("Refusing to write archive contents to terminal "
+			"(missing -f option?)")));
+    }
+}
+
 /* Open an archive file.  The argument specifies whether we are
    reading or writing, or both.  */
 static void
@@ -653,6 +669,7 @@ _open_archive (enum access_mode wanted_access)
 
   /* When updating the archive, we start with reading.  */
   access_mode = wanted_access == ACCESS_UPDATE ? ACCESS_READ : wanted_access;
+  check_tty (access_mode);
 
   read_full_records = read_full_records_option;
 
@@ -696,7 +713,6 @@ _open_archive (enum access_mode wanted_access)
             enum compress_type type;
 
             archive = STDIN_FILENO;
-
             type = check_compressed_archive (&shortfile);
             if (type != ct_tar && type != ct_none)
               FATAL_ERROR ((0, 0,