diff --git a/src/libfetchers/git.cc b/src/libfetchers/git.cc
index 1da8c9609..47282f6c4 100644
--- a/src/libfetchers/git.cc
+++ b/src/libfetchers/git.cc
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ std::optional<std::string> readHead(const Path & path)
         .program = "git",
         // FIXME: use 'HEAD' to avoid returning all refs
         .args = {"ls-remote", "--symref", path},
+        .isInteractive = true,
     });
     if (status != 0) return std::nullopt;
 
@@ -350,7 +351,7 @@ struct GitInputScheme : InputScheme
 
         args.push_back(destDir);
 
-        runProgram("git", true, args);
+        runProgram("git", true, args, {}, true);
     }
 
     std::optional<Path> getSourcePath(const Input & input) override
@@ -555,7 +556,7 @@ struct GitInputScheme : InputScheme
                             : ref == "HEAD"
                                 ? *ref
                                 : "refs/heads/" + *ref;
-                    runProgram("git", true, { "-C", repoDir, "--git-dir", gitDir, "fetch", "--quiet", "--force", "--", actualUrl, fmt("%s:%s", fetchRef, fetchRef) });
+                    runProgram("git", true, { "-C", repoDir, "--git-dir", gitDir, "fetch", "--quiet", "--force", "--", actualUrl, fmt("%s:%s", fetchRef, fetchRef) }, {}, true);
                 } catch (Error & e) {
                     if (!pathExists(localRefFile)) throw;
                     warn("could not update local clone of Git repository '%s'; continuing with the most recent version", actualUrl);
@@ -622,7 +623,7 @@ struct GitInputScheme : InputScheme
                 // everything to ensure we get the rev.
                 Activity act(*logger, lvlTalkative, actUnknown, fmt("making temporary clone of '%s'", repoDir));
                 runProgram("git", true, { "-C", tmpDir, "fetch", "--quiet", "--force",
-                        "--update-head-ok", "--", repoDir, "refs/*:refs/*" });
+                        "--update-head-ok", "--", repoDir, "refs/*:refs/*" }, {}, true);
             }
 
             runProgram("git", true, { "-C", tmpDir, "checkout", "--quiet", input.getRev()->gitRev() });
@@ -649,7 +650,7 @@ struct GitInputScheme : InputScheme
 
             {
                 Activity act(*logger, lvlTalkative, actUnknown, fmt("fetching submodules of '%s'", actualUrl));
-                runProgram("git", true, { "-C", tmpDir, "submodule", "--quiet", "update", "--init", "--recursive" });
+                runProgram("git", true, { "-C", tmpDir, "submodule", "--quiet", "update", "--init", "--recursive" }, {}, true);
             }
 
             filter = isNotDotGitDirectory;
diff --git a/src/libutil/util.cc b/src/libutil/util.cc
index 21d1c8dcd..3a8309149 100644
--- a/src/libutil/util.cc
+++ b/src/libutil/util.cc
@@ -1141,9 +1141,9 @@ std::vector<char *> stringsToCharPtrs(const Strings & ss)
 }
 
 std::string runProgram(Path program, bool searchPath, const Strings & args,
-    const std::optional<std::string> & input)
+    const std::optional<std::string> & input, bool isInteractive)
 {
-    auto res = runProgram(RunOptions {.program = program, .searchPath = searchPath, .args = args, .input = input});
+    auto res = runProgram(RunOptions {.program = program, .searchPath = searchPath, .args = args, .input = input, .isInteractive = isInteractive});
 
     if (!statusOk(res.first))
         throw ExecError(res.first, "program '%1%' %2%", program, statusToString(res.first));
@@ -1193,6 +1193,16 @@ void runProgram2(const RunOptions & options)
     // case), so we can't use it if we alter the environment
     processOptions.allowVfork = !options.environment;
 
+    std::optional<Finally<std::function<void()>>> resumeLoggerDefer;
+    if (options.isInteractive) {
+        logger->pause();
+        resumeLoggerDefer.emplace(
+            []() {
+                logger->resume();
+            }
+        );
+    }
+
     /* Fork. */
     Pid pid = startProcess([&]() {
         if (options.environment)
diff --git a/src/libutil/util.hh b/src/libutil/util.hh
index 040fed68f..a7907cd14 100644
--- a/src/libutil/util.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/util.hh
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ pid_t startProcess(std::function<void()> fun, const ProcessOptions & options = P
  */
 std::string runProgram(Path program, bool searchPath = false,
     const Strings & args = Strings(),
-    const std::optional<std::string> & input = {});
+    const std::optional<std::string> & input = {}, bool isInteractive = false);
 
 struct RunOptions
 {
@@ -430,6 +430,7 @@ struct RunOptions
     Source * standardIn = nullptr;
     Sink * standardOut = nullptr;
     bool mergeStderrToStdout = false;
+    bool isInteractive = false;
 };
 
 std::pair<int, std::string> runProgram(RunOptions && options);