diff --git a/include/uv-private/uv-unix.h b/include/uv-private/uv-unix.h
index 72709c8a..0db14e9c 100644
--- a/include/uv-private/uv-unix.h
+++ b/include/uv-private/uv-unix.h
@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ typedef int uv_file;
   ngx_queue_t write_completed_queue; \
   int delayed_error; \
   uv_connection_cb connection_cb; \
-  int accepted_fd;
+  int accepted_fd; \
+  int blocking;
 
 
 /* UV_TCP */
diff --git a/include/uv.h b/include/uv.h
index e938fe55..8082afaf 100644
--- a/include/uv.h
+++ b/include/uv.h
@@ -626,7 +626,18 @@ struct uv_tty_s {
   UV_TTY_PRIVATE_FIELDS
 };
 
-int uv_tty_init(uv_loop_t*, uv_tty_t*, uv_file fd);
+/*
+ * Initialize a new TTY stream with the given file descriptor. Usually the
+ * file descriptor will be
+ *   0 = stdin
+ *   1 = stdout
+ *   2 = stderr
+ * The last argument, readable, specifies if you plan on calling
+ * uv_read_start with this stream. stdin is readable, stdout is not.
+ *
+ * TTY streams which are not readable have blocking writes.
+ */
+int uv_tty_init(uv_loop_t*, uv_tty_t*, uv_file fd, int readable);
 
 /*
  * Set mode. 0 for normal, 1 for raw.
diff --git a/src/unix/stream.c b/src/unix/stream.c
index 7de318e2..9f2f0ecf 100644
--- a/src/unix/stream.c
+++ b/src/unix/stream.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ void uv__stream_init(uv_loop_t* loop,
                      uv_stream_t* stream,
                      uv_handle_type type) {
   uv__handle_init(loop, (uv_handle_t*)stream, type);
+  loop->counters.stream_init++;
 
   stream->alloc_cb = NULL;
   stream->close_cb = NULL;
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ int uv__stream_open(uv_stream_t* stream, int fd, int flags) {
   assert(fd >= 0);
   stream->fd = fd;
 
-  ((uv_handle_t*)stream)->flags |= flags;
+  stream->flags |= flags;
 
   /* Reuse the port address if applicable. */
   yes = 1;
diff --git a/src/unix/tty.c b/src/unix/tty.c
index 3d074bf4..32ac2c71 100644
--- a/src/unix/tty.c
+++ b/src/unix/tty.c
@@ -33,10 +33,19 @@ static int orig_termios_fd = -1;
 static struct termios orig_termios;
 
 
-int uv_tty_init(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_tty_t* tty, int fd) {
-  uv__nonblock(fd, 1);
+int uv_tty_init(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_tty_t* tty, int fd, int readable) {
   uv__stream_init(loop, (uv_stream_t*)tty, UV_TTY);
-  uv__stream_open((uv_stream_t*)tty, fd, UV_READABLE | UV_WRITABLE);
+
+  if (readable) {
+    uv__nonblock(fd, 1);
+    uv__stream_open((uv_stream_t*)tty, fd, UV_READABLE);
+  } else {
+    /* Note: writable tty we set to blocking mode. */
+    uv__nonblock(fd, 0);
+    uv__stream_open((uv_stream_t*)tty, fd, UV_WRITABLE);
+    tty->blocking = 1;
+  }
+
   loop->counters.tty_init++;
   tty->mode = 0;
   return 0;
diff --git a/src/win/tty.c b/src/win/tty.c
index b989bebe..16064eed 100644
--- a/src/win/tty.c
+++ b/src/win/tty.c
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ void uv_console_init() {
 }
 
 
-int uv_tty_init(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_tty_t* tty, uv_file fd) {
+int uv_tty_init(uv_loop_t* loop, uv_tty_t* tty, uv_file fd, int readable) {
   HANDLE win_handle;
   CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO info;
 
diff --git a/test/test-tty.c b/test/test-tty.c
index 5dbd4aff..60aedf39 100644
--- a/test/test-tty.c
+++ b/test/test-tty.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ TEST_IMPL(tty) {
    */
   ASSERT(UV_TTY == uv_guess_handle(0));
 
-  r = uv_tty_init(uv_default_loop(), &tty, 0);
+  r = uv_tty_init(uv_default_loop(), &tty, 0, 1);
   ASSERT(r == 0);
 
   r = uv_tty_get_winsize(&tty, &width, &height);