diff --git drush drush
index fc1b7a2..d29db90 100755
--- drush
+++ drush
@@ -36,8 +36,10 @@ fi
 # If not exported, try to determine and export the number of columns.
 if [ -z $COLUMNS ]; then
   # Note to cygwin users: install the ncurses package to get tput command.
-  if COLUMNS=$(tput cols 2>/dev/null); then
+  if [ $TERM ] && COLUMNS=$(tput cols); then
     export COLUMNS
+  else
+    export COLUMNS=80
   fi
 fi