diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/tools/Tool.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/tools/Tool.java
index 82a2fcb0612a..7971bd8c168b 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/tools/Tool.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/tools/Tool.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package com.intellij.tools;
 
 import com.intellij.execution.ExecutionException;
 import com.intellij.execution.configurations.GeneralCommandLine;
+import com.intellij.execution.configurations.PtyCommandLine;
 import com.intellij.execution.executors.DefaultRunExecutor;
 import com.intellij.execution.process.OSProcessHandler;
 import com.intellij.execution.process.ProcessHandler;
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.fileEditor.FileDocumentManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.options.SchemeElement;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.Comparing;
+import com.intellij.openapi.util.registry.Registry;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.text.StringUtil;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NonNls;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
@@ -305,7 +307,9 @@ public class Tool implements SchemeElement {
       setWorkingDirectory("$ProjectFileDir$");
     }
 
-    GeneralCommandLine commandLine = new GeneralCommandLine();
+    GeneralCommandLine commandLine = Registry.is("use.tty.for.external.tools", false)
+                                     ? new PtyCommandLine().withConsoleMode(true)
+                                     : new GeneralCommandLine();
     try {
       String paramString = MacroManager.getInstance().expandMacrosInString(getParameters(), true, dataContext);
       String workingDir = MacroManager.getInstance().expandMacrosInString(getWorkingDirectory(), true, dataContext);
diff --git a/platform/util/resources/misc/registry.properties b/platform/util/resources/misc/registry.properties
index f8e55ad18ff4..ea708d9272f0 100644
--- a/platform/util/resources/misc/registry.properties
+++ b/platform/util/resources/misc/registry.properties
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ idea.fix.mac.env=true
 idea.fix.mac.env.restartRequired=true
 idea.fix.mac.env.description=On Mac, use shell environment for external processes.
 
+use.tty.for.external.tools=false
+use.tty.for.external.tools.description=Use command line with TTY support to run 'External Tools'
+
 idea.mac.prevent.app.nap=false
 idea.mac.prevent.app.nap.description=Prevent app nap during indexing and inspection