diff --git a/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go b/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go
index 075e70245..562342000 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/cmd_backup.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ given as the arguments.
 		}
 
 		var t tomb.Tomb
-		term := termstatus.New(globalOptions.stdout, globalOptions.stderr)
+		term := termstatus.New(globalOptions.stdout, globalOptions.stderr, globalOptions.Quiet)
 		t.Go(func() error { term.Run(t.Context(globalOptions.ctx)); return nil })
 
 		err := runBackup(backupOptions, globalOptions, term, args)
diff --git a/cmd/restic/integration_test.go b/cmd/restic/integration_test.go
index 36a7670b1..92c75c851 100644
--- a/cmd/restic/integration_test.go
+++ b/cmd/restic/integration_test.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func testRunBackup(t testing.TB, dir string, target []string, opts BackupOptions
 	defer cancel()
 
 	var wg errgroup.Group
-	term := termstatus.New(gopts.stdout, gopts.stderr)
+	term := termstatus.New(gopts.stdout, gopts.stderr, gopts.Quiet)
 	wg.Go(func() error { term.Run(ctx); return nil })
 
 	gopts.stdout = ioutil.Discard
diff --git a/internal/ui/termstatus/status.go b/internal/ui/termstatus/status.go
index 6682430e8..7a0c6cfb1 100644
--- a/internal/ui/termstatus/status.go
+++ b/internal/ui/termstatus/status.go
@@ -44,8 +44,9 @@ type fder interface {
 // a file (e.g. via shell output redirection) or is just an io.Writer (not the
 // open *os.File for stdout), no status lines are printed. The status lines and
 // normal output (via Print/Printf) are written to wr, error messages are
-// written to errWriter.
-func New(wr io.Writer, errWriter io.Writer) *Terminal {
+// written to errWriter. If disableStatus is set to true, no status messages
+// are printed even if the terminal supports it.
+func New(wr io.Writer, errWriter io.Writer, disableStatus bool) *Terminal {
 	t := &Terminal{
 		wr:        bufio.NewWriter(wr),
 		errWriter: errWriter,
@@ -54,6 +55,10 @@ func New(wr io.Writer, errWriter io.Writer) *Terminal {
 		status:    make(chan status),
 	}
 
+	if disableStatus {
+		return t
+	}
+
 	if d, ok := wr.(fder); ok && canUpdateStatus(d.Fd()) {
 		// only use the fancy status code when we're running on a real terminal.
 		t.canUpdateStatus = true