diff --git a/internal/cli/logs.go b/internal/cli/logs.go
index 08b64e7..488b1b3 100644
--- a/internal/cli/logs.go
+++ b/internal/cli/logs.go
@@ -334,7 +334,12 @@ func runLogStreams(ctx context.Context, streams []logStream, out, errOut io.Writ
 	for _, stream := range streams {
 		one := &running{logStream: stream, lines: make(chan string, 256), stderr: &limitedBuffer{limit: 4 << 10}}
 
+		// The ssh commands come wired to this process's terminal (vssh's
+		// command()), and a stream that already has somewhere to write
+		// cannot also be read: exec refuses with "Stdout already set". The
+		// lines are read here, so the output is taken back first.
 		stream.cmd.Stdin = nil
+		stream.cmd.Stdout = nil
 		stream.cmd.Stderr = one.stderr
 		pipe, err := stream.cmd.StdoutPipe()
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/cli/logs_test.go b/internal/cli/logs_test.go
index b43da6d..d533a6a 100644
--- a/internal/cli/logs_test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/logs_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package cli
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -189,6 +190,22 @@ func TestSeveralMachinesAreReadInOrderOfTime(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// The ssh commands the target builds write to this process's terminal; the
+// reader takes their output back rather than failing on "Stdout already
+// set", which is what `vallic logs` answered on its first real run.
+func TestStreamWiredToTheTerminalIsRead(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd := exec.Command("printf", "%s\n", "2026-11-13T10:00:00.000Z [cron] ran")
+	cmd.Stdin = os.Stdin
+	cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+
+	var out, errOut strings.Builder
+	lines, err := runLogStreams(context.Background(), []logStream{{cmd: cmd}}, &out, &errOut, logsRequest{})
+	if err != nil || lines != 1 || out.String() != "2026-11-13T10:00:00.000Z [cron] ran\n" {
+		t.Errorf("a stream wired to the terminal read %q, %d lines, %v", out.String(), lines, err)
+	}
+}
+
 // As objects, a line says which machine it is from inside the object, and
 // is ordered by the time it holds.
 func TestLinesAsObjectsNameTheirMachine(t *testing.T) {