diff --git a/src/os_unix.c b/src/os_unix.c
index ad70465..156168f 100644
--- a/src/os_unix.c
+++ b/src/os_unix.c
@@ -4098,6 +4098,32 @@
 }
 #endif
 
+#if defined(FEAT_GUI) || defined(FEAT_JOB_CHANNEL)
+    static void
+open_pty(int *pty_master_fd, int *pty_slave_fd)
+{
+    char	*tty_name;
+
+    *pty_master_fd = OpenPTY(&tty_name);	    /* open pty */
+    if (*pty_master_fd >= 0)
+    {
+	/* Leaving out O_NOCTTY may lead to waitpid() always returning
+	 * 0 on Mac OS X 10.7 thereby causing freezes. Let's assume
+	 * adding O_NOCTTY always works when defined. */
+#ifdef O_NOCTTY
+	*pty_slave_fd = open(tty_name, O_RDWR | O_NOCTTY | O_EXTRA, 0);
+#else
+	*pty_slave_fd = open(tty_name, O_RDWR | O_EXTRA, 0);
+#endif
+	if (*pty_slave_fd < 0)
+	{
+	    close(*pty_master_fd);
+	    *pty_master_fd = -1;
+	}
+    }
+}
+#endif
+
     int
 mch_call_shell(
     char_u	*cmd,
@@ -4206,7 +4232,6 @@
     int		pty_master_fd = -1;	    /* for pty's */
 # ifdef FEAT_GUI
     int		pty_slave_fd = -1;
-    char	*tty_name;
 # endif
     int		fd_toshell[2];		/* for pipes */
     int		fd_fromshell[2];
@@ -4269,25 +4294,7 @@
 	 * If the slave can't be opened, close the master pty.
 	 */
 	if (p_guipty && !(options & (SHELL_READ|SHELL_WRITE)))
-	{
-	    pty_master_fd = OpenPTY(&tty_name);	    /* open pty */
-	    if (pty_master_fd >= 0)
-	    {
-		/* Leaving out O_NOCTTY may lead to waitpid() always returning
-		 * 0 on Mac OS X 10.7 thereby causing freezes. Let's assume
-		 * adding O_NOCTTY always works when defined. */
-#ifdef O_NOCTTY
-		pty_slave_fd = open(tty_name, O_RDWR | O_NOCTTY | O_EXTRA, 0);
-#else
-		pty_slave_fd = open(tty_name, O_RDWR | O_EXTRA, 0);
-#endif
-		if (pty_slave_fd < 0)
-		{
-		    close(pty_master_fd);
-		    pty_master_fd = -1;
-		}
-	    }
-	}
+	    open_pty(&pty_master_fd, &pty_slave_fd);
 	/*
 	 * If not opening a pty or it didn't work, try using pipes.
 	 */
@@ -5100,12 +5107,14 @@
 
 #if defined(FEAT_JOB_CHANNEL) || defined(PROTO)
     void
-mch_start_job(char **argv, job_T *job, jobopt_T *options)
+mch_job_start(char **argv, job_T *job, jobopt_T *options)
 {
     pid_t	pid;
     int		fd_in[2];	/* for stdin */
     int		fd_out[2];	/* for stdout */
     int		fd_err[2];	/* for stderr */
+    int		pty_master_fd = -1;
+    int		pty_slave_fd = -1;
     channel_T	*channel = NULL;
     int		use_null_for_in = options->jo_io[PART_IN] == JIO_NULL;
     int		use_null_for_out = options->jo_io[PART_OUT] == JIO_NULL;
@@ -5128,6 +5137,9 @@
     fd_err[0] = -1;
     fd_err[1] = -1;
 
+    if (options->jo_pty)
+	open_pty(&pty_master_fd, &pty_slave_fd);
+
     /* TODO: without the channel feature connect the child to /dev/null? */
     /* Open pipes for stdin, stdout, stderr. */
     if (use_file_for_in)
@@ -5141,7 +5153,7 @@
 	    goto failed;
 	}
     }
-    else if (!use_null_for_in && pipe(fd_in) < 0)
+    else if (!use_null_for_in && pty_master_fd < 0 && pipe(fd_in) < 0)
 	goto failed;
 
     if (use_file_for_out)
@@ -5155,7 +5167,7 @@
 	    goto failed;
 	}
     }
-    else if (!use_null_for_out && pipe(fd_out) < 0)
+    else if (!use_null_for_out && pty_master_fd < 0 && pipe(fd_out) < 0)
 	goto failed;
 
     if (use_file_for_err)
@@ -5169,7 +5181,8 @@
 	    goto failed;
 	}
     }
-    else if (!use_out_for_err && !use_null_for_err && pipe(fd_err) < 0)
+    else if (!use_out_for_err && !use_null_for_err
+				      && pty_master_fd < 0 && pipe(fd_err) < 0)
 	goto failed;
 
     if (!use_null_for_in || !use_null_for_out || !use_null_for_err)
@@ -5224,54 +5237,53 @@
 	    null_fd = open("/dev/null", O_RDWR | O_EXTRA, 0);
 
 	/* set up stdin for the child */
+	close(0);
 	if (use_null_for_in && null_fd >= 0)
-	{
-	    close(0);
 	    ignored = dup(null_fd);
-	}
+	else if (fd_in[0] < 0)
+	    ignored = dup(pty_slave_fd);
 	else
-	{
-	    if (!use_file_for_in)
-		close(fd_in[1]);
-	    close(0);
 	    ignored = dup(fd_in[0]);
-	    close(fd_in[0]);
-	}
 
 	/* set up stderr for the child */
+	close(2);
 	if (use_null_for_err && null_fd >= 0)
 	{
-	    close(2);
 	    ignored = dup(null_fd);
 	    stderr_works = FALSE;
 	}
 	else if (use_out_for_err)
-	{
-	    close(2);
 	    ignored = dup(fd_out[1]);
-	}
+	else if (fd_err[1] < 0)
+	    ignored = dup(pty_slave_fd);
 	else
-	{
-	    if (!use_file_for_err)
-		close(fd_err[0]);
-	    close(2);
 	    ignored = dup(fd_err[1]);
-	    close(fd_err[1]);
-	}
 
 	/* set up stdout for the child */
+	close(1);
 	if (use_null_for_out && null_fd >= 0)
-	{
-	    close(1);
 	    ignored = dup(null_fd);
-	}
+	else if (fd_out[1] < 0)
+	    ignored = dup(pty_slave_fd);
 	else
-	{
-	    if (!use_file_for_out)
-		close(fd_out[0]);
-	    close(1);
 	    ignored = dup(fd_out[1]);
+
+	if (fd_in[0] >= 0)
+	    close(fd_in[0]);
+	if (fd_in[1] >= 0)
+	    close(fd_in[1]);
+	if (fd_out[0] >= 0)
+	    close(fd_out[0]);
+	if (fd_out[1] >= 0)
 	    close(fd_out[1]);
+	if (fd_err[0] >= 0)
+	    close(fd_err[0]);
+	if (fd_err[1] >= 0)
+	    close(fd_err[1]);
+	if (pty_master_fd >= 0)
+	{
+	    close(pty_master_fd); /* not used */
+	    close(pty_slave_fd); /* duped above */
 	}
 
 	if (null_fd >= 0)
@@ -5296,7 +5308,9 @@
     job->jv_status = JOB_STARTED;
     job->jv_channel = channel;  /* ch_refcount was set above */
 
-    /* child stdin, stdout and stderr */
+    if (pty_master_fd >= 0)
+	close(pty_slave_fd); /* duped above */
+    /* close child stdin, stdout and stderr */
     if (!use_file_for_in && fd_in[0] >= 0)
 	close(fd_in[0]);
     if (!use_file_for_out && fd_out[1] >= 0)
@@ -5306,12 +5320,12 @@
     if (channel != NULL)
     {
 	channel_set_pipes(channel,
-		      use_file_for_in || use_null_for_in
-						      ? INVALID_FD : fd_in[1],
-		      use_file_for_out || use_null_for_out
-						     ? INVALID_FD : fd_out[0],
-		      use_out_for_err || use_file_for_err || use_null_for_err
-						    ? INVALID_FD : fd_err[0]);
+		use_file_for_in || use_null_for_in
+			? INVALID_FD : fd_in[1] < 0 ? pty_master_fd : fd_in[1],
+		use_file_for_out || use_null_for_out
+		      ? INVALID_FD : fd_out[0] < 0 ? pty_master_fd : fd_out[0],
+		use_out_for_err || use_file_for_err || use_null_for_err
+		     ? INVALID_FD : fd_err[0] < 0 ? pty_master_fd : fd_err[0]);
 	channel_set_job(channel, job, options);
     }
 
@@ -5332,6 +5346,10 @@
 	close(fd_err[0]);
     if (fd_err[1] >= 0)
 	close(fd_err[1]);
+    if (pty_master_fd >= 0)
+	close(pty_master_fd);
+    if (pty_slave_fd >= 0)
+	close(pty_slave_fd);
 }
 
     char *