diff --git a/command/alias.go b/command/alias.go
index e5cec0b0b..7f02b03d5 100644
--- a/command/alias.go
+++ b/command/alias.go
@@ -82,8 +82,10 @@ func aliasSet(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	alias := args[0]
 	expansion := args[1]
 
-	out := colorableOut(cmd)
-	fmt.Fprintf(out, "- Adding alias for %s: %s\n", utils.Bold(alias), utils.Bold(expansion))
+	stderr := colorableErr(cmd)
+	if connectedToTerminal(cmd) {
+		fmt.Fprintf(stderr, "- Adding alias for %s: %s\n", utils.Bold(alias), utils.Bold(expansion))
+	}
 
 	shell, err := cmd.Flags().GetBool("shell")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -119,7 +121,9 @@ func aliasSet(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("could not create alias: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	fmt.Fprintln(out, successMsg)
+	if connectedToTerminal(cmd) {
+		fmt.Fprintln(stderr, successMsg)
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -156,7 +160,9 @@ func aliasList(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	stderr := colorableErr(cmd)
 
 	if aliasCfg.Empty() {
-		fmt.Fprintf(stderr, "no aliases configured\n")
+		if connectedToTerminal(cmd) {
+			fmt.Fprintf(stderr, "no aliases configured\n")
+		}
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -217,9 +223,11 @@ func aliasDelete(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete alias %s: %w", alias, err)
 	}
 
-	out := colorableOut(cmd)
-	redCheck := utils.Red("✓")
-	fmt.Fprintf(out, "%s Deleted alias %s; was %s\n", redCheck, alias, expansion)
+	if connectedToTerminal(cmd) {
+		stderr := colorableErr(cmd)
+		redCheck := utils.Red("✓")
+		fmt.Fprintf(stderr, "%s Deleted alias %s; was %s\n", redCheck, alias, expansion)
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/command/alias_test.go b/command/alias_test.go
index 871a540a4..63646f7a6 100644
--- a/command/alias_test.go
+++ b/command/alias_test.go
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ editor: vim
 `
 	initBlankContext(cfg, "OWNER/REPO", "trunk")
 
+	defer stubTerminal(true)()
+
 	mainBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	hostsBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	defer config.StubWriteConfig(&mainBuf, &hostsBuf)()
@@ -52,7 +54,8 @@ editor: vim
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	test.ExpectLines(t, output.String(), "Added alias")
+	test.ExpectLines(t, output.Stderr(), "Added alias")
+	test.ExpectLines(t, output.String(), "")
 
 	expected := `aliases:
     co: pr checkout
@@ -71,6 +74,7 @@ aliases:
   co: pr checkout
 `
 	initBlankContext(cfg, "OWNER/REPO", "trunk")
+	defer stubTerminal(true)()
 
 	mainBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	hostsBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
@@ -82,11 +86,12 @@ aliases:
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	test.ExpectLines(t, output.String(), "Changed alias co from pr checkout to pr checkout -Rcool/repo")
+	test.ExpectLines(t, output.Stderr(), "Changed alias.*co.*from.*pr checkout.*to.*pr checkout -Rcool/repo")
 }
 
 func TestAliasSet_space_args(t *testing.T) {
 	initBlankContext("", "OWNER/REPO", "trunk")
+	defer stubTerminal(true)()
 
 	mainBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	hostsBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
@@ -98,28 +103,29 @@ func TestAliasSet_space_args(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	test.ExpectLines(t, output.String(), `Adding alias for il: issue list -l "cool story"`)
+	test.ExpectLines(t, output.Stderr(), `Adding alias for.*il.*issue list -l "cool story"`)
 
 	test.ExpectLines(t, mainBuf.String(), `il: issue list -l "cool story"`)
 }
 
 func TestAliasSet_arg_processing(t *testing.T) {
 	initBlankContext("", "OWNER/REPO", "trunk")
+	defer stubTerminal(true)()
 	cases := []struct {
 		Cmd                string
 		ExpectedOutputLine string
 		ExpectedConfigLine string
 	}{
-		{`alias set il "issue list"`, "- Adding alias for il: issue list", "il: issue list"},
+		{`alias set il "issue list"`, "- Adding alias for.*il.*issue list", "il: issue list"},
 
-		{`alias set iz 'issue list'`, "- Adding alias for iz: issue list", "iz: issue list"},
+		{`alias set iz 'issue list'`, "- Adding alias for.*iz.*issue list", "iz: issue list"},
 
 		{`alias set ii 'issue list --author="$1" --label="$2"'`,
-			`- Adding alias for ii: issue list --author="\$1" --label="\$2"`,
+			`- Adding alias for.*ii.*issue list --author="\$1" --label="\$2"`,
 			`ii: issue list --author="\$1" --label="\$2"`},
 
 		{`alias set ix "issue list --author='\$1' --label='\$2'"`,
-			`- Adding alias for ix: issue list --author='\$1' --label='\$2'`,
+			`- Adding alias for.*ix.*issue list --author='\$1' --label='\$2'`,
 			`ix: issue list --author='\$1' --label='\$2'`},
 	}
 
@@ -133,7 +139,7 @@ func TestAliasSet_arg_processing(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("got unexpected error running %s: %s", c.Cmd, err)
 		}
 
-		test.ExpectLines(t, output.String(), c.ExpectedOutputLine)
+		test.ExpectLines(t, output.Stderr(), c.ExpectedOutputLine)
 		test.ExpectLines(t, mainBuf.String(), c.ExpectedConfigLine)
 	}
 }
@@ -143,6 +149,7 @@ func TestAliasSet_init_alias_cfg(t *testing.T) {
 editor: vim
 `
 	initBlankContext(cfg, "OWNER/REPO", "trunk")
+	defer stubTerminal(true)()
 
 	mainBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	hostsBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
@@ -157,7 +164,7 @@ aliases:
     diff: pr diff
 `
 
-	test.ExpectLines(t, output.String(), "Adding alias for diff: pr diff", "Added alias.")
+	test.ExpectLines(t, output.Stderr(), "Adding alias for.*diff.*pr diff", "Added alias.")
 	eq(t, mainBuf.String(), expected)
 }
 
@@ -167,6 +174,7 @@ aliases:
     foo: bar
 `
 	initBlankContext(cfg, "OWNER/REPO", "trunk")
+	defer stubTerminal(true)()
 
 	mainBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	hostsBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
@@ -181,7 +189,7 @@ aliases:
     view: pr view
 `
 
-	test.ExpectLines(t, output.String(), "Adding alias for view: pr view", "Added alias.")
+	test.ExpectLines(t, output.Stderr(), "Adding alias for.*view.*pr view", "Added alias.")
 	eq(t, mainBuf.String(), expected)
 
 }
@@ -349,6 +357,7 @@ aliases:
   ia: issue list --author="$1" --assignee="$1"
 `
 	initBlankContext(cfg, "OWNER/REPO", "trunk")
+	defer stubTerminal(true)()
 
 	mainBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	hostsBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
@@ -359,7 +368,7 @@ aliases:
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	test.ExpectLines(t, output.String(), "Deleted alias co; was pr checkout")
+	test.ExpectLines(t, output.Stderr(), "Deleted alias co; was pr checkout")
 
 	expected := `aliases:
     il: issue list --author="$1" --label="$2"
@@ -372,6 +381,8 @@ aliases:
 func TestShellAlias_flag(t *testing.T) {
 	initBlankContext("", "OWNER/REPO", "trunk")
 
+	defer stubTerminal(true)()
+
 	mainBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	hostsBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	defer config.StubWriteConfig(&mainBuf, &hostsBuf)()
@@ -381,7 +392,7 @@ func TestShellAlias_flag(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	test.ExpectLines(t, output.String(), "Adding alias for igrep")
+	test.ExpectLines(t, output.Stderr(), "Adding alias for.*igrep")
 	expected := `aliases:
     igrep: '!gh issue list | grep'
 `
@@ -392,6 +403,8 @@ func TestShellAlias_flag(t *testing.T) {
 func TestShellAlias_bang(t *testing.T) {
 	initBlankContext("", "OWNER/REPO", "trunk")
 
+	defer stubTerminal(true)()
+
 	mainBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	hostsBuf := bytes.Buffer{}
 	defer config.StubWriteConfig(&mainBuf, &hostsBuf)()
@@ -401,7 +414,7 @@ func TestShellAlias_bang(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	test.ExpectLines(t, output.String(), "Adding alias for igrep")
+	test.ExpectLines(t, output.Stderr(), "Adding alias for.*igrep")
 	expected := `aliases:
     igrep: '!gh issue list | grep'
 `