diff --git a/crates/nu-protocol/src/pipeline_data.rs b/crates/nu-protocol/src/pipeline_data.rs
index cb6f16640..b5db072d5 100644
--- a/crates/nu-protocol/src/pipeline_data.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-protocol/src/pipeline_data.rs
@@ -93,9 +93,20 @@ impl PipelineData {
                 vals: s.collect(),
                 span, // FIXME?
             },
-            PipelineData::ExternalStream { stdout: None, .. } => Value::Nothing { span },
+            PipelineData::ExternalStream {
+                stdout: None,
+                exit_code,
+                ..
+            } => {
+                // Make sure everything has finished
+                if let Some(exit_code) = exit_code {
+                    let _: Vec<_> = exit_code.into_iter().collect();
+                }
+                Value::Nothing { span }
+            }
             PipelineData::ExternalStream {
                 stdout: Some(mut s),
+                exit_code,
                 ..
             } => {
                 let mut items = vec![];
@@ -111,6 +122,11 @@ impl PipelineData {
                     }
                 }
 
+                // Make sure everything has finished
+                if let Some(exit_code) = exit_code {
+                    let _: Vec<_> = exit_code.into_iter().collect();
+                }
+
                 if s.is_binary {
                     let mut output = vec![];
                     for item in items {