diff --git a/src/commands/classified/external.rs b/src/commands/classified/external.rs
index bf0a131ac..4cde3fa6f 100644
--- a/src/commands/classified/external.rs
+++ b/src/commands/classified/external.rs
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ async fn run_with_stdin(
                                 yield Ok(Value {
                                     value: UntaggedValue::Error(ShellError::labeled_error(
                                         message,
-                                        "unable to write to stdin",
+                                        "application may have closed before completing pipeline",
                                         &name_tag,
                                     )),
                                     tag: name_tag,
diff --git a/tests/shell/mod.rs b/tests/shell/mod.rs
index 2a146ad17..b4bf72146 100644
--- a/tests/shell/mod.rs
+++ b/tests/shell/mod.rs
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ mod pipeline {
     fn shows_error_for_external_command_that_fails() {
         let actual = nu_error!(
             cwd: "tests/fixtures",
-            "echo \"1\" | ^false"
+            "^false"
         );
 
         assert!(actual.contains("External command failed"));