diff --git a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/classified/external.rs b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/classified/external.rs
index fedda6309f..a3251f734e 100644
--- a/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/classified/external.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-cli/src/commands/classified/external.rs
@@ -169,9 +169,6 @@ fn spawn(
     if !is_last {
         process.stdout(Stdio::piped());
         trace!(target: "nu::run::external", "set up stdout pipe");
-
-        process.stderr(Stdio::piped());
-        trace!(target: "nu::run::external", "set up stderr pipe");
     }
 
     // open since we have some contents for stdin
@@ -270,20 +267,6 @@ fn spawn(
                     return Err(());
                 };
 
-                let stderr = if let Some(stderr) = child.stderr.take() {
-                    stderr
-                } else {
-                    let _ = stdout_read_tx.send(Ok(Value {
-                        value: UntaggedValue::Error(ShellError::labeled_error(
-                            "Can't redirect the stderr for external command",
-                            "can't redirect stderr",
-                            &stdout_name_tag,
-                        )),
-                        tag: stdout_name_tag,
-                    }));
-                    return Err(());
-                };
-
                 let file = futures::io::AllowStdIo::new(stdout);
                 let stream = FramedRead::new(file, MaybeTextCodec::default());
 
@@ -337,64 +320,6 @@ fn spawn(
                         }
                     }
                 }
-
-                let file = futures::io::AllowStdIo::new(stderr);
-                let err_stream = FramedRead::new(file, MaybeTextCodec::default());
-
-                for err_line in block_on_stream(err_stream) {
-                    match err_line {
-                        Ok(line) => match line {
-                            StringOrBinary::String(s) => {
-                                let result = stdout_read_tx.send(Ok(Value {
-                                    value: UntaggedValue::Error(
-                                        ShellError::untagged_runtime_error(s.clone()),
-                                    ),
-                                    tag: stdout_name_tag.clone(),
-                                }));
-
-                                if result.is_err() {
-                                    break;
-                                }
-                            }
-                            StringOrBinary::Binary(_) => {
-                                let result = stdout_read_tx.send(Ok(Value {
-                                    value: UntaggedValue::Error(
-                                        ShellError::untagged_runtime_error(
-                                            "Binary in stderr output",
-                                        ),
-                                    ),
-                                    tag: stdout_name_tag.clone(),
-                                }));
-
-                                if result.is_err() {
-                                    break;
-                                }
-                            }
-                        },
-                        Err(e) => {
-                            // If there's an exit status, it makes sense that we may error when
-                            // trying to read from its stdout pipe (likely been closed). In that
-                            // case, don't emit an error.
-                            let should_error = match child.wait() {
-                                Ok(exit_status) => !exit_status.success(),
-                                Err(_) => true,
-                            };
-
-                            if should_error {
-                                let _ = stdout_read_tx.send(Ok(Value {
-                                    value: UntaggedValue::Error(ShellError::labeled_error(
-                                        format!("Unable to read from stderr ({})", e),
-                                        "unable to read from stderr",
-                                        &stdout_name_tag,
-                                    )),
-                                    tag: stdout_name_tag.clone(),
-                                }));
-                            }
-
-                            return Ok(());
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
             }
 
             // We can give an error when we see a non-zero exit code, but this is different