diff --git a/exec.cpp b/exec.cpp
index 9e63c3d11..d064cdd22 100644
--- a/exec.cpp
+++ b/exec.cpp
@@ -571,20 +571,24 @@ void exec(parser_t &parser, job_t *j)
     {
         shared_ptr<io_data_t> &io = j->io.at(idx);
 
-        if ((io->io_mode == IO_BUFFER) && io->is_input)
+        if ((io->io_mode == IO_BUFFER))
         {
-            /*
-              Input redirection - create a new gobetween process to take
-              care of buffering, save the redirection in input_redirect
-            */
-            process_t *fake = new process_t();
-            fake->type  = INTERNAL_BUFFER;
-            fake->pipe_write_fd = 1;
-            j->first_process->pipe_read_fd = io->fd;
-            fake->next = j->first_process;
-            j->first_process = fake;
-            input_redirect = static_cast<const io_buffer_t *>(io.get());
-            break;
+            CAST_INIT(io_buffer_t *, io_buffer, io.get());
+            if (io_buffer->is_input)
+            {
+                /*
+                  Input redirection - create a new gobetween process to take
+                  care of buffering, save the redirection in input_redirect
+                */
+                process_t *fake = new process_t();
+                fake->type  = INTERNAL_BUFFER;
+                fake->pipe_write_fd = 1;
+                j->first_process->pipe_read_fd = io->fd;
+                fake->next = j->first_process;
+                j->first_process = fake;
+                input_redirect = io_buffer;
+                break;
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -615,12 +619,10 @@ void exec(parser_t &parser, job_t *j)
 
     }
 
-    shared_ptr<io_pipe_t> pipe_read(new io_pipe_t(0));
-    pipe_read->is_input = 1;
+    shared_ptr<io_pipe_t> pipe_read(new io_pipe_t(0, true));
     pipe_read->pipe_fd[0] = pipe_read->pipe_fd[1] = -1;
 
-    shared_ptr<io_pipe_t> pipe_write(new io_pipe_t(1));
-    pipe_write->is_input = 0;
+    shared_ptr<io_pipe_t> pipe_write(new io_pipe_t(1, false));
     pipe_write->pipe_fd[0] = pipe_write->pipe_fd[1] = -1;
 
     j->io.push_back(pipe_write);
diff --git a/io.cpp b/io.cpp
index 6c42b6a33..241f89d91 100644
--- a/io.cpp
+++ b/io.cpp
@@ -72,12 +72,14 @@ void io_file_t::print() const
 
 void io_pipe_t::print() const
 {
-    fprintf(stderr, "pipe {%d, %d}\n", pipe_fd[0], pipe_fd[1]);
+    fprintf(stderr, "pipe {%d, %d} (input: %s)\n", pipe_fd[0], pipe_fd[1],
+            is_input ? "yes" : "no");
 }
 
 void io_buffer_t::print() const
 {
-    fprintf(stderr, "buffer %p (size %lu)\n", out_buffer_ptr(), out_buffer_size());
+    fprintf(stderr, "buffer %p (input: %s, size %lu)\n", out_buffer_ptr(),
+            is_input ? "yes" : "no", out_buffer_size());
 }
 
 void io_buffer_t::read()
@@ -132,8 +134,7 @@ void io_buffer_t::read()
 io_buffer_t *io_buffer_t::create(bool is_input)
 {
     bool success = true;
-    io_buffer_t *buffer_redirect = new io_buffer_t(is_input ? 0 : 1);
-    buffer_redirect->is_input = is_input ? true : false;
+    io_buffer_t *buffer_redirect = new io_buffer_t(is_input ? 0 : 1, is_input);
 
     if (exec_pipe(buffer_redirect->pipe_fd) == -1)
     {
@@ -221,7 +222,7 @@ void io_print(const io_chain_t &chain)
     for (size_t i=0; i < chain.size(); i++)
     {
         const shared_ptr<const io_data_t> &io = chain.at(i);
-        fprintf(stderr, "\t%lu: fd:%d, input:%s, ", (unsigned long)i, io->fd, io->is_input ? "yes" : "no");
+        fprintf(stderr, "\t%lu: fd:%d, ", (unsigned long)i, io->fd);
         io->print();
     }
 }
diff --git a/io.h b/io.h
index 084202629..c9bcd36a3 100644
--- a/io.h
+++ b/io.h
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ class io_data_t
 protected:
     io_data_t(io_mode_t m, int f) :
         io_mode(m),
-        fd(f),
-        is_input(0)
+        fd(f)
     {
     }
 
@@ -36,10 +35,6 @@ class io_data_t
     int fd;
 
     virtual void print() const = 0;
-
-    /** Set to true if this is an input io redirection */
-    bool is_input;
-
     virtual ~io_data_t() = 0;
 };
 
@@ -106,12 +101,14 @@ class io_pipe_t : public io_data_t
 {
 public:
     int pipe_fd[2];
+    bool is_input;
 
     virtual void print() const;
 
-    io_pipe_t(int f):
+    io_pipe_t(int f, bool i):
         io_data_t(IO_PIPE, f),
-        pipe_fd()
+        pipe_fd(),
+        is_input(i)
     {
     }
 };
@@ -122,8 +119,8 @@ class io_buffer_t : public io_pipe_t
     /** buffer to save output in */
     std::vector<char> *out_buffer;
 
-    io_buffer_t(int f):
-        io_pipe_t(f),
+    io_buffer_t(int f, bool i):
+        io_pipe_t(f, i),
         out_buffer(new std::vector<char>)
     {
         io_mode = IO_BUFFER;
diff --git a/postfork.cpp b/postfork.cpp
index 558805ab4..3fa3e8c47 100644
--- a/postfork.cpp
+++ b/postfork.cpp
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ static int handle_child_io(io_chain_t &io_chain)
             {
                 CAST_INIT(io_pipe_t *, io_pipe, io);
                 /* If write_pipe_idx is 0, it means we're connecting to the read end (first pipe fd). If it's 1, we're connecting to the write end (second pipe fd). */
-                unsigned int write_pipe_idx = (io->is_input ? 0 : 1);
+                unsigned int write_pipe_idx = (io_pipe->is_input ? 0 : 1);
                 /*
                         debug( 0,
                              L"%ls %ls on fd %d (%d %d)",
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ bool fork_actions_make_spawn_properties(posix_spawnattr_t *attr, posix_spawn_fil
             case IO_PIPE:
             {
                 CAST_INIT(const io_pipe_t *, io_pipe, io.get());
-                unsigned int write_pipe_idx = (io->is_input ? 0 : 1);
+                unsigned int write_pipe_idx = (io_pipe->is_input ? 0 : 1);
                 int from_fd = io_pipe->pipe_fd[write_pipe_idx];
                 int to_fd = io->fd;
                 if (! err)