diff --git a/src/exec.cpp b/src/exec.cpp
index dc6ce6089..110856ff1 100644
--- a/src/exec.cpp
+++ b/src/exec.cpp
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ static bool can_use_posix_spawn_for_job(const std::shared_ptr<job_t> &job) {
     if (job->wants_job_control()) {  //!OCLINT(collapsible if statements)
         // We are going to use job control; therefore when we launch this job it will get its own
         // process group ID. But will it be foregrounded?
-        if (job->wants_terminal() && job->is_foreground()) {
+        if (job->should_claim_terminal()) {
             // It will be foregrounded, so we will call tcsetpgrp(), therefore do not use
             // posix_spawn.
             return false;
@@ -446,8 +446,7 @@ static bool fork_child_for_process(const std::shared_ptr<job_t> &job, process_t
         maybe_t<pid_t> new_termowner{};
         p->pid = getpid();
         child_set_group(job.get(), p);
-        child_setup_process(job->wants_terminal() && job->is_foreground() ? job->pgid : INVALID_PID,
-                            true, dup2s);
+        child_setup_process(job->should_claim_terminal() ? job->pgid : INVALID_PID, true, dup2s);
         child_action();
         DIE("Child process returned control to fork_child lambda!");
     }
diff --git a/src/proc.cpp b/src/proc.cpp
index 2c780abc3..d945bac0d 100644
--- a/src/proc.cpp
+++ b/src/proc.cpp
@@ -681,8 +681,8 @@ void proc_update_jiffies(parser_t &parser) {
 int terminal_maybe_give_to_job(const job_t *j, bool continuing_from_stopped) {
     enum { notneeded = 0, success = 1, error = -1 };
 
-    if (!j->wants_terminal() || !j->is_foreground()) {
-        // We don't want the job.
+    if (!j->should_claim_terminal()) {
+        // The job doesn't want the terminal.
         return notneeded;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/proc.h b/src/proc.h
index 2133fe160..934d7b48e 100644
--- a/src/proc.h
+++ b/src/proc.h
@@ -397,8 +397,8 @@ class job_t {
     /// \return if we want job control.
     bool wants_job_control() const { return get_flag(job_flag_t::JOB_CONTROL); }
 
-    /// \return if this job wants to own the terminal in the foreground.
-    bool wants_terminal() const { return properties.wants_terminal; }
+    /// \return if this job should own the terminal when it runs.
+    bool should_claim_terminal() const { return properties.wants_terminal && is_foreground(); }
 
     /// Returns the block IO redirections associated with the job. These are things like the IO
     /// redirections associated with the begin...end statement.