diff --git a/xonsh/built_ins.py b/xonsh/built_ins.py
index 524defb23..0bd1a3932 100644
--- a/xonsh/built_ins.py
+++ b/xonsh/built_ins.py
@@ -615,7 +615,10 @@ def run_subproc(cmds, captured=True):
         })
     if ENV.get('XONSH_INTERACTIVE') and not ENV.get('XONSH_STORE_STDOUT'):
         # set title here to get current command running
-        builtins.__xonsh_shell__.settitle()
+        try:
+            builtins.__xonsh_shell__.settitle()
+        except AttributeError:
+            pass
     if background:
         return
     if prev_is_proxy: