diff --git a/loginutils/login.c b/loginutils/login.c
index ef27c3b4a..c1e0c7699 100644
--- a/loginutils/login.c
+++ b/loginutils/login.c
@@ -305,6 +305,10 @@ int login_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	openlog(applet_name, LOG_PID | LOG_CONS | LOG_NOWAIT, LOG_AUTH);
 
 	while (1) {
+
+		/* flush away any type-ahead (as getty does) */
+		(void) ioctl(0, TCFLSH, TCIFLUSH);
+
 		if (!username[0])
 			get_username_or_die(username, sizeof(username));