diff --git a/app/vmctl/barpool/pool.go b/app/vmctl/barpool/pool.go
index 4f095d8ac..05fe8b418 100644
--- a/app/vmctl/barpool/pool.go
+++ b/app/vmctl/barpool/pool.go
@@ -3,7 +3,13 @@
 // altogether.
 package barpool
 
-import "github.com/cheggaaa/pb/v3"
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/terminal"
+	"github.com/cheggaaa/pb/v3"
+)
 
 var pool = pb.NewPool()
 
@@ -20,7 +26,22 @@ func Stop() { _ = pool.Stop() }
 // AddWithTemplate adds bar with the given template
 // to the global pool
 func AddWithTemplate(format string, total int) *pb.ProgressBar {
-	bar := pb.ProgressBarTemplate(format).New(total)
+	tpl := getTemplate(format)
+	bar := pb.ProgressBarTemplate(tpl).New(total)
 	Add(bar)
 	return bar
 }
+
+// NewSingleProgress returns progress bar with given template
+func NewSingleProgress(format string, total int) *pb.ProgressBar {
+	tpl := getTemplate(format)
+	return pb.ProgressBarTemplate(tpl).New(total)
+}
+
+func getTemplate(format string) string {
+	isTerminal := terminal.IsTerminal(int(os.Stdout.Fd()))
+	if !isTerminal {
+		format = fmt.Sprintf("%s\n", format)
+	}
+	return format
+}
diff --git a/app/vmctl/influx.go b/app/vmctl/influx.go
index 8e11d91be..41cf74083 100644
--- a/app/vmctl/influx.go
+++ b/app/vmctl/influx.go
@@ -18,9 +18,11 @@ type influxProcessor struct {
 	separator   string
 	skipDbLabel bool
 	promMode    bool
+	isSilent    bool
+	isVerbose   bool
 }
 
-func newInfluxProcessor(ic *influx.Client, im *vm.Importer, cc int, separator string, skipDbLabel bool, promMode bool) *influxProcessor {
+func newInfluxProcessor(ic *influx.Client, im *vm.Importer, cc int, separator string, skipDbLabel, promMode, silent, verbose bool) *influxProcessor {
 	if cc < 1 {
 		cc = 1
 	}
@@ -31,10 +33,12 @@ func newInfluxProcessor(ic *influx.Client, im *vm.Importer, cc int, separator st
 		separator:   separator,
 		skipDbLabel: skipDbLabel,
 		promMode:    promMode,
+		isSilent:    silent,
+		isVerbose:   verbose,
 	}
 }
 
-func (ip *influxProcessor) run(silent, verbose bool) error {
+func (ip *influxProcessor) run() error {
 	series, err := ip.ic.Explore()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("explore query failed: %s", err)
@@ -44,7 +48,7 @@ func (ip *influxProcessor) run(silent, verbose bool) error {
 	}
 
 	question := fmt.Sprintf("Found %d timeseries to import. Continue?", len(series))
-	if !silent && !prompt(question) {
+	if !ip.isSilent && !prompt(question) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -79,7 +83,7 @@ func (ip *influxProcessor) run(silent, verbose bool) error {
 		case infErr := <-errCh:
 			return fmt.Errorf("influx error: %s", infErr)
 		case vmErr := <-ip.im.Errors():
-			return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, verbose))
+			return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, ip.isVerbose))
 		case seriesCh <- s:
 		}
 	}
@@ -91,7 +95,7 @@ func (ip *influxProcessor) run(silent, verbose bool) error {
 	// drain import errors channel
 	for vmErr := range ip.im.Errors() {
 		if vmErr.Err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, verbose))
+			return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, ip.isVerbose))
 		}
 	}
 	for err := range errCh {
diff --git a/app/vmctl/main.go b/app/vmctl/main.go
index be75ceb11..e81746a76 100644
--- a/app/vmctl/main.go
+++ b/app/vmctl/main.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/backoff"
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/native"
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/remoteread"
-	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/terminal"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
 
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/influx"
@@ -72,8 +71,8 @@ func main() {
 						return fmt.Errorf("failed to create VM importer: %s", err)
 					}
 
-					otsdbProcessor := newOtsdbProcessor(otsdbClient, importer, c.Int(otsdbConcurrency))
-					return otsdbProcessor.run(isNonInteractive(c), c.Bool(globalVerbose))
+					otsdbProcessor := newOtsdbProcessor(otsdbClient, importer, c.Int(otsdbConcurrency), c.Bool(globalSilent), c.Bool(globalVerbose))
+					return otsdbProcessor.run()
 				},
 			},
 			{
@@ -113,8 +112,10 @@ func main() {
 						c.Int(influxConcurrency),
 						c.String(influxMeasurementFieldSeparator),
 						c.Bool(influxSkipDatabaseLabel),
-						c.Bool(influxPrometheusMode))
-					return processor.run(isNonInteractive(c), c.Bool(globalVerbose))
+						c.Bool(influxPrometheusMode),
+						c.Bool(globalSilent),
+						c.Bool(globalVerbose))
+					return processor.run()
 				},
 			},
 			{
@@ -152,9 +153,11 @@ func main() {
 							timeEnd:   c.Timestamp(remoteReadFilterTimeEnd),
 							chunk:     c.String(remoteReadStepInterval),
 						},
-						cc: c.Int(remoteReadConcurrency),
+						cc:        c.Int(remoteReadConcurrency),
+						isSilent:  c.Bool(globalSilent),
+						isVerbose: c.Bool(globalVerbose),
 					}
-					return rmp.run(ctx, isNonInteractive(c), c.Bool(globalVerbose))
+					return rmp.run(ctx)
 				},
 			},
 			{
@@ -188,7 +191,7 @@ func main() {
 						im: importer,
 						cc: c.Int(promConcurrency),
 					}
-					return pp.run(isNonInteractive(c), c.Bool(globalVerbose))
+					return pp.run(c.Bool(globalSilent), c.Bool(globalVerbose))
 				},
 			},
 			{
@@ -250,8 +253,9 @@ func main() {
 						backoff:        backoff.New(),
 						cc:             c.Int(vmConcurrency),
 						disableRetries: c.Bool(vmNativeDisableRetries),
+						isSilent:       c.Bool(globalSilent),
 					}
-					return p.run(ctx, isNonInteractive(c))
+					return p.run(ctx)
 				},
 			},
 			{
@@ -324,8 +328,3 @@ func initConfigVM(c *cli.Context) vm.Config {
 		DisableProgressBar: c.Bool(vmDisableProgressBar),
 	}
 }
-
-func isNonInteractive(c *cli.Context) bool {
-	isTerminal := terminal.IsTerminal(int(os.Stdout.Fd()))
-	return c.Bool(globalSilent) || !isTerminal
-}
diff --git a/app/vmctl/opentsdb.go b/app/vmctl/opentsdb.go
index b956f0592..a20ee007f 100644
--- a/app/vmctl/opentsdb.go
+++ b/app/vmctl/opentsdb.go
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@ import (
 )
 
 type otsdbProcessor struct {
-	oc      *opentsdb.Client
-	im      *vm.Importer
-	otsdbcc int
+	oc        *opentsdb.Client
+	im        *vm.Importer
+	otsdbcc   int
+	isSilent  bool
+	isVerbose bool
 }
 
 type queryObj struct {
@@ -24,18 +26,20 @@ type queryObj struct {
 	StartTime int64
 }
 
-func newOtsdbProcessor(oc *opentsdb.Client, im *vm.Importer, otsdbcc int) *otsdbProcessor {
+func newOtsdbProcessor(oc *opentsdb.Client, im *vm.Importer, otsdbcc int, silent, verbose bool) *otsdbProcessor {
 	if otsdbcc < 1 {
 		otsdbcc = 1
 	}
 	return &otsdbProcessor{
-		oc:      oc,
-		im:      im,
-		otsdbcc: otsdbcc,
+		oc:        oc,
+		im:        im,
+		otsdbcc:   otsdbcc,
+		isSilent:  silent,
+		isVerbose: verbose,
 	}
 }
 
-func (op *otsdbProcessor) run(silent, verbose bool) error {
+func (op *otsdbProcessor) run() error {
 	log.Println("Loading all metrics from OpenTSDB for filters: ", op.oc.Filters)
 	var metrics []string
 	for _, filter := range op.oc.Filters {
@@ -51,7 +55,7 @@ func (op *otsdbProcessor) run(silent, verbose bool) error {
 	}
 
 	question := fmt.Sprintf("Found %d metrics to import. Continue?", len(metrics))
-	if !silent && !prompt(question) {
+	if !op.isSilent && !prompt(question) {
 		return nil
 	}
 	op.im.ResetStats()
@@ -114,7 +118,7 @@ func (op *otsdbProcessor) run(silent, verbose bool) error {
 					case otsdbErr := <-errCh:
 						return fmt.Errorf("opentsdb error: %s", otsdbErr)
 					case vmErr := <-op.im.Errors():
-						return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, verbose))
+						return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, op.isVerbose))
 					case seriesCh <- queryObj{
 						Tr: tr, StartTime: startTime,
 						Series: series, Rt: opentsdb.RetentionMeta{
@@ -138,7 +142,7 @@ func (op *otsdbProcessor) run(silent, verbose bool) error {
 	op.im.Close()
 	for vmErr := range op.im.Errors() {
 		if vmErr.Err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, verbose))
+			return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, op.isVerbose))
 		}
 	}
 	log.Println("Import finished!")
diff --git a/app/vmctl/remoteread.go b/app/vmctl/remoteread.go
index 6539268f4..8531c6cd6 100644
--- a/app/vmctl/remoteread.go
+++ b/app/vmctl/remoteread.go
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ type remoteReadProcessor struct {
 	dst *vm.Importer
 	src *remoteread.Client
 
-	cc int
+	cc        int
+	isSilent  bool
+	isVerbose bool
 }
 
 type remoteReadFilter struct {
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ type remoteReadFilter struct {
 	chunk     string
 }
 
-func (rrp *remoteReadProcessor) run(ctx context.Context, silent, verbose bool) error {
+func (rrp *remoteReadProcessor) run(ctx context.Context) error {
 	rrp.dst.ResetStats()
 	if rrp.filter.timeEnd == nil {
 		t := time.Now().In(rrp.filter.timeStart.Location())
@@ -46,19 +48,19 @@ func (rrp *remoteReadProcessor) run(ctx context.Context, silent, verbose bool) e
 
 	question := fmt.Sprintf("Selected time range %q - %q will be split into %d ranges according to %q step. Continue?",
 		rrp.filter.timeStart.String(), rrp.filter.timeEnd.String(), len(ranges), rrp.filter.chunk)
-	if !silent && !prompt(question) {
+	if !rrp.isSilent && !prompt(question) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	var bar *pb.ProgressBar
-	if !silent {
+	if !rrp.isSilent {
 		bar = barpool.AddWithTemplate(fmt.Sprintf(barTpl, "Processing ranges"), len(ranges))
 		if err := barpool.Start(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
 	defer func() {
-		if !silent {
+		if !rrp.isSilent {
 			barpool.Stop()
 		}
 		log.Println("Import finished!")
@@ -90,7 +92,7 @@ func (rrp *remoteReadProcessor) run(ctx context.Context, silent, verbose bool) e
 		case infErr := <-errCh:
 			return fmt.Errorf("remote read error: %s", infErr)
 		case vmErr := <-rrp.dst.Errors():
-			return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, verbose))
+			return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, rrp.isVerbose))
 		case rangeC <- &remoteread.Filter{
 			StartTimestampMs: r[0].UnixMilli(),
 			EndTimestampMs:   r[1].UnixMilli(),
@@ -105,7 +107,7 @@ func (rrp *remoteReadProcessor) run(ctx context.Context, silent, verbose bool) e
 	// drain import errors channel
 	for vmErr := range rrp.dst.Errors() {
 		if vmErr.Err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, verbose))
+			return fmt.Errorf("import process failed: %s", wrapErr(vmErr, rrp.isVerbose))
 		}
 	}
 	for err := range errCh {
diff --git a/app/vmctl/utils.go b/app/vmctl/utils.go
index de1fde0c2..c53b95554 100644
--- a/app/vmctl/utils.go
+++ b/app/vmctl/utils.go
@@ -6,12 +6,17 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 
+	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/terminal"
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/vm"
 )
 
 const barTpl = `{{ blue "%s:" }} {{ counters . }} {{ bar . "[" "█" (cycle . "█") "▒" "]" }} {{ percent . }}`
 
 func prompt(question string) bool {
+	isTerminal := terminal.IsTerminal(int(os.Stdout.Fd()))
+	if !isTerminal {
+		return true
+	}
 	reader := bufio.NewReader(os.Stdin)
 	fmt.Print(question, " [Y/n] ")
 	answer, err := reader.ReadString('\n')
diff --git a/app/vmctl/vm_native.go b/app/vmctl/vm_native.go
index 64b2801eb..683ad6150 100644
--- a/app/vmctl/vm_native.go
+++ b/app/vmctl/vm_native.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/backoff"
+	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/barpool"
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/limiter"
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/native"
 	"github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/app/vmctl/stepper"
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ type vmNativeProcessor struct {
 	interCluster   bool
 	cc             int
 	disableRetries bool
+	isSilent       bool
 }
 
 const (
@@ -41,7 +43,7 @@ const (
 	nativeSingleProcessTpl = `Total: {{counters . }} {{ cycle . "↖" "↗" "↘" "↙" }} Speed: {{speed . }} {{string . "suffix"}}`
 )
 
-func (p *vmNativeProcessor) run(ctx context.Context, silent bool) error {
+func (p *vmNativeProcessor) run(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if p.cc == 0 {
 		p.cc = 1
 	}
@@ -78,13 +80,13 @@ func (p *vmNativeProcessor) run(ctx context.Context, silent bool) error {
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to get tenants: %w", err)
 		}
 		question := fmt.Sprintf("The following tenants were discovered: %s.\n Continue?", tenants)
-		if !silent && !prompt(question) {
+		if !p.isSilent && !prompt(question) {
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
 
 	for _, tenantID := range tenants {
-		err := p.runBackfilling(ctx, tenantID, ranges, silent)
+		err := p.runBackfilling(ctx, tenantID, ranges, p.isSilent)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("migration failed: %s", err)
 		}
@@ -111,7 +113,6 @@ func (p *vmNativeProcessor) do(ctx context.Context, f native.Filter, srcURL, dst
 }
 
 func (p *vmNativeProcessor) runSingle(ctx context.Context, f native.Filter, srcURL, dstURL string, bar *pb.ProgressBar) error {
-
 	reader, err := p.src.ExportPipe(ctx, srcURL, f)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to init export pipe: %w", err)
@@ -218,9 +219,9 @@ func (p *vmNativeProcessor) runBackfilling(ctx context.Context, tenantID string,
 
 	var bar *pb.ProgressBar
 	if !silent {
-		bar = pb.ProgressBarTemplate(fmt.Sprintf(nativeWithBackoffTpl, barPrefix)).New(len(metrics) * len(ranges))
+		bar = barpool.NewSingleProgress(fmt.Sprintf(nativeWithBackoffTpl, barPrefix), len(metrics)*len(ranges))
 		if p.disableRetries {
-			bar = pb.ProgressBarTemplate(nativeSingleProcessTpl).New(0)
+			bar = barpool.NewSingleProgress(nativeSingleProcessTpl, 0)
 		}
 		bar.Start()
 		defer bar.Finish()
diff --git a/docs/CHANGELOG.md b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
index 7ff9628a1..4b2390b66 100644
--- a/docs/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/docs/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ The following tip changes can be tested by building VictoriaMetrics components f
 
 ## tip
 
+* FEATURE: [vmctl](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/vmctl.html): add verbose output for docker installations or when TTY isn't available. See [this issue](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/issues/4081).
 * BUGFIX: [vmalert](https://docs.victoriametrics.com/vmalert.html): fix nil map assignment panic in runtime introduced in this [change](https://github.com/VictoriaMetrics/VictoriaMetrics/pull/4341).
 * BUGFIX: add the following command-line flags, which can be used for limiting Graphite API calls: 
   `--search.maxGraphiteTagKeys` for limiting the number of tag keys returned from Graphite `/tags`, `/tags/autoComplete/*`, `/tags/findSeries` API.