diff -Naur python-ase-3.8.1.3440.orig/ase/gui/ag.py python-ase-3.8.1.3440/ase/gui/ag.py
--- python-ase-3.8.1.3440.orig/ase/gui/ag.py	2013-11-22 16:00:05.000000000 +0100
+++ python-ase-3.8.1.3440/ase/gui/ag.py	2013-12-10 11:32:31.915511000 +0100
@@ -93,11 +93,8 @@
                     parser.error(e.args[0])
                 else:
                     parser.error(e.args[1] + ': ' + e.filename)
-        elif sys.stdin.isatty():
-            images.initialize([Atoms()])
         else:
-            from ase.db import connect
-            images.initialize([connect(sys.stdin, 'json')[0]])
+            images.initialize([Atoms()])
 
         if opt.interpolate:
             images.interpolate(opt.interpolate)