diff --git a/lib/node/nodeConsole.js b/lib/node/nodeConsole.js
index 83b068b9aa7..3365f6bda20 100644
--- a/lib/node/nodeConsole.js
+++ b/lib/node/nodeConsole.js
@@ -38,10 +38,8 @@ module.exports = ({ colors, appendOnly, stream }) => {
 
 	const writeStatusMessage = () => {
 		if (!currentStatusMessage) return;
-		const l = stream.columns;
-		const args = l
-			? truncateArgs(currentStatusMessage, l - 1)
-			: currentStatusMessage;
+		const l = stream.columns || 40;
+		const args = truncateArgs(currentStatusMessage, l - 1);
 		const str = args.join(" ");
 		const coloredStr = `\u001b[1m${str}\u001b[39m\u001b[22m`;
 		stream.write(`\x1b[2K\r${coloredStr}`);
diff --git a/test/ProgressPlugin.test.js b/test/ProgressPlugin.test.js
index 9f1a32c4d7e..f8d2aecac0a 100644
--- a/test/ProgressPlugin.test.js
+++ b/test/ProgressPlugin.test.js
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ describe("ProgressPlugin", function () {
 			const logs = getLogs(stderr.toString());
 
 			expect(logs.length).toBeGreaterThan(20);
-			expect(_.maxBy(logs, "length").length).toBeGreaterThan(50);
+			expect(_.maxBy(logs, "length").length).not.toBeGreaterThan(40);
 		});
 	});
 
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ describe("ProgressPlugin", function () {
 			activeModules: true
 		});
 
+		process.stderr.columns = 70;
 		return RunCompilerAsync(compiler).then(() => {
 			const logs = stderr.toString();
 
@@ -255,6 +256,7 @@ describe("ProgressPlugin", function () {
 	it("should get the custom handler text from the log", () => {
 		const compiler = createSimpleCompilerWithCustomHandler();
 
+		process.stderr.columns = 70;
 		return RunCompilerAsync(compiler).then(() => {
 			const logs = stderr.toString();
 			expect(logs).toEqual(