diff --git a/src/scripts/xzless.in b/src/scripts/xzless.in
index 6639943a..a3da697c 100644
--- a/src/scripts/xzless.in
+++ b/src/scripts/xzless.in
@@ -46,7 +46,13 @@ if test "${LESSMETACHARS+set}" != set; then
 	LESSMETACHARS="$space$tab$nl'"';*?"()<>[|&^`#\$%=~'
 fi
 
-LESSOPEN="|$xz -cdfq -- %s"
+if test "$(less -V | { read ver && echo ${ver#less }; })" -ge 429; then
+	# less 429 or later: LESSOPEN pipe will be used on
+	# standard input if $LESSOPEN begins with |-.
+	LESSOPEN="|-$xz -cdfq -- %s"
+else
+	LESSOPEN="|$xz -cdfq -- %s"
+fi
 export LESSMETACHARS LESSOPEN
 
 exec less "$@"