diff --git a/glanceclient/v1/shell.py b/glanceclient/v1/shell.py
index d4d117e3..a7888f96 100644
--- a/glanceclient/v1/shell.py
+++ b/glanceclient/v1/shell.py
@@ -225,9 +225,12 @@ def do_image_create(gc, args):
     # Only show progress bar for local image files
     if fields.get('data') and args.progress:
         filesize = utils.get_file_size(fields['data'])
-        fields['data'] = progressbar.VerboseFileWrapper(
-            fields['data'], filesize
-        )
+        if filesize is not None:
+            # NOTE(kragniz): do not show a progress bar if the size of the
+            # input is unknown (most likely a piped input)
+            fields['data'] = progressbar.VerboseFileWrapper(
+                fields['data'], filesize
+            )
 
     image = gc.images.create(**fields)
     _image_show(image, args.human_readable)
diff --git a/glanceclient/v2/shell.py b/glanceclient/v2/shell.py
index 4da2d990..d8cd194b 100644
--- a/glanceclient/v2/shell.py
+++ b/glanceclient/v2/shell.py
@@ -254,7 +254,10 @@ def do_image_upload(gc, args):
     image_data = utils.get_data_file(args)
     if args.progress:
         filesize = utils.get_file_size(image_data)
-        image_data = progressbar.VerboseFileWrapper(image_data, filesize)
+        if filesize is not None:
+            # NOTE(kragniz): do not show a progress bar if the size of the
+            # input is unknown (most likely a piped input)
+            image_data = progressbar.VerboseFileWrapper(image_data, filesize)
     gc.images.upload(args.id, image_data, args.size)