diff --git a/cli/client.go b/cli/client.go
index 2f509734382..96ba75c18bb 100644
--- a/cli/client.go
+++ b/cli/client.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"runtime/debug"
+	"slices"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -3334,7 +3335,15 @@ func RobotsPartRemoveFragmentAction(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command, args
 			}
 		}
 	} else {
-		// No fragment provided, prompt user to select
+		if !isInteractive() {
+			names := make([]string, 0, len(fragmentNamesToIDs))
+			for name, id := range fragmentNamesToIDs {
+				names = append(names, fmt.Sprintf("  %s (%s)", name, id))
+			}
+			slices.Sort(names)
+			return fmt.Errorf("--fragment flag required in non-interactive mode; available fragments:\n%s",
+				strings.Join(names, "\n"))
+		}
 		whichFragment, whichID, err = client.selectFragment(fragmentNamesToIDs)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/cli/module_generate.go b/cli/module_generate.go
index 52c5ac90b89..8b1d6002235 100644
--- a/cli/module_generate.go
+++ b/cli/module_generate.go
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ type generateModuleArgs struct {
 func GenerateModuleAction(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command, args generateModuleArgs) error {
 	c, err := newViamClient(ctx, cmd)
 	if err != nil {
+		if !isInteractive() {
+			return errors.New("authentication required; run `viam login` before using module generate non-interactively")
+		}
 		shouldContinueGeneration := promptUnauthenticated()
 		if !shouldContinueGeneration {
 			return err
@@ -133,6 +136,10 @@ func (c *viamClient) generateModuleAction(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command,
 	}
 
 	if newModule.HasEmptyInput() {
+		if !isInteractive() {
+			return errors.New("missing required flags for non-interactive mode; " +
+				"provide --name, --language, --public-namespace, --resource-subtype, and --model-name")
+		}
 		err = promptUser(newModule)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -148,7 +155,7 @@ func (c *viamClient) generateModuleAction(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command,
 	}
 	populateAdditionalInfo(newModule)
 
-	s := spinner.New()
+	var s *spinner.Spinner
 	var fatalError error
 	var registryURL string
 	nonFatalError := false
@@ -157,8 +164,20 @@ func (c *viamClient) generateModuleAction(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command,
 		return err
 	}
 	globalArgs := *gArgs
+
+	// logTitle updates the spinner in interactive mode, prints a status line
+	// in non-interactive mode, and is a no-op in debug mode.
+	logTitle := func(string) {}
+	interactive := isInteractive()
+	if interactive && !globalArgs.Debug {
+		s = spinner.New()
+		logTitle = func(msg string) { s.Title(msg) }
+	} else if !globalArgs.Debug {
+		logTitle = func(msg string) { printf(cmd.Root().Writer, "%s", msg) }
+	}
+
 	action := func() {
-		s.Title("Getting latest release...")
+		logTitle("Getting latest release...")
 		version, err := getLatestSDKTag(ctx, cmd, newModule.Language, globalArgs)
 		if err != nil {
 			fatalError = err
@@ -170,52 +189,52 @@ func (c *viamClient) generateModuleAction(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command,
 			newModule.SDKVersion = strings.TrimPrefix(newModule.SDKVersion[idx+1:], "v")
 		}
 
-		s.Title("Setting up module directory...")
+		logTitle("Setting up module directory...")
 		if err = setupDirectories(cmd, newModule.ModuleName, globalArgs); err != nil {
 			fatalError = err
 			return
 		}
 
-		s.Title("Creating module and generating manifest...")
+		logTitle("Creating module and generating manifest...")
 		registryURL, err = createModuleAndManifest(ctx, cmd, c, *newModule, globalArgs)
 		if err != nil {
 			fatalError = err
 			return
 		}
 
-		s.Title("Rendering common files...")
+		logTitle("Rendering common files...")
 		if err = renderCommonFiles(cmd, *newModule, globalArgs); err != nil {
 			fatalError = err
 			return
 		}
 
-		s.Title(fmt.Sprintf("Copying %s files...", newModule.Language))
+		logTitle(fmt.Sprintf("Copying %s files...", newModule.Language))
 		if err = copyLanguageTemplate(cmd, newModule.Language, newModule.ModuleName, globalArgs); err != nil {
 			fatalError = err
 			return
 		}
 
-		s.Title("Rendering template...")
+		logTitle("Rendering template...")
 		if err = renderTemplate(cmd, *newModule, globalArgs); err != nil {
 			fatalError = err
 			return
 		}
 
-		s.Title(fmt.Sprintf("Generating %s stubs...", newModule.Language))
+		logTitle(fmt.Sprintf("Generating %s stubs...", newModule.Language))
 		if err = generateStubs(cmd, *newModule, globalArgs); err != nil {
 			warningf(cmd.Root().ErrWriter, err.Error())
 			nonFatalError = true
 		}
 	}
 
-	if globalArgs.Debug {
-		action()
-	} else {
+	if interactive && !globalArgs.Debug {
 		s.Action(action)
 		err := s.Run()
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+	} else {
+		action()
 	}
 
 	if fatalError != nil {
diff --git a/cli/tty.go b/cli/tty.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a4460993375
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cli/tty.go
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package cli
+
+import (
+	"os"
+
+	"golang.org/x/term"
+)
+
+// isInteractive reports whether stdin is connected to a terminal.
+func isInteractive() bool {
+	return term.IsTerminal(int(os.Stdin.Fd()))
+}