diff --git a/internal/exec.go b/internal/exec.go
index 795822f46..7fe95c0b9 100644
--- a/internal/exec.go
+++ b/internal/exec.go
@@ -20,6 +20,20 @@ func CombinedOutputTimeout(c *exec.Cmd, timeout time.Duration) ([]byte, error) {
 	return b.Bytes(), err
 }
 
+// StdOutputTimeout runs the given command with the given timeout and
+// returns the output of stdout.
+// If the command times out, it attempts to kill the process.
+func StdOutputTimeout(c *exec.Cmd, timeout time.Duration) ([]byte, error) {
+	var b bytes.Buffer
+	c.Stdout = &b
+	c.Stderr = nil
+	if err := c.Start(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	err := WaitTimeout(c, timeout)
+	return b.Bytes(), err
+}
+
 // RunTimeout runs the given command with the given timeout.
 // If the command times out, it attempts to kill the process.
 func RunTimeout(c *exec.Cmd, timeout time.Duration) error {
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/sensors/sensors.go b/plugins/inputs/sensors/sensors.go
index 864da8121..1df88466b 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/sensors/sensors.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/sensors/sensors.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func (s *Sensors) parse(acc telegraf.Accumulator) error {
 	fields := map[string]interface{}{}
 	chip := ""
 	cmd := execCommand(s.path, "-A", "-u")
-	out, err := internal.CombinedOutputTimeout(cmd, s.Timeout.Duration)
+	out, err := internal.StdOutputTimeout(cmd, s.Timeout.Duration)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to run command %s: %s - %s", strings.Join(cmd.Args, " "), err, string(out))
 	}