diff --git a/Lib/pydoc.py b/Lib/pydoc.py
index 594e6c789e3..0647d1e8ffe 100755
--- a/Lib/pydoc.py
+++ b/Lib/pydoc.py
@@ -1446,7 +1446,13 @@ def ttypager(text):
         getchar = lambda: sys.stdin.readline()[:-1][:1]
 
     try:
-        r = inc = os.environ.get('LINES', 25) - 1
+        try:
+            h = int(os.environ.get('LINES', 0))
+        except ValueError:
+            h = 0
+        if h <= 1:
+            h = 25
+        r = inc = h - 1
         sys.stdout.write(join(lines[:inc], '\n') + '\n')
         while lines[r:]:
             sys.stdout.write('-- more --')
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index d3bf2dedc94..642ada04986 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ Documentation
 Tools/Demos
 -----------
 
+- Issue #22314: pydoc now works when the LINES environment variable is set.
+
 - Issue #18905: "pydoc -p 0" now outputs actually used port.  Based on patch by
   Wieland Hoffmann.